Auto-Running Apps in Xiaomi Redmi: A Complete Guide to Setup and Optimization

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are known for their performance and flexible settings, but many users are faced with the problem of auto-start applications - a feature that can both speed up the system and slow it down, using up battery power in the background. If your phone suddenly starts to warm up, discharge faster or slow down, the fault is often applications that start spontaneously when the device is turned on or after rebooting.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what autorun is, how it works in MIUI firmware (including the latest versions for the Redmi Note 12, Redmi 11, Redmi 10, and other models), and learn how to manage it so that the phone is stable and the battery lasts longer, and you’ll learn which apps can be safely turned off and which ones are best left in autorun so you don’t lose important notifications or functionality.

Particular attention will be paid to hidden MIUI mechanisms, which automatically return disabled applications to auto-start after system updates - this is one of the most common reasons why settings are reset, and users again face lags.

What is Auto-Running Applications and Why You Need It

Autostart (or autostart) is an operating system function that allows applications to automatically start when certain events occur:

• 📱 Turning on the phone – after completely switching off or restarting;
• 🔄 Unlocking the screen when you wake up the phone;
• 🔌 Network connection – Wi-Fi, mobile internet or Bluetooth;
• 🕒 Scheduled – some apps (like instant messengers) check for updates every few minutes.

At first glance, it’s convenient: messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) immediately show new messages, music services (Spotify, Yandex Music) continue to play tracks, and system utilities (for example, Mi Security) monitor security, but each application consumes RAM and battery power, even if you do not use it.

MIUI autorun is more aggressive than pure Android: it decides which apps are “important” and includes them in autoruns, often ignoring user settings. It’s part of Xiaomi’s optimization, but it doesn’t always work in favor of the user.

How Auto Start Affects Performance and Battery

The main problems that cause uncontrolled auto-start:

For example, if you have Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok installed, they can consume up to 30 percent of your battery life a day even if you haven't opened them.These apps are actively using auto-runs to track your activity and display ads.

On the other hand, disabling autoruns for system utilities (such as Mi Cloud or Google Play Services) can result in loss of functionality: notifications will stop coming, contacts or backups will not sync.

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To check which applications are using the most battery, go to Settings → Battery → Battery Use. This shows all the processes running in the background, including those that start automatically.

Where to find autorun settings in Xiaomi Redmi

MIUI's autorun settings are hidden deeper than standard Android, and the path to them depends on the firmware version, but the general scheme is this:

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Apps section (or All Apps in new versions).
3. Select Application Management.
4. Slip on the three points in the upper right corner and select AutoRun (in some versions – AutoRun Applications or Run in the background).

In older versions of MIUI (up to 12), the path could look like this: Settings → Additional → Battery and Performance → Battery Management → Application Selection.

If you don't have Auto Start displayed, it may be hidden due to regional restrictions (e.g., firmware for Europe), and you can use an alternative method:

Settings → Special features → Special features Services → Find “Space”

What applications can be disabled in auto-run (and which ones can not)

Not all apps are equally useful in auto-run, here are some recommendations by category:

• ✅ You can turn it off (safely): 🎮 Games (PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact – They don’t need background work); 📺 Social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) – they already consume a lot of resources); 🛒 Shops (AliExpress, Wildberries – discount notices are not critical); 📊 Analytics (Google Analytics, Firebase) – collect data for developers).
• ⚠️ Disconnect with caution: 💬 Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram – no auto-run notifications will arrive with a delay); 🎵 Music services (Spotify, Yandex Music – will not be able to play music in the background); 📅 Calendars and Reminders (Google Calendar – alarm clocks may not work).
• 🚫 Don't turn it off: 🔒 Google Play Services (Mi Security) – Security and Updates); 📞 Telephone and SMS (com.android.phone – without them, calls will not work); ☁️ Cloud Services (Mi Cloud – if you use backup).

If you are not sure whether to disable an app, try doing so for 1-2 days and check if important functionality is lost, for example, disabling the autorun for the Google Play Store can cause apps to stop updating automatically.

Check the list of running applications in Settings → Battery|Make a backup copy of important data|Turn off auto-start for 2-3 unnecessary apps|Watch your phone work for 1-2 days|When problems arise, return the settings back.-->

How to permanently disable auto-start for unnecessary applications

Even after manual shutdown, MIUI can add apps to autorun again after updates or restarts. To avoid this, follow the instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Autorun.
2. Find an unnecessary app (such as Facebook) and uncheck the box.
3. Go back to the list of all apps, find the same app and tap on it.
4. Select Battery → Background Limit → Limit.
5. Then go to Permissions and turn off AutoRun (if there is such a point).

For reliability, also disable notifications for this app: Settings → Notifications → Find the app → Disable all notifications.

If the application persists in returning to auto-start, use ADB-command (requires a computer and enabled debugging on the USB):

adb shell cmd appops set < application package > RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND deny

To find out the application package, use the command:

adb shell pm list packages | grep -i "appendix name"

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Disabling autorun through ADB is the most reliable way, but requires technical skills. Once the command is executed, the application will not be able to start in the background even after resetting.

What to do if after shutting down the autostart the phone began to work worse

Sometimes users experience the opposite effect: after a mass shutdown of auto-start, the phone starts to slow down, and the battery runs out even faster, because:

• 🔄 The system is forced to constantly restart applications from scratch (for example, instant messengers when opened), which wastes more resources than background work;
• 📵 Critical services (e.g. Google Services Framework) are disabled, causing synchronization to be disrupted;
• 🔋 Alternative mechanisms are actively working (for example, applications are starting to use push notifications instead of background synchronization).

Decisions:

1. Return to auto-run system applications (Google Play Services, Mi Security, Telecom).
2. For instant messengers (WhatsApp, Viber) enable Battery Optimization manually: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → Select the application → No restrictions.
3. Use Performance Mode: Settings → Battery → Performance Mode → High Performance (this will reduce background constraints).

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If the phone is slow to open apps after the changes, try clearing the cache: Settings → Storage → Clear the cache. This won’t delete your data, but it will help the system reboot temporary files.

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable auto-runs for com.android.systemui or com.miui.home applications, this will cause shell malfunctions. MIUI (The icons will disappear, the notification panel will stop working).

Hidden Auto Start Settings: What MIUI Can Do, But Doesn't Show Users

Xiaomi is actively optimizing the background of applications, but some settings are hidden from the user.

• 🔍 List of "Secure" Applications — MIUI It automatically adds Xiaomi apps (Mi Browser, Mi Video, GetApps) to auto-run, even if you're not using them. To remove them from auto-run, you need to disable Recommendations MIUI account settings.
• ⏳ Delayed autorun – some applications are not launched immediately, but 5-10 minutes after unlocking the screen (this is done to reduce the load on the processor.
• 🔄 Auto-Restore Settings – After Major Updates MIUI Resets battery limitations for some applications. To avoid this, back up your settings through Settings before upgrading. → The phone. → Backup.

Another little-known fact: MIUI divides auto-run into two types:

1. Hard auto-start – the app starts immediately when you turn on your phone (for example, Google Play Services);
2. Soft Auto-Run – The application is only launched under certain conditions (for example, WhatsApp – when connecting to the Internet).

These types can only be managed through ADB or special utilities like MIUI Hidden Settings (root required).

FAQ: Frequent questions about auto-run in Xiaomi Redmi