Where in the Xiaomi phone is Task Manager: a complete guide with pictures

Have you ever tried to shut down a suspended app on Xiaomi but couldn’t find where Task Manager is hiding? MIUI — Unlike pure Android, where the task manager is usually available through a long press of the menu button, the user can use the device to create a new system. MIUI It's not the way it is.

The problem is compounded by the fact that new versions are available. MIUI (12 to 14) the location of the task manager changed, and in some firmware it is hidden behind several layers of the menu. In this article, we will not only show where the task manager on Xiaomi is in different versions. MIUI, But we also reveal the hidden features of this tool, which are known to a few users.

We’ll focus on alternative ways to manage tasks, such as through developer settings or third-party applications, which can be useful if the standard manager is not working properly. And at the end of the article, you’ll find a unique table of compatibility of task manager functions with different Xiaomi models – this information is not even available on official forums!

1. Standard way: how to open Task Manager on Xiaomi through gestures

The fastest and most intuitive method is to use navigational gestures, depending on the version. MIUI The algorithm may be slightly different, but the overall logic is maintained:

• 📱 For MIUI 12/13/14 with gesture control: swipe your finger up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold your finger on 1-2 You'll see a list of newly opened applications, and that's the simplified task manager.
• 🔄 For MIUI 11 and older with navigation buttons: press the square button (right of Home) and hold it 2-3 It opens an extended controller with the ability to force applications to close.
• ⚡ Quickly close all tasks: in the list of newly opened applications, swipe left or right through the thumbnail of the application, it will close. To close everything at once, click on the Close Everything icon (cross or basket depending on the version).

It's important to understand that this method only shows newly opened applications, not all active processes in the system. To fully control background activity, you need a different approach, which you can read about in the next section.

2. Deep Task Manager: Where to find a complete list of processes

If you want to see all the active processes, not just the recently opened applications, a standard gesture manager won't work.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Annex section → Application management.
3. In the top menu, select the tab "Run" (on some models it is called "Active").

Here you will see a complete list of processes including:

• 📱 User applications (the ones you installed yourself).
• 🤖 System services (processes) MIUI Android, necessary for the operation of the smartphone).
• 🔄 Background tasks (applications that run in hidden mode, such as messengers or location tracking).

To forcefully stop the process:

1. Slip the name of the app on the list.
2. Click the "Stop" button (or "Forced Stop" on English firmware).
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

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If you see unknown processes with names like com.android.xxx in the list of running applications, don’t rush to stop them – these can be critical system services.

3. Hidden functions of task manager: what can MIUI, but does not

Few people know, but Task Manager in Xiaomi has hidden features that are not obvious at first glance.

• 🔍 Search by process: in the section Application management → The ones running in the top right corner have a magnifying glass icon. Click on it to find a specific process by name, which is handy if you have hundreds of items on the list.
• 📊 Usage statistics: tap any application in the list of running, then select "Battery Use." Here you will see how long the application was running in the background and how much charge was consumed.
• 🔒 Background activity blocking: In the same app management menu, there is an option to “Limit background activity” which is useful for saving battery, but can disrupt some functions (for example, notifications in messengers).
• 🛡️ Auto-close protection: some applications (e.g., navigators or music players) have a "Block in memory" option, which prevents the application from being closed by the system if there is a shortage of RAM.

Another little-known feature is that you can sort processes according to different criteria. In the Runs section, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select:

• "By name" is alphabetical order.
• “Memory use” is the most “gluttonous” processes on top.
• "Shoot time" - first the ones that were recently discovered.

4. Alternative ways to manage tasks: when the standard controller is not working

There are times when Xiaomi’s standard Task Manager is not acting properly, not opening, not closing apps, or simply not being on the menu.

If you choose to use third-party applications to manage tasks, pay attention to their reputation. Some Google Play "optimizers" actually impair performance by constantly working in the background and showing annoying ads. It is better to choose proven tools like Greenify (the developer is known in the Android community) or SD Maid.

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC|Enable debugging on USB developer-setting|Download the platform ADB from the official Google website|Connect the phone to USB (file transfer)|Check the connection with the adb device command-->

5.Why Task Manager on Xiaomi doesn’t work like it does on other Android smartphones

Many users, when they switch from Samsung, Google Pixel or other brands to Xiaomi, find that Task Manager behaves differently here. MIUI:

• 🤖 Aggressive optimization: MIUI Actively closes background processes to save battery power, which can interfere with the work of messengers or navigators.
• 🔄 Double buffering: in MIUI It uses a technology where the closed application is not deleted from memory immediately, but is "freezed"; this allows you to open it again faster, but takes up RAM.
• 📊 Hidden system processes: unlike pure Android, the system is not MIUI Many system services are hidden from the user to avoid accidental shutdown.

In addition, Xiaomi implemented a unique feature “Deep Clean” that works differently than the standard shutdown:

• A normal shutdown through Task Manager simply suspends the application.
• Deep Cleaning (available through Settings) → Annexes → Cleaning) completely removes the process from memory and resets the cache.

This explains why sometimes, once an application is closed through Task Manager, it still continues to run in the background, so you have to use Deep Cleanup to stop it completely. ADB-team.

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MIUI It doesn't just close applications, it manages their life cycle, and even after it's closed through Task Manager, the application can stay in memory in sleep mode to open faster when it's next run.

6. Frequent Task Manager Problems on Xiaomi and How to Solve Them

Even in the latest versions. MIUI And these are the most common problems and solutions that people encounter:

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI Task Manager stopped opening through gesture, try resetting gesture settings. → Display. → Navigation gestures → Resetting. It often helps bring back standard behavior.

If none of the methods worked, try clearing the cache of system applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top corner and select "Show Systems".
3. Find the System Interface (com.android.systemui) and Settings (com.android.settings) apps.
4. For each of them, click "Clear the cache".
5. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Do not clean the system application data (Clear Data button) – this may cause a malfunction MIUI and require the phone to be reset to factory settings!

7. Task Manager comparison: Xiaomi vs. other brands

To better understand the features of Task Manager on Xiaomi, compare it with solutions from other popular brands:

As you can see from the table, MIUI It offers more tools to manage tasks than competitors, but it comes with stability. If you care about reliability, you might want to consider alternative launchers like Nova Launcher, which allow you to customize the opening of the Task Manager for yourself.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Task Manager on Xiaomi