Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face a situation where the device updates programs on its own, consuming traffic and occupying RAM. Many users prefer to control this process to keep the system running smoothly or avoid changes in the interface that can be implemented by developers in new versions. Disabling automatic updates is not just a whim, but often a necessary measure to save the device resources.
MIUI and the new HyperOS have flexible settings to manage this process. However, standard options are not always obvious, and some system applications may ignore general rules. In this article, we will look at all the available methods, from simple menu switches to more advanced ways to lock through the developer settings.
Understanding how the update engine works will help you avoid sudden reboots or changes in the way your apps work. We’ll look at settings for both of the major app stores: your own Mi GetApps (formerly the Mi Store) and Google Play, which will allow you to take full control of your device.
Set up automatic updates in Mi GetApps
Xiaomi’s own app store often updates programs in the background, even if you’re not actively using them. To stop this process, you need to go to the store’s settings. Open the GetApps app (an icon with A, G, E colored letters) on your desktop or in the Tools folder.
After you start the app, go to the Profile or Mine tab, which is usually located at the bottom right of the screen. In the menu that opens, find the gear icon in the top right corner, which is the settings input. Here you are interested in the Application Auto Update.
- 📱 Select the “Never” option to completely prevent the store from updating programs without your knowledge.
- 📶 Select “Wi-Fi Only” if you want to save mobile traffic but allow wireless updates.
- ⚙️ Turn off the system app update switch if you want to manually control the versions of embedded services.
Importantly, even after selecting Never mode, some critical system components may continue to request an update, a behavior that is embedded in the logic of MIUI for security, but for most user applications, this method works flawlessly.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling updates in Mi GetApps completely can cause you to miss important security patches for Xiaomi’s built-in apps, such as Themes, Explorer, or Gallery».
⚠️ Note: If you use the Russia region in your phone settings, Mi GetApps may not be the global version, and in some cases, the auto-update is hidden inside the General Settings subsection».
Managing Updates in Google Play Market
Most of the third-party apps on Xiaomi smartphones are installed through the official Google store. its mechanism is different from the Xiaomi system store, so the settings need to be changed separately. Open the Play Store app and click on your profile icon in the upper right corner.
In the drop-down menu, select Settings, then go to Preferences, where the Auto Update key item is located, and the system will offer three options similar to the previous store, but they apply exclusively to software from the Google ecosystem.
The option of “Do not update apps automatically” is the most radical, in which case you will have to go to the store yourself and click the “Update” button for each program, which ensures that no application changes without your direct involvement, which is useful for testing the stability of the work.
If you select the option “Update only via Wi-Fi”, the phone will ignore update requests when using mobile data. This is a standard recommendation for users with a limited plan.
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To quickly update just one particular app, go to the Play Store → App and Device Management → Updates are available, and click “Update” next to the desired program.
Disabling updates for individual applications
Sometimes you don't have to ban updates completely, you just have to limit this process to specific programs, for example, you might want instant messengers to update automatically, and heavy games or banking apps to update manually, and Google Play does this through customization.
Find the program you want in the installed list. Click on the icon to go to the details page. In the upper right corner, click on three vertical dots. In the menu that opens, you will be "Auto Update." By ticking the box here, you redefined the global store settings for that particular case.
In the GetApps system store, the mechanism is similar. Go to profile, select App Updates. In the list of available updates, find the desired application and click on the arrow or settings next to it. Here you can also select Auto Update and disable it.
| App store | The path to adjustment | Available options |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play | Profile → Settings → Preferences | Always Wi-Fi, never |
| Mi GetApps | Profile → Cogs → Auto Update | Always Wi-Fi, never |
| Galaxy Store (Samsung) | Settings → Auto Update | On, Wi-Fi only. |
This approach allows you to create a flexible system: critical software (antiviruses, banking applications) will receive fresh security patches, and entertainment content will remain on a stable version until your decision.
☑️ Checking the update settings
Using Developer Mode to Block
For advanced users who want to guarantee to stop any background processes associated with updates, there is a developer mode. This is the deeper level of Android system customization available on Xiaomi. Activating this mode requires caution, as changing some parameters can affect the operation of the system.
To enter the developer menu, go to Settings → Find the line version. MIUI (or the version of the OS in HyperOS) and quickly click on it 7-10 The system will tell you that you have become a developer, and then a new section will appear in the main settings menu. → For developers.
Inside this menu, scroll down to the Apps section, and you can find options that limit background activity, but the most effective way to block updates is to disable network access for system update services, which we will discuss in the next section.
You should not change the settings in the Debugging section if you do not understand their purpose, but focus on the items related to background processes and activity limits.
⚠️ Warning: Turning on Developer Mode makes your phone more vulnerable if you connect it to unknown computers.After setting up, return the Developer Mode switch to the Off position at the top of the menu.
Risks of using the developer mode
Blocking through Network Access Restriction
The toughest, but also the most effective way is to deny app stores access to the Internet, so if an application can't connect to the server, it can't physically download the updated files, which works at the level of MIUI network rules.
Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Go to GetApps or Play Store. Go inside, select Other Permits (or just “Permissions”). Go to Network and Wi-Fi (or “Mobile Data and Wi-Fi”) and select “Disable”.
After that, the application will only work when you open it yourself, but even then, depending on the firmware version, access to the network can be completely blocked. For the Play Store, a complete ban on the network can disrupt the push notifications, so it is better to use a point ban only on data transfer, leaving Wi-Fi, or use this method temporarily.
Alternatively, you can use Traffic Savings, which allows you to turn on the Savings mode in your network connection settings (Wi-Fi and Internet → Data Use), and in this mode, the background data transfer for most applications is blocked, which automatically prevents hidden downloads of updates.
Critical: If you block network access for Google Play Services, your phone may stop syncing contacts, email and location correctly.
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Network blocking is a nuclear method that guarantees no updates, but can disrupt notifications and synchronization, and use it if other methods are ineffective.
Frequent questions and problems when disconnecting
Even following the instructions, users may be confronted with the nuances of Xiaomi’s shell, often insisting on auto-updates or returning default settings after a reboot, part of MIUI’s philosophy of keeping the software up to date.
Sometimes, after updating the system itself, store settings can reset, so if you notice that the applications have started updating themselves again, check the settings again.
If you want to get rid of intrusiveness completely, you might want to consider removing updates for system components or freezing them through ADB, but that requires a computer connection and having command line skills.