How to completely disable autoload photos in Google Photos on Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide

Automatic uploading of photos to Google Photos is a convenient feature for backing up images, but it often causes uncontrolled consumption of mobile traffic and filling the cloud storage with unnecessary files. Owners of Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI face additional nuances: duplicate settings in the system menu and application, hidden synchronization options, and sometimes the inability to disable autoboot using standard methods due to the features of the firmware.

In this article, we’ll look at three proven ways to disable Google Photos autoloads on Xiaomi devices (including MIUI 12/13/14), and how to avoid common mistakes: from accidentally enabling sync after an update to conflicts with the built-in Gallery app. If you want to save traffic, free up space in the cloud, or just control which photos are sent to Google, this guide will help you get it right the first time.

Why Google Photos Autoboots on Its Own on Xiaomi

Many Xiaomi users complain that even after manually disabling the autoboot, the feature is activated again after a few days, the reasons for this lie in the features of MIUI and the integration of Google services:

🔄 Automatic app updates: After updating Google Photos or Google Play Services, sync settings may be reset to default values.
📱 Conflict with MIUI Gallery: Built-in Gallery app on some firmware independently includes backup in Google Photos, ignoring user settings.
☁️ Cloud account sync: If a Google account is added to your device, the system can automatically activate backup for new photos.
🔧 Hidden parameters MIUI: In some versions of the firmware, the autoboot settings are duplicated in the Settings menu. → Google accounts and directly in the Google Photos app.

The problem is particularly common on devices with MIUI 12.5 and MIUI 13, where Xiaomi developers have actively integrated cloud services. For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro or Poco X3 Pro, users note that after resetting, autoboot is turned on without notice.

⚠️ Note: If you use a dual Google account (e.g. personal and work), the boot settings may differ for each profile!

📊 What version? MIUI you have installed?

MIUI 12.5

MIUI 13

MIUI 14

Another version

I don't know.

Method 1: Disable autoload directly in the Google Photos app

The most obvious method is to use the settings of the Google Photos app itself, but on Xiaomi, this process can be complicated by duplicate menus.

Open the Google Photos app (if it’s not on the home screen, search for all apps in the menu or through search).
Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner (or tap on three horizontal lines if the avatar is missing).
Select Photo Settings (or Backup Options in new versions).
Go to Backup and Synchronization.
Turn off the slider opposite the Backup option. Confirm if the dialog box appears.

On some Xiaomi devices (such as Mi 11 or Redmi K40) a notification may appear after the shutdown: "Sync with MIUI Gallery suspended. To continue backup, enable it in the Gallery settings." This means that you need to further disable integration in the system application.

Open Google Photo| Backup settings checked | Backup slider disabled | Make sure there are no notifications of conflict with MIUI Gallery-->

Method 2: Disable synchronization through MIUI settings

If you don't turn off autoboot through Google Photos, it could be system integration. MIUI has hidden options that control backup regardless of the app's settings.

Go to Settings → Accounts and synchronization (on some firmware, the path may differ: Settings → Memory and Synchronization).
Select your Google account from the list.
Slip on account synchronization (or synchronization management).
Find the Google Photos section and turn off the slider in front of it.
Go back and check if Autosynchronization is activated (if you have it, turn it off).

On devices with MIUI 14 (e.g., Xiaomi 13 or Poco F5), the path may look different:

Settings → Google → Managing Google Account → Synchronization

⚠️ Note: Disabling sync for Google Photos in system settings does not remove files already downloaded from the cloud. To clear the storage, use the web version of Google Photos on your computer or the mobile version of the site.

MIUI version	The Way to Synchronization Settings	Features
MIUI 12.5	Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Google → Account Synchronization	You may need to turn off MIUI Gallery in the same menu.
MIUI 13	Settings → Memory and Synchronization → Google	Duplicate settings in Google Photos and System Menu.
MIUI 14	Settings → Google → Account Management → Synchronization	A clearer separation of settings for each Google service.

💡

If you activate autoboot again after you turn off, try removing your Google account from your MIUI settings and then adding it again, which will reset all hidden sync options.

Method 3: Radical Method – Restricting Background Activity in Google Photos

If the standard methods don't work, you can completely block the background of the application, which is a radical solution, but it is guaranteed to stop the autoboot.

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Find Google Photos in the list and tap it.
Select Battery (or Charge Consumption on some firmware).
Set the mode to limit background activity (or Manual Control).
Go back and turn off AutoRun permission for the application.
For security, block notifications from Google Photos in the Notifications section.

This method has side effects:

⏳ The app will not update the gallery in the background (photos will appear only after manual opening).
🔔 You will not receive notifications of new features or storage issues.
☁️ Manual uploading of photos will be possible only with an open application.

What if Google Photos disappeared from the app menu?

If you don't find Google Photos in the installed app list, it could mean it's been disabled as a system. To return it: Go to Settings → Apps → App Management → All Apps. Slip three-points in the top corner and select Show Systems. Find Google Photos, open its card and click Turn it on. After that, the app will reappear on the menu.

How to check if the autoboot is actually disabled

To make sure that photos are no longer automatically uploaded, follow the following steps:

Take a test shot (such as a photo of a document or a random frame).
Wait 5-10 minutes (time depends on internet speed).
Open Google Photos and check the Photos or Library section. The new photo should not appear in the cloud.
Check traffic consumption: Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic consumption. Find Google Photos in the list of applications. If the autoload is disabled, the consumption should be minimal (only background data).

If the test photo did load, it means there's still an active setting somewhere.

📌 Settings in Google Photos.
📌 System synchronization parameters (Settings) → Google accounts).
📌 Application permissions (Settings) → Annexes → Google Photo → Permits).

💡

Even after you turn off the autoload, the uploaded photos will remain in the cloud. To delete them, use the Clean space feature in the Google Photo settings or manually delete files via the web version.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you turn off the autoboot, Xiaomi users often make common mistakes that lead to the functionality being re-activated.

🔄 Incomplete shutdown: Forget to check settings in both places – in the Google Photos app and in system settings MIUI.
📲 Ignoring Updates: After updating the Google Play Services or MIUI You can always check the settings after major updates.
☁️ Account confusion: If there are multiple Google accounts on the phone, autoload can be activated for one of them.
🔌 Disconnection without saving: In some versions MIUI after disabling synchronization, you need to restart the device, otherwise the settings will not apply.

Another common problem is the conflict with MIUI Gallery, and on some devices (such as Xiaomi Mi 10T or Redmi 9), the built-in Gallery app has its own backup function in Google Photos, which runs in parallel, to turn it off:

Open the Gallery → Settings (⚙️) → Backup → Turn off "Suppress Google Photos"

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for POCO (for example, Poco X3 NFC) The path to Gallery settings may be different.If you can't find the backup section, try updating the Gallery app via Google Play.

Alternative ways to back up photos on Xiaomi

If you have disabled autoloading in Google Photos but still want to save photos to the cloud, consider alternative services that are better optimized for MIUI:

Service	Advantages	Deficiencies	Integration with MIUI
Mi Cloud	Seamless synchronization with Xiaomi, 5 GB is free.	Fewer functions for photo editing.	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (full-time)
Yandex Disc.	10 GB free, autoload over Wi-Fi.	Less integration with MIUI.	⭐⭐⭐ (requires manual adjustment)
Dropbox	Strong encryption, 2GB free.	Limited free space.	⭐⭐ (There is no deep integration)
Amazon Photos	Unlimited storage for photos (for Prime users).	Sophisticated interface in Russian.	⭐⭐ (It works as a third-party software)

To use Mi Cloud (cloud storage from Xiaomi):

Go to Settings. → Mi Account.
Choose Mi Cloud.
Activate the slider in front of the Gallery.
Configure the autoload settings (for example, only over Wi-Fi).

Mi Cloud is closely integrated with MIUI, so it doesn’t conflict with system settings or turn on spontaneously, but there is a limitation: only 5GB is provided for free, and you will need to pay a subscription to expand storage.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

❓ Why photos still load after autoboot shutdown?

Your Xiaomi has probably activated sync via MIUI Gallery. Turn it off in the Gallery → Backup app settings. Also check if a second Google account has been added to your phone settings.

❓ Can you turn off autoboot only for mobile data, leaving it over Wi-Fi?

Yes, there is an option in Google Photos to Backup over Wi-Fi. Go to Settings → Backup and Sync → Backup Settings and select Wi-Fi Only.

❓ What happens to uploaded photos after the shutdown of the autoboot?

Turning off autoboot does not delete previously uploaded files. They will remain in your Google Photos until you manually delete them. To free up space, use the Clean space feature in the app settings.

❓ How to disable autoload for specific folders (e.g. screenshots)?

In Google Photos, you can configure exceptions: Open Settings → Backup and Sync → Manage backup. Slip on Device Folders. Disable sliders in front of folders that don’t need to be synced (like Screenshots or Downloads).

❓ Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a “backup” option in Google Photos?

This can happen for two reasons: Google Photos is outdated. Update it through Google Play. Your device has a Chinese version of MIUI (e.g. Xiaomi for China) that is limited to Google services, and you will need to have a global firmware version.