How to disable background apps on Xiaomi: all ways (MIUI 12-14)

Smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO firmware-based MIUI They're known for their energy efficiency, but sometimes background applications become a real problem, not only draining the battery at an accelerated rate, but also slowing down the system, taking up precious CPU and RAM resources. If your phone began to brake, warm up or quickly sit down – the culprit is often those programs that continue to work in hidden mode.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disable background processes on Xiaomi devices (including the Redmi Note 12 models, POCO X5, Mi 11 and more: You will learn how to completely close unnecessary applications, set up auto-clean memory, and what system limitations are there. MIUI You need to take into account that you don't disturb the stability of the phone, and we'll pay special attention to the differences between the firmware versions. MIUI 12 to fresh MIUI 14 (including HyperOS for new models).

Why background apps are damaging Xiaomi smartphone

Background processes are programs that continue to perform tasks even after you shut down their interface, and on Xiaomi, they fall into three categories:

• 🔄 Synchronization services (mail, messengers, cloud storage) – constantly update data in real time.
• 📱 Systemic processes MIUI (e.g. com.miui.analytics – collect telemetry and optimize the operation of the OS.
• 🎮 Applications with push notifications (games, social networks) – keep a connection with servers for instant notifications.

According to the laboratory tests XDA Developers, even the standby smartphone Xiaomi can spend up to 15-20% battery charge 8 It's because of background activity, and it's the most voracious:

In addition to the battery, background processes affect:

• 🐢 Performance: busy RAM (RAM) The system is forced to kill active tasks.
• 🔥 Overheating: Constant CPU load (Snapdragon or Mediatek) increases the temperature.
• 📶 Traffic: Some apps (such as Mi Video) download content in the background.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling all background processes completely can result in loss of notifications (such as missed WhatsApp calls) or disruptions MIUI (For example, the weather will not be updated on the main screen).

Method 1: Manually Closing Applications Through Multitasking Menu

The easiest method is to manually close unnecessary programs through the latest application bar, but it only works for custom applications and does not affect system services. MIUI.

Instructions:

1. Click the Multitasking button (square in the bottom navigation bar) or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold your finger.
2. Scroll the list of open applications left/right.
3. To close one application, swipe it up.
4. To close everything at once, click on the Close Everything icon (cross or basket depending on version). MIUI).

On models with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi) K70) The multitasking interface has changed:

• 📱 Apps are displayed as vertical cards (rather than horizontal ones, as in the case of the MIUI 12-13).
• 🔄 To close, swipe the card to the left or right (not up).
• ⚡ The Clean Up Icon is at the bottom of the screen.

⚠️ Note: Closing applications through multitasking does not guarantee complete stop of background processes. Many programs (such as Facebook or Mi Fit) are immediately restarted by the system.

Check out which apps are not really needed

Close the most resource-intensive games (games, navigators) first

Do not close system processes (e.g. com.android.systemui)

Reboot your phone after mass closing-->

Method 2: Disabling Autostart and Background Activity in Settings

A more effective method is to limit the ability of applications to run in the background. MIUI special settings of auto-start and background activity are provided.

How to turn off autostart:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose the appropriate app (such as Instagram).
3. Click Autostart and deactivate the switch.
4. Go back and select permissions. → Background activity, then turn it off.

For mass blackout:

1. In Application Management, click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select AutoRun.
3. Sort the list by Allowed and disable the unnecessary ones.

Nana MIUI 14 and HyperOS Way slightly changed:

Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autorun

Which apps can be safely disabled:

• 🎵 Music players (Spotify, Yandex Music) – if you do not use background playback.
• 📺 Video services (YouTube, TikTok) – to prevent autoplay in the background.
• 🎮 Games – Most of them do not need background activity.

What applications can not be disabled:

• 📞 Phone, Contacts, Messages – Responsible for calls and SMS.
• 🔒 Security (com.miui.guardprovider) – antivirus and protection MIUI.
• 🔄 Xiaomi syncs – if you use the Mi Cloud.

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After disabling autostart, restart your phone – this will help you apply the changes to all processes, including those that were started before editing the settings.

Method 3: Using the built-in MIUI optimizer

MIUI It has a built-in tool for cleaning memory and managing background processes, the Optimizer (formerly called Security), which allows you not only to close applications, but also to configure automatic cleaning.

How to start an optimizer:

1. Open the Settings. → Annexes → Optimizer (or Security) → Optimization on older versions).
2. Click Clean – the system will show how much memory can be released.
3. For deep cleaning, click Deep Clean (remove cache and unnecessary files).

Automatic cleaning setting:

1. In the optimizer, go to Settings (cog in the upper corner).
2. Turn on Auto Cleanup and select the frequency (recommended Every Day).
3. Activate Cleaning when you lock the screen – this closes the background processes when you turn off the display.

Difference between cleaning regimes:

⚠️ Warning: Excessive use of deep cleaning can lead to re-downloading of data the next time you run apps (for example, Instagram will open longer). 1 time 2-3 day-day.

Method 4: Configure the battery and performance in MIUI

V MIUI There are hidden settings that allow you to limit background activity at the system level.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select Mode Selection:

Battery setup for applications

For models with HyperOS (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Or the Redmi Note 13 Pro.+) path:

Settings → Battery → Battery modes → More

What each regimen does:

• 🔋 Balance: Moderate limitation of background processes, increasing the time of operation on 10-20%.
• ⚡ Performance: Maximum speed, but the battery sits on 30-40% faster.
• 🛡️ Charge savings: Aggressive closing of background tasks, up to 50% increase in operating time, but notification delays are possible.
• 🌙 Supereconomic mode (available on some models): Disables background activity almost completely, only calls and calls work SMS.

For advanced users, there is a hidden setting – limiting background processes through Developer Mode:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the Background Process Limitation and select the Maximum 2 process.

⚠️ Attention: Limitation of background processes to 1-2 This may result in dropouts of applications (for example, the Google Play Store will close when switching to another window — 3-4 process.

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Charge Savings is the most effective mode for increasing uptime, but can lead to missing notifications. Use it only when necessary (e.g. when traveling).

Method 5: Disabling background applications through ADB (power-user)

If standard methods do not help, you can use them. ADB (Android Debug Bridge is a deep-tuning tool that is suitable for advanced users, as it requires a connection to a computer.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with drivers installed ADB (You can download it from the Android Developers website).
• 📱 Included Developer Mode and Debugging by USB smartphone.
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (preferably original from Xiaomi).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(The name of your device should appear).

1. To prevent the application from working in the background, use the command:

adb shell cmd appops set < application package > RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND deny

For example, for Facebook:

adb shell cmd appops set com.facebook.katana RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND deny

1. To disable autostart:

adb shell cmd appops set < application package > RUN_IN_BACKGROUND deny

How to find the name of the application package:

1. Install App Inspector on your phone (available on Google Play).
2. Open the app and see its Package Name.

Examples of popular application packages:

• 📱 Instagram: com.instagram.android
• 💬 WhatsApp: com.whatsapp
• 🎵 Spotify: com.spotify.music
• 📺 YouTube: com.google.android.youtube

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Do not disable system applications (e.g. com.android.systemui or com.miui.home) or the phone may stop booting.

Method 6: Alternative methods (Greenify, setup) MIUI Hidden Settings)

If standard means MIUI can not cope, you can use third-party tools or hidden system settings.

Method 1: Greenify Appendix

Greenify is a popular application for freezing background processes, which does not remove programs, but suspends them when they are not in use.

How to set up:

1. Download Greenify from Google Play (root access required for full functionality).
2. Launch the application and grant rights ADB (instruction will appear on the screen).
3. Add apps to the hibernation list (e.g. Facebook, TikTok).
4. Activate the option of automatic hibernation.

Method 2: MIUI Hidden Settings

V MIUI There are hidden settings that allow you to more flexibly manage background processes:

1. Install the MIUI Hidden Settings app (available on Google Play).
2. Open the Battery section.
3. Find the Background Restriction option and add the desired applications.

Method 3: Prohibit battery optimization for critical applications

If some programs (such as WhatsApp or Mi Fit) stop working in the background, they can be added to exceptions:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select the Applications Selection.
3. Find the right application and set a No Limits mode for it.

Comparison of methods:

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Apps like Greenify are effective, but they require customization. MIUI + proper setting of auto-start.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you turn off background apps, users often make mistakes that cause the phone to run out of steam or lose important features, and let's take a look at some of the most common ones.

Error 1: Disabling system applications

Many people try to shut down processes like com.miui.analytics or com.android.systemui, which they think are unnecessary, but this can lead to:

• 🔄 Cyclical phone reboot.
• 📱 Disappearance of the interface (for example, the notification panel will disappear).
• 🔋 Accelerated battery discharge due to power management failures.

Mistake 2: Excessive limitation of background processes

In Developer Mode, some users set a Maximum 1 process, which results in:

• 🚫 Apps when switching between them.
• 📵 Loss of notifications (for example, messages do not arrive in Telegram).
• 🐢 Slowing down the interface due to constant process reboot.

Mistake 3: Using Task Killers

Apps like Clean Master or DU Speed Booster aggressively shuts down all processes that are on the MIUI lead:

• 🔄 Re-start services (the system restores closed processes).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption (constant restarts waste more energy).
• 🚨 Work failures MIUI (For example, the weather stops renewing).

Mistake 4: Disabling important permissions

Some users in pursuit of battery savings are turning off permissions like Exact Location or Auto Run for system applications.

• 📍 Incorrect navigation (e.g. Google Maps does not update position).
• 🔔 No notifications (e.g. Mi Fit does not sync steps).
• 🔒 Security issues (e.g. Google Play Security stops scanning apps).

⚠️ Warning: If after turning off background processes, the phone starts to reboot or warm up more than usual, return the default settings and restart the device.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions