Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones running on the shell of MIUI are known for their capabilities, but over time users may notice a decrease in performance or a rapid battery discharge. Often the cause of this behavior are dozens of running programs that continue to function even after the collapse, these background processes consume RAM and CPU resources, which is especially noticeable on budget devices.
Many owners mistakenly believe that simply folding a program window stops it from working. In reality, the Android operating system is designed to keep applications alive for quick launch, but on Redmi 9, with its limited RAM, this can lead to interface lags.
In this guide, we will take a look at all available methods to stop excess activity, from standard system tools to advanced developer settings, learn to distinguish between system processes and user applications, and understand which ones can be safely frozen without harming the stability of the gadget.
Why apps continue to work after closing
The Android architecture involves multitasking, which means the system can perform multiple operations at once. When you click the Home button or swipe off to the desktop, the app doesn't end up working, but instead goes into a standby state or continues to perform certain functions. On the Xiaomi Redmi 9, it can be synchronizing messages, updating news feeds or geolocating.
A special role in this process is played by MIUI optimization, which aggressively manages memory but sometimes makes mistakes, leaving “heavy” programs hanging in the background. Background activity is often disguised as system services, making them difficult for the average user to identify. Understanding the mechanism of these processes is the first step to effective resource management.
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Some apps, such as instant messengers, are specifically designed to work in the background so you can receive notifications of new messages in real time.
Not all background processes are harmful, but systems are responsible for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and push notifications, but third-party programs like games or photo editors should not consume resources after you stop using them, and they must be forced to stop to free up RAM.
Basic management through the menu of running applications
The easiest and most obvious way to close programs is to use the built-in multitasking menu. On Redmi 9, it is called by swipe from the bottom up with a delay or press of the corresponding navigation button, depending on the type of control selected, and here you can see the cards of all the recently opened applications.
To clean up the memory, you can click on the cross at the top of the screen, which will close all the cards at once. However, this method does not always completely complete the processes, but only removes their visual representation. More point-by-point work involves swiping each card upwards to force the closure of a particular application.
☑️ Daily memory cleaning
It is important to understand the difference between closing a tab and stopping the service completely, and if an application continues to make sounds or vibrate after a swipe, then its process has not been completely completed, and in such cases, a deeper intervention in the system settings through the application management menu is required.
Forced stop through system settings
To ensure that the program stops, you need to use the system settings menu, which allows you to completely “kill” the process, freeing up the processor and memory resources it occupies. The path to the desired parameters on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is as follows: Settings → Applications → All applications.
In the list that opens, find the program you want, like a social network or a game that is slowing your phone down. Go inside the app card and find the Stop (or Complete) button. Clicking on it will trigger a system warning that the app may not work properly if it is stopped, but it is safe for a one-time clean.
⚠️ Note: Do not use the Stop feature for Android system components such as System Interface, Google Play Services, or Phone.This may result in operating system instability or loss of communication.
Once stopped, the app will disappear from the list of running processes until you start it manually again, which is especially effective for programs that are stuck and do not respond to touch, and you can also clear the cache, which often solves problems with the slow operation of a particular software.
Configure background activity restrictions in MIUI
The MIUI shell has a powerful built-in toolkit to monitor application behavior. You can set the system to automatically limit the background activity of programs you rarely use. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Auto Run.
Here is a list of all the programs installed with switches. Turn off auto-start for all unnecessary services so that they do not start immediately after turning on the phone. Next, go to the Settings → Battery and Performance menu and select a mode of operation, such as Balanced or Charge Saving, which will also limit background processes.
There is also a hidden function to limit background activity for specific applications. In the app information menu (the same where the Stop button is), find Activity Control or Battery. Select the No Limit option for messengers only, and for others, set Limit Background Activity, which will prevent them from working when the screen is off.
Using Developer Mode to Control Processes
For advanced users of Redmi 9, the developer mode is available, which gives access to hidden memory management settings. To activate it, go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the MIUI version 7 times. After that, a new section “Additional” → “Developers” will appear in the main settings menu.
In this section, we're interested in the item "Limit of background processes." The default is "Standard limit," but you can change it to, for example, "No more than 2 processes," which will force the system to tightly control the number of programs running simultaneously.
| Limitation parameter | Description of action | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| No restrictions. | The system decides how many processes to keep. | High-end spending |
| No more than 1 process | Only the current application is active | Maximum savings |
| No more than 2 processes | One background app waiting | Notable savings |
| No background processes | Applications are closed immediately after folding | Minimum expenditure |
Using these settings requires caution: If you set too tight limits, the system can start constantly rebooting background services, which paradoxically will lead to more charge consumption and heating of the processor due to constant start and stop cycles.
Risk of setting strict limits
Analysis of resource consumption and diagnosis
To understand which programs are most loading your Xiaomi Redmi 9, you need to analyze usage statistics. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Charge Consumption. Here is a list of applications, sorted by energy expended.
Look at the programs that are at the top of the list, but you've barely used them lately, and that's a sure sign that they're in the background, consuming resources, often as shopping apps, news aggregators or social media.
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If the app consumes a lot of power in the background but you don’t need its notifications, remove it or disable auto-start.
It's also useful to check mobile traffic usage statistics. Background programs often update content, consuming not only the battery, but also megabytes of your tariff. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Saving traffic.