How to disable applications in the background on Xiaomi: The complete guide

Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with powerful processors and a huge amount of RAM, but even such characteristics over time cease to cope with the load. The main reason for the slowdown of the interface and rapid battery discharge lies in unoptimized processes that continue to function even when you folded the program or put the device in your pocket. Background activity can be useful for instant messengers, but for games or rarely used utilities it becomes a parasitic consumption of resources.

The MIUI operating system, or its new version of HyperOS, has aggressive energy-saving algorithms that sometimes work incorrectly or, on the contrary, miss too much. Understanding how to correctly manage these processes allows you not only to speed up the gadget, but also significantly extend its battery life without recharging. In this article, we will examine all available methods of limiting background activity, from standard settings to hidden engineering menus.

Before we start taking any drastic measures, it's worth noting that shutting down all processes completely can cause you to stop receiving notifications from important services, so the approach should be selective and conscious, and we'll look at which services can be safely restricted and which ones are best left alone for the system to work smoothly.

Analysis of background activity through battery settings

The easiest and safest way to start optimizing is to use built-in power monitoring tools. Xiaomi’s Android shell provides detailed statistics on which apps most often wake up the processor and use the network in the background. Going to Settings → Battery and Performance gives the user access to a detailed report.

You can see a list of programs here, sorted by the amount of energy you've used, and if you notice an application that you don't use very often, but that's at the top of the list, it's a sure sign that you need to limit it, and the backend services of these programs often go to waste, updating content or collecting analytics without the owner's knowledge.

⚠️ Note: Do not limit system components such as System Interface, Google Play Services, or Security, as this can cause the entire smartphone to run unstablely.

You can set individual settings for each suspicious application. Click on the program name in the battery consumption list to see detailed statistics and control options available. This is where the key switch to prevent you from starting in the background is located.

• 📱 Select the application from the list of the most energy-intensive.
• 🔋 Click on “Energy Saving” or “Restriction of Background Activity».
• 🚫 Set the mode “No restrictions” only for messengers, and for the rest, select “Limit».
• ✅ Check if the application has disappeared from the list of active processes after the folding.

It's important to understand that after you've set up these settings, notifications from selected applications may be delayed or not coming until you reopen the program, which is normal for the system to behave when a hard constrain is on.

Managing Auto Start and Permits

The MIUI autostart mechanism allows applications to activate themselves when you turn on your phone or start other programs, and this is one of the main reasons why the phone starts to brake immediately after you turn on, and this parameter is controlled through a special security menu.

To access these settings, you need to open the Security app (green zipper icon), which is standard for all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices. Inside, you need to find the "Permissions" section and then select "Auto-Run" and here you can see the full list of programs that are eligible for unauthorized activation.

By disabling the sliders on this menu, you don't delete the app, you just prevent it from starting with the system. It doesn't affect the ability to manually run the program at any time. Auto-run is really only necessary for navigators, smartwatches or activity trackers, which must be running constantly.

You also need to check for permissions to display over other windows and access to location. Often, applications request access to geolocation in Always mode, which forces you to access the location. GPS-The module is continuously running even when the screen is off, and switching to "Only in Use" gives you a noticeable increase in autonomy.

Use of energy saving regime

HyperOS and MIUI have pre-installed power scenarios that automatically adjust the processor and background processes. Switching to Power Saving or Ultra-Saving mode is a quick way to turn off all the excess with a single touch.

In Power Saving mode, the system limits background synchronization, reduces screen refresh rates, and turns off some visual effects, ideal for situations where there is no charger at hand and you need to keep the charge as long as possible, and the system algorithms begin to aggressively kill processes that are not in the foreground.

It is worth considering that in ultra-saving mode most third-party applications, including social networks and email clients, will cease to work. The phone will actually turn into a device for calling and SMS, which can be critical in some situations.

Setting restrictions for specific applications

The most flexible way to manage is to customize each software installed, so that each program can be set separately in the background, which takes longer, but gives the best result.

To get into the settings menu of a particular application, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. Select the program you want from the list and find Battery or Activity Control. Here you will see three main behaviors.

The first option, "No restrictions," means that the application can run in the background without any problems. The second, "Limit background activity," allows the program to run, but with restrictions on network and processor use. The third, "Limit background activity (hard mode)," almost completely freezes the application after folding.

• 🎮 For games, choose a hard limit, as they do not need to work in the background.
• 💬 For instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) leave “No restrictions” to avoid missing messages.
• 🎵 Music streaming requires the removal of restrictions, otherwise the music will stop when the screen is turned off.
• 🛍️ Store apps and delivery can be safely restricted, they do not require instant notifications.

⚠️ Note: After updating the operating system, the restrictions settings may reset to factory values, so it is recommended to recheck after a major update.

This approach allows you to create a balance between functionality and energy efficiency, so you leave the communication channel open only for the really important software, and the rest makes you work only on the user's request.

Developer Options and Process Limits

For advanced users who want to gain full control of the system, there is a Developer Menu, a hidden section that contains deep Android settings, and one of the most powerful tools here is the Background Process Limit.

To activate this menu, you need to quickly click on the build number in the About Phone section several times. Once you have become a developer, a new option will appear in the settings, and you can find an option that allows you to rigidly specify the number of processes that can be stored simultaneously in memory.

Setting a limit on, for example, “No Background Processes” or “No More than 1 Process” will cause the system to immediately unload from memory anything that is not in use right now, which can dramatically speed up the work on older models with low RAM, but will require more frequent reboot of applications when switching between them.

Path to setup: Settings → About Phone → (7 clicks according to MIUI) → Additional settings → For developers → Limit background processes

Using this feature requires caution. Too aggressive settings can cause the navigator to curl up and lose its route, or the music player to stop in the middle of the track. It is a tool for situational use, not for constant operation.

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If you use a background process limit, add important applications to the “Do Not Limit” exception so that the system does not force them to close.

The problem of “bloating” memory and cache

Often background activity is magnified by accumulated cache and errors in the code of the applications themselves, a phenomenon known as bloat is common to some social networks and browsers, which can take up hundreds of megabytes of RAM even when folded.

Regularly cleaning the cache through a standard task manager helps reduce the load. However, if a particular application consumes an abnormally large amount of resources in the background even after cleaning, it may be worth considering removing it and installing a lighter version (such as the Lite version).

Also worth noting is the memory extension feature, which uses a portion of the built-in drive as RAM, which works well on fast drives, but on older or full drives it can cause hangings when background processes are running.

• 🗑️ Regularly clean the cache of heavy applications through storage settings.
• 📉 Remove apps you haven’t used for more than a month.
• 🔄 Reinstall “heavy” apps if you notice abnormal battery consumption.
• 📂 Keep your internal memory full, leaving at least 15% free.

Timely maintenance and monitoring of voracious programs are key to the long and fast operation of your Xiaomi device. Don’t be afraid to experiment with settings, remembering that they can always be returned to their original state.

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An integrated approach combining auto-start limitation, customization of individual battery parameters and resolution control gives the maximum effect in the fight for autonomy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)