Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their value for money ratio, but their branded MIUI shell (or the new HyperOS) is known for its aggressive energy saving system. This often causes third-party applications, including the number detector from Yandex, to stop displaying information about the caller correctly or stop blocking spam. The user may encounter a situation when the application is installed, but the lock screen remains empty during an incoming call.
In this article, we will discuss not just a standard installation, but deep integration of the service into the Xiaomi ecosystem. You will have to configure special permissions that the system defaults to save battery power. A critical step is the correct configuration of autostart and operation in the background, without which the functionality of the determinant will not work.
Before getting into the technical details, it’s worth mentioning that you’ll need a Yandex ID account to run the service. If you don’t already have one, the system will prompt you to register when you first launch the application. Also make sure the device has the current version of the operating system installed, as memory management algorithms may differ in older Android builds.
To start, you need to download the official Yandex with Alice app or a separate Yandex app from the Google Play store or AppGallery. In the latest versions, the functionality of the determinant is built directly into the main application, which simplifies support and updates. Do not use third-party modifications or APK-files from questionable resources, as this may lead to leakage of personal data.
Primary installation and basic setting of rights
Once you download and install the app from the official store, start it. The first step is to ask you to log in to an existing account or create a new one, which is necessary to synchronize your contact database and blacklist lists between devices. Without authorization, many functions, including the cloud number database, will not be available.
The next step is to provide basic permissions, and the app will request access to contacts, microphones, and most importantly, call management. Without Call Management permission, the app will not technically be able to intercept the incoming call and show the caller's name on the lock screen, and in the dialog box you will need to select the "always allow" option or the same one that confirms complete trust.
Pay particular attention to the request to display over other windows. In the Xiaomi interface, this is often called “Pop-ups” or “Master on top of other applications.” If you deny this right, the caller card may not appear if the phone is locked at that time or you are in another program.
Inside the app, find the call section, which is usually called "Calls" or "Determinator," and you activate the "Enable Number Definition" slider, and the system can re-request confirmation of permissions to the phone book, we agree, and it's recommended that you immediately turn on the "Spam Block" function to filter unwanted calls.
⚠️ Note: On some versions of the shell MIUI When you first turn on the detector, you may see a system warning that the application is not standard. This is standard Android protection, feel free to confirm the action by selecting OK or Allow».
Once the basic functions are enabled, the application will perform an initial synchronization of the number database, which can take several minutes depending on the speed of the Internet connection, at which time it is advisable not to force the application to close so that it can load up to date data about spam databases.
Critical settings MIUI for stable operation
The most common problem Xiaomi owners have is the system’s “killing” background processes. To keep the detector running, you need to prevent the system from unloading the application from memory. Go to your smartphone’s Settings, then find the App item and select All Apps.
In the list, find the Yandex app (or Yandex with Alice) and click on it to open the control page. Here you are interested in the Activity Control (or Battery Savings) section. The default is "Save Charge", which causes crashes. You need to change this paramette to No Limits.
Next, in the same menu, find the AutoRun switch, which you need to activate, which will allow the service to start with the operating system immediately after the phone is turned on, without waiting for the user to manually open, without which, after restarting the smartphone, the detector may not work until the first manual start.
☑️ Checking settings MIUI
Also worth checking is the notification settings. Go to Notifications inside the app card. Make sure all types of notifications are allowed, especially those marked as "Important" or "High Priority," which ensures that even if the phone is in "Do Not Disturb" mode, the detector can show the call card.
Owners of new HyperOS models should pay attention to additional memory protection. In some cases, you need to fix the application in the list of running tasks. Open the multitasking menu (swipe from the bottom up and hold your finger or menu button), find the Yandex window, pinch it and press the lock icon. This will prevent the application from being cleaned by the “clean all” button.
Integration with Xiaomi system call
Xiaomi smartphones use their own phone shell, which is based on Google's engine, but has profound changes. Sometimes there is a conflict between the system caller and the determinant. To avoid this, open the standard Phone app (green handset).
Click on the three dots in the top corner or the settings button. Find the section associated with the number detector or lock. In some regions and versions of MIUI, there may be a built-in determinant that needs to be turned off so that it does not interfere with Yandex. However, most often Yandex itself adjusts to the system interface.
If you use Google Phone (blue icon), which is often placed on global versions, integration is automatically through the standard Android API. In this case, the Yandex card will pop up on top of the Google Dialer interface. Make sure that Yandex is selected in the settings of the Google Phone itself in the “Number Define and Spam” section.
| Parameter | Standard MIUI call. | Google Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | High (requires access rights) | Native (via API) |
| Card interface | MIUI Style | Material Design Style |
| Blocking spam | Through the Yandex app | Through the Yandex app |
| Stability | Depends on the energy saving settings | Stable. |
It's important to understand that the number detector is not a substitute for the call interface, it's a complement to the call interface, so the visual style of the incoming call card may be different from what you've seen on other brands like Samsung or Pixel, which is normal behavior, due to the features of the interface skinning in MIUI.
If the cards don't show up, try clearing the phone app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Phone, select Memory and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with clearing data so you don't lose your call history, although it's usually synced to your account.
Solving problems with access to contacts and database
A common situation is that the app works but writes "Not found database" or doesn't identify the numbers that are exactly in the database. This may be due to limited access to the phone book. With Android 11 and higher, and with newer versions of MIUI, access to contacts has become more granular.
Check what contacts the app sees. When you request access, the system could suggest that you select "Contacts Only" if you choose this option and you don't note anything, the database will be empty. You can fix this in the privacy settings: Settings → Security and Security → Data Access → Contacts. Find Yandex and make sure that the check box is "All Contacts".
Another nuance is duplicate contacts, if you have contacts and in the SIM-The app can be confused in both the Google account and the Mi Account, and it is recommended to bring the phone book to a single view, storing all the records in one place, preferably in Google Contacts, since this is the most stable source for Android smartphones.
⚠️ Note: If you use a number hiding (CLIR) or special services of disguise, the Yandex detector will not be able to show the name of the caller, because the operator does not transmit the number to the device.
Updating the database in an application often requires manual action. Go to the definition settings inside the Yandex application and find the “Update Base” or “Check Updates” button. Sometimes automatic synchronization can get stuck due to an unstable connection.
Configure blocking of unwanted calls
One of the main features of the service is not only to detect, but also to cut off spam. For this feature to work effectively on Xiaomi, you need to allow the application to complete calls. Without special permission, Android will simply ignore the command to “drop the call”.
When you first try to enable spam blocking, the app will take you to the system menu "Accessibility" (see Yandex list and activate the switch. The system will issue several security warnings, you need to ignore them and click "OK", which allows the program to analyze the incoming number and, if it is blacklisted, automatically reset the phone.
In locking settings, you can select the level of filter aggression. Options are available: block only known spam numbers, block hidden numbers, or block everything except contacts from the phone book.
You should also set up a whitelist, including the numbers of loved ones, couriers or delivery services you trust, but who can call from different numbers, but remember that adding entire prefixes (such as all bank numbers) to the whitelist can also skip spam calls with similar numbers.
Periodically check the log of blocked calls. Sometimes spam can get useful numbers (for example, from a doctor or school), the app has the ability to mark the number as “Not spam”, which will help improve the base for all users.
Additional features and widgets
Yandex doesn't just offer pop-ups. You can take the information directly to your desktop. To do that, you can grab a blank space on your screen, select Widgets, and find Yandex's list. There's a Search widget and a Contact widget that lets you quickly type in frequently used numbers.
The voice assistant Alice built into the app also knows how to handle calls. You can say, "Alice, call your mom," and the phone will make a call. This feature requires that the microphone be always active or activated by a phrase that can further consume battery power.
The latest updates include the anti-spam messaging feature, which filters SMS from advertising services, and in order to make it work, you need to give the app access to messages, which Xiaomi does through a standard permission request when you log into the message section within the app.
Secret function of base cleaning
Remember that the widgets on the desktop in the MIUI shell are also subject to energy savings. If the widget has stopped updating or showing weather / courses, check its settings in the widget menu (double tap or long press) and make sure that it is allowed background activity.