How to leave the app in the background on Xiaomi: Deep customization

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face aggressive memory management policies implemented by the MIUI or HyperOS shell. The system seeks to maximize battery life by ruthlessly closing processes that the user did not start at the current second. This leads to the fact that messengers stop coming on time, activity trackers lose step data, and music players go silent at the most inopportune moment.

The solution is to manually adjust the power saving settings for each application. The standard Android settings work superficially, so you need to delve into the system menus. If you want the navigator to navigate the route without breaks and the email client to sync emails instantly, you have to sacrifice some of the battery savings for the stability of the software.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can fix processes, not just basic switches, but hidden settings that are often ignored, and understanding how the task manager works in MIUI will allow you to create the perfect balance between performance and functionality of your device.

The principles of background processes in MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi's shell uses its own memory-cleaning algorithms that work independently of the standard Android manager. When you fold a program, the system doesn't just hide it, it starts monitoring resource consumption. If the algorithm decides that the application is using too much power or taking up space in RAM, it will force it to shut down.

The system classifies applications by levels of importance. Social networks and instant messengers usually take priority, but specialized software such as smart watches, workout trackers or corporate clients often falls into the category of “non-important”, and it is their system that tries to kill in the first place to save charge.

⚠️ Attention: Aggressively restricting background processes is a regular feature, not a bug. Attempting to completely disable battery optimization for all programs at once can lead to the fact that the smartphone will run out in a few hours.

And then there's the concept of "freezing" applications, and if you haven't opened a program in a long time, HyperOS can put it in deep freeze, shutting down any network connections until it's manually started, which protects against hidden mining and surveillance, but prevents useful utilities from working properly.

Basic setup via battery menu and apps

The first and most important step is to set up the access rights for a particular software, and you don't have to be an engineer to do that, but it's important to go through all the menu items consistently. Start by looking for the icon you want in the installed software list.

Press and hold your finger on the app icon you want to configure, then select About. In the menu that opens, find the charge saving section. The default is "charge saving (recommended)." You need to change this parameter to No restrictions, which will signal the system not to apply rigid energy saving filters to this process.

• 🔋 Open the Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
• 📱 Find the program in the list and click on it.
• ⚙️ Select Saving Charge and set the flag No restrictions.

Then go back to the main settings menu of the phone. Find the Battery section (or click on the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen in the battery menu). Here you need to find Background Activity or Background Operation. Make sure your application has a checkmark for the resolution in the background. In some firmware versions, this switch may be called "Autostart".

It's important to understand that changing these settings takes effect immediately, but if the system has already killed the process, you'll need to manually run the application once to make sure the new rules apply, and then you can safely fold the program and it will remain in memory.

Fixing applications in RAM

There's a more robust method, often called locking or locking, that allows you to force an application to hold it in RAM, even if you run a heavy game or clear the memory with a garbage button, which is particularly effective for navigators and music players.

Open the menu of running apps. On most Xiaomi models, this is done by swiping from the bottom up with a delay or pressing the square button. Find the card of the desired application in the list. Press it and hold your finger for a couple of seconds (or click on the lock icon / three dots, depending on the theme version).

In the context menu that appears, select the option to Lock or Secure, and next to the icon, a small lock icon will appear, and now, even if you click the memory clean button, the app will not be closed, and the system will consider it critical.

Remember, attaching too many applications can lead to a lack of RAM, in which case the system will start to run slower, and other, unattached programs will fly out more often.

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If you have secured the app but it still crashes, try restarting your smartphone. Once you reboot, the system will apply the new memory management rules correctly.

Advanced settings and special features

In some cases, standard methods are not enough. The MIUI shell has hidden layers of protection that can override your settings. For example, the Advanced Optimization feature sometimes blocks the background operation of even authorized applications, considering them a potential stability threat.

To access these settings, go to Settings → About Phone. Find the MIUI Version (or OS Version) bar and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row until it says "You've become a developer." Then go back to the main settings menu, scroll down to the option → For developers.

In this menu, look for a section related to background processes. There may be a "Limit of background processes" item. Make sure it has a "Standard Limit" or "No Limits" value. Also, look at the item "Do not turn off the screen when charging if you need the application to work while the phone is charging."

• 🛠 Activate the developer mode with fast taps according to the OS version.
• 🔍 Find the section "For developers" in additional settings.
• 🚫 Check if there is an artificial limit on the number of background processes.

Another important aspect is access to data" → "Transfer data" make sure that the application has permission to transfer data in the background. Without this permission, the program will work, but will not be able to update the information until you open it.

Solving Notifications and Auto Start Problems

A common problem is that the app works in the background, but notifications don't come, and that's because the system blocks pop-ups to save resources, and to fix that, you need to set up a notification center.

Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Find your app. You want to allow all types of notifications: Lock screen, Curtain, Audible Notifications. Pay special attention to Important or Priority – enabling this mode ensures that the notification will not be hidden by the system.

⚠️ Attention: Newer versions of Android and HyperOS have Quiet Notifications. If the app is marked as quiet, it won't wake the screen and make sounds, even if it runs in the background.

Also worth checking is the autostart settings. The Safety app (green zipper icon) has a Permissions → Autostart section. Find your app there and turn on the slider, which will allow the program to start immediately after you turn on your phone without waiting for your first manual start.

Specificity of work for different types of applications

Different categories of software require a personalized approach, and there are no universal settings, because the algorithms of the navigator and the messenger are radically different, and understanding these differences will help you set up your phone correctly.

For navigators (Yandex.Maps, Google Maps, 2GIS) It is critically important to prohibit any battery restriction and be sure to lock the application. GPS-Tracking requires constant access to geolocation, and if the system falls asleep, the route will go wrong, and in the location settings for these maps, you need to choose the "Always" or "When using" mode, but it is better to combine this with a fixation.

For smartwatches and fitness trackers (Mi Wear, Zepp Life, Notify for Mi Band), autostart and work in the background is important. If you kill the process of such an application, the watch will lose communication with the phone, and notifications will stop coming to the wrist.

Torrents and downloaders require top priority. Large files will be interrupted if the screen goes out and the system decides to save power. There is a "No Limits" mode, and preferably a screen on (or setting "Do not turn off the screen" while charging).

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The main secret to stable operation is a combination of three actions: autostart resolution, battery delimitation, and manual locking for mission-critical applications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)