Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face situations where messengers stop sending notifications and music players go silent immediately after locking the screen. This is not a system bug, but aggressive optimization of the MIUI and HyperOS shells, designed to save battery power. However, for the normal operation of modern services, such savings are often critical.
To make applications fully functional, receive real-time data and not be uploaded from memory, you need to manually configure several security and power consumption settings. In this article, we will discuss all stages of configuration, from basic settings to deep system changes through ADB.
Ignoring these settings causes the operating system to force processes to be inactive, especially for navigators, activity trackers, and corporate email clients.
Setup of Auto-Run Applications
The first and most important step is to activate auto-start. In the standard state, Android and MIUI prevent most programs from running on their own after restarting the device or cleaning up the memory.
To change the situation, you will need access to a hidden control menu. Open the Security app (green zipper icon), which is the system control center on all Xiaomi devices.
In the menu that opens, find the Permissions or Applications section, and then select AutoRun. Here is a complete list of installed programs. You need to find the desired application (for example, Telegram, WhatsApp or Yandex.Navigator) and move the switch to the active position.
- 📱 Open the standard "Security" application».
- ⚙️ Go to the section "Permissions» -> «Auto-start».
- ✅ Activate the switchboard in front of the desired service.
- 🔄 If the app is not listed, click Add or three dots in the corner.
Activation of this parameter gives the program the right to start with the system, but does not guarantee its survival in the background with a lack of RAM.
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After turning on auto-start, restart your smartphone to check if the app starts automatically without your intervention.
Managing background activity restriction
The next level of control is battery settings, and HyperOS and older versions of MIUI have rigid freeze algorithms that the user is not currently using.
To prevent the system from killing the process, you need to change the energy saving strategy for a particular application. Go to your smartphone Settings, then select the Applications section and find All Apps.
In the list, find the service you want and click on Battery Savings. The default value is "Charge Savings," which limits background activity, and you have to select the No Limits option.
⚠️ Warning: Setting No Limits mode will cause the app to consume more power even when the screen is off. Use this setting only for programs that need to be running continuously.
Once the parameter is changed, the system will stop using aggressive sleep algorithms to this process, which is critical for VoIP telephony and instant messengers, where message delay is unacceptable.
Accumulation in memory (Lock in RAM)
Even with permissions, manually or with an automatic booster, cleaning the RAM can unload the application, and there is a locking mechanism to prevent this.
Open the menu of running apps by swiping from the bottom up and holding your finger (or pressing the menu button if three-button navigation is used).
Click on the lock icon or pull the card down until the lock icon appears. 🔒. This is a signal to Xiaomi Task Manager that this process is protected from forced unloading.
☑️ Verification of attachment of the annex
Keep in mind that memory retention is not an absolute guarantee: If the system urgently needs a resource to run a heavy game or camera, it can still complete the background process, but the priority of the attached application will be higher.
Permits to work in the background
Beyond the system limitations, there are standard Android resolutions that also require verification. Without them, the app simply won't have access to the necessary features once it's folded.
In the same app information menu (Settings -> Apps -> All Apps -> [Select App]), go to Application Permissions. Make sure that you have rights to:
- 📍 Geolocation (always if tracking is required).
- 📞 Phone (for calls through messengers).
- 📂 Memory (to save files and cache).
- 🔔 Notifications (critical for displaying messages).
You should pay special attention to the permission to display on top of other windows, which is often required for video calls or pop-up chat windows, and you can find it by going back to the Security menu -> Permits -> Display on top of other applications.
Comparison of optimization methods
Different customization methods have different degrees of impact on the device, and here is a table that helps you understand which method is responsible for what and what the consequences may be.
| Method of setting up | Impact on the battery | Efficiency | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-start | Low. | Average. | Minimum |
| No battery restrictions | High. | High. | Quick discharge. |
| Fixing in RAM | Average. | High (short-term) | Memory deficit |
| Android Permissions | Depends on the app. | Critical | Violation of privacy |
The combined use of all methods gives the best result, but requires a balance between functionality and autonomy of the device.
Advanced customization through ADB (for experienced)
For users who want to gain full control of the system, there is the option of disabling system restrictions through USB debugging and a computer, which allows you to change the settings hidden in the regular menu.
You will need to turn on the developer mode (7 times click on the version of MIUI in About Phone), activate “Debugging by USB” and connect the smartphone to the PC. Next, the command is used to remove the limitations of background processes.
adb shell settings put global app_process_limit 0This command prohibits the system from limiting the number of background processes, but be careful: removing all limits can lead to unstable interface performance on devices with low RAM.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB-Error input can lead to a cyclical reset or reset. Backup important data before interfering with system settings.
You can also disable specific system optimization services through ADB, but this requires a deep knowledge of Xiaomi’s batch names.
Specifics of work on different versions of MIUI and HyperOS
The interface and item names may vary depending on the shell version. On older versions of MIUI 12/13, the settings are scattered across different menus, whereas the new HyperOS and MIUI 14 have a lot of things combined.
The newer versions have an extended power saving mode that ignores the user's autorun settings. If you turn on Ultra or Saving mode, all background processes will be forced to stop, regardless of the permissions issued.
Why are the settings reset after the update?
Check if you have a “Sleep” or “Do Not Disturb” mode activated with strict restrictions. It is also worth checking the “Advanced Settings –> Memory Cleanup” section and making sure that “No Limits” is selected or that the cleanup time is set up enough for your tasks.
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The main secret to stable work on Xiaomi is triple protection: Auto Start + No battery restrictions + Memory fastener. (all three components are required).