How to make apps work in the background on Xiaomi: setting up MIUI and HyperOS

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face situations where important notifications arrive late or not at all, due to the aggressive energy saving policies of the MIUI operating system and the new HyperOS, which forcibly unloads processes from RAM to extend battery life.

If you're waiting for a taxi order, a message from a customer, or a call through a messenger, and your phone is silent, then the system has fallen asleep and closed the application, and in this article we'll look at all the ways you can fix the necessary programs in the device's memory.

Customizing the background requires a comprehensive approach, from simple menu switches to deep system settings, and we’ll look at current methods for modern shell versions to ensure your notifications always arrive on time.

Why Xiaomi is closing apps in the background

The main reason lies in the unique architecture of memory management MIUI. Unlike pure Android, it uses a rigid system of restrictions of background processes. The operating system believes that running in the background programs consume battery power, and seeks to stop them.

Battery Saver’s system algorithm analyzes the frequency of use of an application. If you haven’t opened a messenger in a long time, the system may consider it inactive and completely turn off its network activity until the next manual user launches it.

⚠️ Warning: Newer versions of HyperOS have even stricter algorithms, and even if you allow auto-runs, the system may require additional confirmation to run in the background in a few days.

And then there's the concept of frozen applications, which are programs that are formally installed, but they're completely stopped by the system to save resources, and they only defrost when you interact directly with the icon on the screen.

Basic setup of auto-start and permissions

The first step is to turn on the basic permissions, and without that, all the manipulations may not work, so you have to open your smartphone settings and find the partition that manages the applications.

In the settings menu, follow the Apps → All Apps path. Find the program you want (like WhatsApp, Telegram, or a banking app) in the list. Click on the name to open the detailed management menu.

You're interested in Autostart here. Activate the switch. This will signal to the system that the application is allowed to run on its own after restarting the device or cleaning the memory.

• 🚀 Enable Auto Start for all mission-critical messengers.
• 🔔 Check for “Other permissions” and allow display over other windows.
• 🔋 In the "Saving Charge" section, select the option "Without restrictions».
• 📂 Make sure the app is allowed access to memory and geolocation if it is necessary for the job.

It is also important to check the notification settings inside the menu item itself, make sure that the Notifications and Audible Notifications sliders are activated, and sometimes the system does not block the process itself, but the output of information to the lock screen.

Fixing the application in memory

One of the most effective methods is to manually fix the process in RAM, which tells the task manager that the application is a priority and cannot be terminated when the memory is cleaned.

To do this, open the desired application, then swipe from the bottom up (or menu button) to view open windows. Find your application card and click on it with your finger held, or pull the card down (depending on the version of MIUI).

In the menu that appears, select the option to Lock or the lock icon, and then a lock icon will appear next to the application name, which ensures that even when you click the "Clear All" button, the application will remain in memory.

⚠️ Warning: Don't pin too many apps. If you're stuck in memory 10-15 heavy programs with locks, the phone will start to brake, and the battery will discharge much faster.

This method is especially useful for navigators and activity trackers, which must be constantly running, but for conventional social networks, it is better to rely on the software settings described in the previous section.

Configuring energy saving for specific applications

Deep energy adjustment allows you to create an exception for selected programs, the system will no longer apply to them standard sleep algorithms, which will ensure stable communication with the server.

Go to Settings → Battery. At the top of the screen, there is often a gear icon or settings. Find the Activity Control or Application Charge Savings section.

Find the app you want in the list, and the default value is "No Limits" or "Smart Mode," and you have to select No Limits mode, and that will remove all the limits on background activity.

It's worth noting that in some versions of firmware, the path may be different, and sometimes this item is hidden inside the application itself in the battery settings menu, which you can access through a search by searching the phone's settings by entering the program name.

Specifics of work in HyperOS and new versions of MIUI

With the release of the HyperOS shell, Xiaomi has changed the logic of working with notifications, a new layer of protection that requires special attention, and now it is not enough just to enable autorun.

Newer versions have introduced the Advanced Notifications feature, which means that if you don't turn on this switch, the system will group messages or hide them as unimportant, which often confuses users who think the app isn't working.

HyperOS has also tightened its rules for background activity, and can reset its settings periodically if it thinks the app is consuming too much resources in the background without actively using the screen.

HyperOS users are advised to check settings more frequently after major system updates, as they can be reset to factory security values.

Use of the developer mode

For advanced users who don't have enough standard methods, there are hidden settings in the developer menu, where you can globally change the behavior of the system when working with background processes.

To get into this menu, you need to quickly click on the build number in the About Phone section several times, and after activation, the "Developers" option will appear in additional settings.

Inside, look for the process section, we're interested in the background limit option, make sure it's "No Limit" or "Standard Limit"; if you select "No Background Processes," the applications won't work.

Settings → About the phone → (7 times tap according to MIUI) → Additional settings → For developers → Limit background processes

⚠️ Attention: Changing the settings in the developer menu can lead to unstable system operation and rapid battery discharge.

You can also find the option “Do not turn off the screen” when charging, which indirectly affects the operation of some background synchronization services, although this is more of a debugging feature.

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Use the Mi Credit or Security app to quickly clean up your memory, but remember to check immediately afterward if your important app has closed.

Additional Factors and Effects of Antiviruses

If you have installed an antivirus or memory accelerator from another manufacturer (e.g. Clean Master, Avast, etc.), they may conflict with Xiaomi’s system settings.

These programs often have their own sleep rules that override the system settings, and they can aggressively shut down processes that they consider harmful or just heavy, even if you let them work in the background.

It is recommended to use only the built-in Security tool, which is already optimized for MIUI. Third-party memory cleaners on modern versions of Android are often useless and even harmful.

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A holistic approach is key to success. Autostart settings alone are not enough, you need to combine anchoring, battery settings and resolutions.

Also check if Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode is enabled, which can block the sound and vibration of notifications, creating the illusion of a broken app.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)