How to block the game app Xiaomi: the full guide

Smartphone games can be a real headache, especially for children who spend too much time on them, or for their own productivity, suffering from constant notifications. Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones based on MIUI offer several built-in tools for blocking games, but not all users know how to use them correctly. Moreover, standard methods are often bypassed by resetting settings or installing additional applications, which poses risks to data security.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to block games on Xiaomi devices, from built-in parental controls to hidden MIUI features and third-party utilities. You’ll learn how to limit usage time, completely block the game from launching or even hide it from the menu so that your child (or yourself) can’t accidentally open it. All instructions are relevant for 2018-2026 models and tested on the latest firmware versions.

Important: Some methods require administrator rights or developer mode. If you block games for a child, discuss these restrictions with him in advance - a sudden lock can cause a negative reaction. Also remember that on devices with an unlocked bootloader, a child can bypass any restrictions through Recovery or ADB.

1 Built-in Parental Controls MIUI

The most obvious and safe way to do this is to use standard parental controls in your home. MIUI. It allows you not only to block games, but also to set time limits, limit purchases in apps, and filter content by age. MIUI 10 (2018).

To activate parental control:

1. Open the Settings. → Parental control.
2. Click Start and create PIN- code (remember or write it down!).
3. Select a child profile (or create a new one).
4. Go to the Application Limitations section.
5. Find the game in the list and set a time limit or block it completely.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 Does not require root or third-party application rights.
• 🕒 Flexible settings: You can set a schedule (e.g. lock games from 22:00 to 8:00).
• 📊 Use statistics are kept.

⚠️ Warning: If a child knows the PIN- code of parental control, they can reset the restrictions. Use complex code (not date of birth!) and don't keep it in your phone's notes.

Write PIN- code to a safe location | Check the version of MIUI (must be at least 10) | Update the list of applications in the settings |Sync the data with the Mi Account (in case of reset)

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2. Blocking through Digital Well-being

The MIUI’s Digital Wellbeing feature allows you to track app usage times and set strict limits, and unlike parental controls, you can block a game for a certain period or completely disable it without creating a separate profile.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Digital Well-being → Toolbar.
2. Select the App Timer.
3. Find the game in the list and set a limit (for example, 30 minutes a day).
4. Activate the Lock option after the time has expired.

If you want to block the game completely:

• In the same section, click on the game → Limit background activity.
• Turn off Display Notifications.
• Turn on the app to suspend (this will block the launch).

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ A child can reset if they know the password from their Mi Account.
• ❌ It does not work for system applications.

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If the game continues to run after blocking, check if it is installed in the Secured Space, in which case the lock must be set separately for each profile.

3. Use of Second Space (Second Profile)

The MIUI’s Second Space feature allows you to create an isolated profile with separate settings and apps, ideal if you want to give your child a phone but limit access to games, social media or other distracting apps.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Second Space.
2. Create a new profile and set a separate password for it.
3. In the main space, remove all games (they will only remain in Second Space).
4. In Second Space settings, turn off the ability to switch between profiles without a password.

Advantages:

• 🔐 Complete isolation: There will be no games at all in the main profile.
• 📱 You can customize different wallpapers, apps, and even time limits for each space.

⚠️ Warning: If your child knows the Mi Account password, they can reset Second Space through Settings → Xiaomi Account → Delete Space. To avoid this, untie your account from the device in your profile settings.

Parental Control | Digital Well-Being |Second Space |Third-Party Apps |I don't know, haven't tried-->

4. Block through the application settings (for individual games)

Some games (especially from major developers such as Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile or Roblox) have built-in parental controls that allow you to limit game time, purchases, or even completely block access over the PIN- code.

Example for Genshin Impact:

1. Open the game and go to Settings → Account → Parental Controls.
2. Set the PIN- code and set the restrictions.
3. Activate the Lock Login option (a PIN will be required when you try to start).

For PUBG Mobile:

• Go to Settings → Game Time Management.
• Turn on the healthy gameplay mode.
• Set a time limit and activate the lock.

List of games with built-in parental control:

The downside is that if the game doesn't support parental control, it won't work, and the child can just delete and reinstall the game, resetting all the restrictions.

5. Third-party applications for blocking games

If the built-in MIUI features don't work, you can use third-party utilities, which offer advanced features: geolocation lock, remote control, hidden mode, and even schedule lock.

Top-3 applications for blocking games on Xiaomi:

• 🔒 AppBlock — allows you to block games by time, day of the week or location, and there's a Hard Lock feature that you can't get around without a password.
• 🕒 StayFocusd – limits the total time you use app categories (e.g., all games at once).
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Kids Place creates a secure sandbox with allowed apps, and everyone else (including games) will be blocked.

How to set up AppBlock:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. All necessary permits (including special features)
3. Add games to the blacklist.
4. Set a password to unlock.
5. Activate Strict Lock Mode (without it, your child can simply delete AppBlock).

⚠️ Warning: Some antiviruses (such as Avast or Kaspersky) may conflict with blocking applications.

Comparison of annexes:

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Third-party apps are more efficient than built-in MIUI features, but require more rights and may conflict with system services. Before installing, check for compatibility reviews with your Xiaomi model.

6. Hiding and blocking through ADB (for advanced)

If you're ready to go into the technical details, you can block the game through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that is suitable for power users and allows you to completely disable access to the application, even if the child knows the passwords from the Mi Account.

What you need:

• Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• USB Type C C Cable (original)
• Developer Mode and USB Debugging on your smartphone.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (Win + R → cmd).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
3. Find out the game's package name (for example, for PUBG Mobile it is com.tencent.ig). Use the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep "game name"
4. Block the game with the command: adb shell pm hide com.tencent.ig (replace com.tencent.ig with the desired package).

To unlock, use:

adb shell pm unhide com.tencent.ig

Advantages of the method:

• 🔧 Doesn't require root rights.
• 🔒 Locking is system-level, and it is impossible to circumvent it without ADB.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Hard for beginners.
• ❌ When settings are reset, the lock is removed.

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If you don’t know the game’s package name, search for it through App Inspector in Google Play or use the adb shell pm list packages command -f to output the full list.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When blocking games on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

1. The child resets the restrictions through resetting.

• 🔹 Solution: Turn off the ability to reset without password in Settings → Additional → Resetting → Reset Protection.
• 🔹 If the phone is linked to a Mi Account, you will need to enter your login and password after the reset.

2.The game continues to work after the lock.

• 🔹 Cause: The application is cloned (e.g., via Dual Appendices in MIUI).
• 🔹 Solution: Check the list of applications in Settings → Applications → Dual applications and block the copy.

3.Digital Well-Being Blockage is not working.

• 🔹 Reason: Special features for the service are disabled.
• 🔹 Solution: Go to Settings → Special Features → Digital Well-Being and Enable Permission.

4.The third-party blocking application is not working.

• 🔹 Cause: Conflict with optimization MIUI.
• 🔹 Solution: Add a blocker to auto-clean exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All Apps → Find a blocker → No restrictions.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions