How to close the application on the smartphone Xiaomi: 5 working ways for MIUI

Closing apps on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task, but many users face unexpected nuances: for example, why does the app continue to work in the background after swiping up? or what if the program freezes and does not respond to touch? In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to close applications on devices with a MIUI 14/15 shell (including Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi 12/13/14) models.

It's important to understand that MIUI aggressively manages the background processes, because the system itself optimizes the application to save battery life, sometimes it causes the application to restart even after manual closure, and we'll tell you how to shut down programs without performance consequences, and what to do in non-standard situations, from freezes to system failures.

1. Standard way: swipe up in the multitasking menu

The most obvious method is to use the recent app dashboard, and on most Xiaomi smartphones (except for models with physical buttons), the algorithm is as follows:

1. Swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen and hold for 0.5 seconds to open the multitasking menu.
2. Find the card of the desired application and swipe it up (on some firmware - left / right).
3. To close all applications, click on the Close Everything icon (usually at the bottom of the screen).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ Android 13+ Swipe up may not remove the application from memory completely. The system leaves it in sleep mode for a quick restart. To guarantee that you close the program, use the methods from the following sections.

2. Forced stop through application settings

If the application is stuck or not working properly, a standard swipe may not help, and a forced stop will help:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the list, find the desired application and tap on it.
3. Press the “Forced Stop” button (on some firmwares – “Stop”).
4. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

This method completely removes the application from memory and resets all the background processes.

• 🔄 After a forced stop, some apps (such as instant messengers) may not receive notifications until you open them again.
• ⚠️ System applications (e.g. com.android.systemui) cannot be stopped, the button will be inactive.
• 📱 In some models (POCO F5, Redmi Note 12 Pro+) The path may be different: Settings → All applications → [Name of name] → Stop it.

Save important data from the application

Check if it is currently in use (e.g. downloading files)

Make sure it is not a system application

Close all related processes (for example, for the browser – all tabs)-->

3.Closing through "Security" (for MIUI 12-15)

Xiaomi’s firmware has a built-in Security tool that allows you to manage background processes more flexibly, which is useful if:

• 🐢 The app slows down the system, but does not hang in multitasking.
• 🔋 The battery is quickly discharged due to background activity.
• 🚫 You need to prevent the application from starting automatically.

Instructions:

1. Open the Security app** (Shield icon).
2. Go to the Acceleration section → Memory management.
3. Select the app from the list and click “Clean”**.
4. To completely ban background work, go to AutoRun and disable unnecessary programs.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling autoruns for system applications (e.g. MiuiDaemon) can cause your smartphone to run unstable. Do not change settings unless you are sure of their purpose.

4.Blocking background activity through permits

If an application is running or spending traffic in the background, you can limit its rights, and it doesn't shut down the program right away, but it prevents it from running without your knowledge.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Application Name].
2. Select "Permissions."
3. Turn it off: 📶 Background data use (for mobile traffic and Wi-Fi). 🔄 Auto-start. 📱 Work in the background (if there is such a point).

⚠️ Note: After these actions, some features of the application may stop working. For example, messengers will not receive messages until you manually open them. For Telegram, WhatsApp and similar services, it is better to use exceptions in battery settings (see next section).

💡

To return the background to important applications, add them to “No exceptions” in the Settings → Battery → Application Selections section.

5. Optimization through battery settings (to save charge)

MIUI automatically limits the background activity of applications to save power, but sometimes these restrictions are too aggressive. If you notice that applications are not updated in the background or notifications are not coming, check the battery settings:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Selection.
2. Find the right app in the list.
3. Select a mode: 🔋 Without restrictions – for messengers and critical services. ⚡ Intelligent Control – Balance between Economy and Functionality. 🛑 Background Limitation – for rarely used programs.

💡 Tip: For Google Play Services and Miui System, always leave the “No Limits” mode**, otherwise you may have problems with sync and system updates.

6. Closing system applications (for power users)

Some applications (e.g. com.xiaomi.mipicks or com.miui.analytics) cannot be closed in the standard way, because they are integrated into the system.

• 🛠️ Disable (Do not delete!) through ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.xiaomi.mipicks Replace com.xiaomi.mipicks with the desired application package.
• 🔧 Use Xposed Framework or Magisk for deep modification (requires root rights).
• ⚠️ Reset the settings to factory (extreme case).

⚠️ Note: Disabling system applications may result in:

• 📵 Loss of functionality (e.g., disabling com.miui.home will remove the launcher).
• 🔄 Cyclical reboots (if you disable critical services).
• 🚨 Loss of warranty (when using root).

💡

Turn off system applications only if you know exactly what they are for, and for most users, it is enough to limit their background activity through battery settings.

7.Alternative methods: gestures and third-party utilities

If the standard methods are not satisfied, you can use:

• 🤖 Gestures: Some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu) supports double tap on the back to close the current app. → Additionally. → Back panel gestures.
• 📱 Third-party launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Hyperion) where you can configure a swipe to close applications.
• 🛠️ Utilities like "Greenify" (require root or "Greenify") ADB) for “freezing” background processes.

💡 Important: Third-party utilities for closing applications often conflict with MIUI. For example, Greenify may not work without root on the latest versions of Android. 13/14. Check compatibility with your model before installing (Redmi Note) 11, Xiaomi 13T etc.).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make mistakes when they close applications, which leads to increased battery consumption or unstable work.

• ❌ Permanent closure of all applications — MIUI Optimized for multitasking. Frequent shutdowns cause the system to waste resources on restarting.
• ❌ Using Google Play boosters – most of these apps are useless or even harmful (may contain adware).
• ❌ Disabling system services without understanding the consequences – this can lead to loss of functions (for example, disabling com.google.android.gms will disrupt the work of Google services).

✅ The right approach:

• 🔋 Only close applications that are clearly slowing down the system.
• ⚡ To save the battery, use the settings MIUI, Not third-party utilities.
• 📱 Periodically check the battery status in Settings → Battery → Using a battery to identify "gluttonous" programs.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions