How to Freeze an App on Xiaomi: All Ways in 2026

Freezing apps on Xiaomi smartphones is an effective way to free up RAM, extend battery life, and eliminate intrusive notifications. Unlike deleting them completely, freezing allows you to temporarily disable the program while saving its data and settings, especially for pre-installed system applications that cannot be removed by standard methods.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can freeze apps on MIUI devices, from built-in features to ADB and third-party tools. You’ll learn how to properly prepare your smartphone, which apps can be safely disabled, and how to avoid common bugs. Special attention is paid to Redmi models, POCO and flagships of the Xiaomi 13/14 series, where the process can be nuanced.

Why you should freeze your apps on Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartphones are known for their aggressive optimization of background processes, but even they do not save from “gluttonous” applications. Freezing helps solve several key problems:

• 🔋 Battery savings – Disabled applications do not consume energy for background tasks (synchronization, geolocation, push notifications).
• 🚀 System acceleration – RAM is released, which is especially noticeable on budget models (Redmi 9A, POCO M3).
• 🛡️ Security: Locking down suspicious applications that may collect data in the background.
• 📱 UI purity – unnecessary widgets and notifications from frozen programs disappear.

According to XDA Developers tests, freezing 10-15 background applications can increase battery life by 15-20% on devices with a battery of 4000-5000 mAh. This is especially true for users who actively use instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and social networks – their background activity often becomes the main cause of rapid discharge.

⚠️ Warning: Do not freeze system services with the names com.android., miui. or google. in the package - this can lead to unstable smartphone operation or complete loss of functionality (for example, camera or mobile network failure).

Method 1: Freeze through "Security" (inbuilt-in MIUI)

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It does not require superuser rights (root) and is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 11 and POCO X5.

Instructions:

1. Open the Security app (the shield icon).
2. Go to the section Accelerate → Freeze applications.
3. Select apps from the list or click Add to select manually.
4. Confirm the action – the applications will be frozen until the next reboot.

Limitations of the method:

• 🔄 When you reboot your smartphone, frozen apps automatically defrost.
• 📵 Not all system applications are available for freezing through this interface.
• ⏳ The feature may not be available on some regional firmware (e.g., MIUI Global for Europe).

Method 2: Using "Autostart Permission"

If your version of MIUI doesn't have Freeze, you can limit the auto-start of applications. It's not a full freeze, but it effectively reduces their activity.

How to turn off autostart:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (like Facebook or TikTok).
3. Press Permissions → Autostart.
4. Turn off the Autostart Switch.

For mass blackout:

1. In Settings → Applications click on three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Autostart Permissions.
3. Turn off auto-run for unnecessary applications (you can sort by alphabet or installation date).

💡

Before a mass autorun shutdown, check if the app uses important background features (like Google Play Services for updates or Mi Fit for activity tracking).

Method 3: Freezing through ADB (without root)

For advanced users, the most reliable way is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to completely disable applications, including system ones, without obtaining superuser rights, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi K50 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on MIUI until the notification "You're a developer" appears.

USB debugging

• Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
• Turn on the debugging switch over USB.
• Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the commands: adb devices adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.package.name Replace com.package.name with the name of the application package (you can find it through the App Inspector or Play Market).

Examples of packages of popular freezer applications:

• 📱 Facebook: com.facebook.katana
• 🎵 Mi Music: com.miui.player
• 📺 Mi Video: com.miui.videoplayer
• 🛒 GetApps (Xiaomi store): com.xiaomi.mipicks

⚠️ Warning: If widgets or features stop working after freezing a system application (for example, com.miui.weather2 for weather), defrost it with the command: adb shell pm enable com.package.name Some applications (for example, Google Play Services) can cause errors in the work of Google services.

Method 4: Island App (Sandbox with Root)

For users with root rights or bootloader unlocked, Island, an isolated sandbox application, is the best solution, allowing not only freezing but also completely isolating applications from the main system.

The benefits of Island:

• 🔒 Complete isolation of frozen applications (cannot access the data of the main system).
• 🔄 Automatic defrosting on schedule (e.g. for instant messengers during business hours).
• 📦 App cloning support (you can have two WhatsApp accounts at the same time).

Instructions for setting:

1. Install Island from Google Play or from the official website.
2. Grant root rights (if requested).
3. In the main menu, select Freeze Apps.
4. Mark the necessary programs and confirm the action.

Island is compatible with most MIUI firmware, including custom (LineageOS, Pixel Experience).However, some devices (such as Xiaomi 12S Ultra) may require additional Magisk customization to work properly.

💡

Island is the only way to freeze applications while storing their data in an isolated environment, ideal for testing new programs or using two accounts in the same app.

Method 5: Third-party utilities (without root)

If you don't want to use ADB or you don't have root rights, you can use third-party apps.

• 🧊 App Freezer is a simple interface, supports mass freezing, but requires ADB to be set up initially.
• ⚙️ Package Disabler – allows you to disable system applications without root, but does not work on all versions MIUI.
• 🛠️ Debloater Tool (for PC) is a utility for mass disabling applications via ADB with a graphical interface.

Example of work with App Freezer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the command: adb -d shell pm grant com.ramdroid.appfreezer android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
3. Open App Freezer, select apps and click Freeze.

Restrictions of third-party utilities:

• 🔄 May be reset after the MIUI update.
• 🛡️ Some antiviruses (e.g., Avast) block their operation.
• 📱 Newer models (Xiaomi 14, Redmi K60) may require disabling MIUI Optimization in the developer settings.

What apps can be safely frozen on Xiaomi

Not all applications can be frozen without risk to the system, and here is a list of safe and dangerous candidates to shut down.

You can freeze it (without risk):

• 🎮 Games (PUBG Mobile, Free Fire) - if you don't play regularly
• 📺 Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube) – if you use them rarely
• 🛒 Pre-installed stores (GetApps, Mi Store)
• 📊 Social media (Facebook, Instagram) – if you don’t need notifications.
• 🎵 Music players (Mi Music, Spotify) when using alternatives.

Freeze with caution (may disrupt the system):

• 📱 com.google.android.gms (Google Play Services) is responsible for updates and syncs.
• 🔄 com.miui.home (Launcher) – Freezing will cause a desktop reset.
• 📶 com.android.phone is linked to mobile network and calls.
• 🔋 com.miui.powerkeeper – manages energy saving.

On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro), freezing Google services can lead to errors in the camera and GPS.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you freeze apps, users often face problems, and here are the most common ones and how to solve them:

⚠️ Warning: If your smartphone starts to warm up or discharge quickly after freezing apps, check the activity of processes through Settings → Battery → Battery Use. Perhaps one of the frozen apps started a cyclical reboot of services.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions