How to ban the update of applications on Android Xiaomi

Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often face a situation when after the next update, your favorite application begins to work incorrectly or changes the usual interface beyond recognition. Automatic download of new versions through Google Play or the built-in GetApps store can occur at the most inappropriate moment, consuming traffic and occupying the device's memory. Especially relevant is the question of how to prohibit the update of applications on Android Xiaomi, for users with limited internal memory or unstable Internet connection.

MIUI and the new HyperOS have different data packet management features than stock Android. Complete blocking of background updates requires a comprehensive approach, as system services can ignore standard settings. In this guide, we will look at all available methods, from simple settings on the menu to advanced methods through the computer.

Ignoring this issue can cause the phone to slow down in the background, trying to download heavy files, and controlling this process returns the user to full control of the device. Let's take a look at what tools the operating system and third-party utilities offer.

Google Play Market Settings for Selective Ban

The easiest and safest way to manage software versions is to use the built-in features of the Google Play Store itself, which does not require root rights or a computer connection, making it ideal for most users, but it is worth considering that the settings are applied globally or selectively, but do not block Xiaomi system services.

To turn off automatic download for all programs at once, you need to open the Play Store app and go to the user profile, which is usually located at the top right of the screen. In the menu that opens, you should select Settings, and then go to Network Settings, and here is the key parameter Auto Update applications.

⚠️ Note: When you choose the “Never” option, you take responsibility for security. Older versions of the software may contain vulnerabilities that hackers use to steal data.

If you want to leave auto-update enabled but disallow it for specific programs, like a heavy navigator or game, the algorithm of actions will be different. Find the desired application in the search or list of installed, go to its page. In the upper right corner, click on three vertical dots and uncheck Auto-update. Now the system will not touch this particular data packet.

In such cases, the system can forcefully update the component of Google Play Services or Android System WebView, as they are responsible for the stability of the OS.

Managing Updates in the GetApps Store on Xiaomi

MIUI and HyperOS have their own GetApps app store (formerly Mi Apps) pre-installed, often running alongside Google Play and can independently update Xiaomi system apps such as Mi Browser, Mi Video or Themes, ignoring the store’s settings will make the ban on Google Play ineffective.

To set up, open the GetApps app and go to profile by clicking on the person icon in the lower right corner. Next, select Settings and find Auto Update. Here you can select "Only via Wi-Fi" or "Do not update." It is recommended to choose the second option if you want to have full control of the process.

• 📱 Open GetApps and go to Profile.
• ⚙️ Select "Settings» → «Auto-update».
• 🚫 Set the value "Do not update».
• 🔄 For individual applications: the "Management" tab» → click on the app → Remove the Auto Update switch».

A feature of GetApps is its deep integration with the system. Even with a disabled auto-update, the store can send notifications about the availability of new versions. To get rid of them, in the notification settings of the store itself, you should turn off (push notifications) about updates.

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If you are using a regional firmware version (e.g. Global) but are in a different region, GetApps may not work properly, in which case it is better to turn off the application completely in the battery settings.

Some users notice that after the phone is restarted, the settings in GetApps are reset, which may be due to the MIUI memory optimizer, which kills the store processes, and the next time it starts, it loads the standard settings, in which case it helps to fix the application in memory.

Disabling background activity and limiting traffic

If standard store settings don't work, you can apply more stringent operating system-level measures, which are to ban background activity and mobile Internet access for update services, and this doesn't remove the ability to update manually, but it blocks quiet loading in the background.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Google Play Store and GetApps. For each, click on Mobile Internet and Wi-Fi and turn off Background Slider. You can also disable Wi-Fi access, leaving only mobile Internet, or vice versa, depending on which network you normally do not want to download updates.

Another effective way is to use the Access Point function or router settings, but at the phone level this is done through traffic restriction. In the Security → Traffic → Statistics menu, you can find a list of all applications and manually disable them from accessing the network when the screen is off.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the background for the Google Play Store may cause you to stop receiving important push notifications from other apps that depend on Google services.

This approach turns the upgrade process into a completely manual operation, where you have to manually turn on the network for stores, download the files you want and disable them again, which is inconvenient, but ensures that no bytes are spent without your knowledge.

Blocking through ADB and disabling system components

For advanced users who want to guarantee that they will not be able to update their Android apps on Xiaomi, there is a method using the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) debugging bridge, which allows you to disable the system components responsible for checking and downloading updates, making the process technically impossible without flashing.

To start, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version). Then, in the Additional → For developers, turn on Debugging over USB. Connect your phone to your computer with a cable.

On your computer, in the command line, type the following command to disable the Google Play update service:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.vending

And to disable the system bootloader updates Xiaomi (Package Installer):

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.packageinstaller

After completing these commands, the icons of stores can disappear from the desktop, and attempts to install them can be made. APK-The files will give you an error. This is normal behavior. To get it back, use the command adb shell pm enable. <packet>.

Using ADB requires caution. Disabling critical system components can cause a smartphone to run in an unstable way. Without a Package Installer, for example, you can't install applications even manually from files. This method is suitable for static devices that are used as terminals or media centers.

Third-party utilities for version control

If you don’t want to mess with ADB, and Xiaomi’s built-in tools aren’t effective enough, specialized application managers come to the rescue, allowing you to flexibly customize the rules for each application separately, ignoring system constraints.

One of the most popular tools is AppMgr III (App 2 SD), which scans installed software and allows batch control of their state. In the program settings, you can find the function of disabling auto-updates. Also useful is the My Phone Apps Info app, which shows which applications have auto-update permission and allows you to quickly switch to their settings.

• 🛡️ AppMgr III: Allows you to hide and disable system applications without root rights.
• 📊 My Phone Apps Info: Provides detailed information about permissions and installation source.
• 🚫 Disable Service: Utility to disable system services, analogue ADB Links, but with a graphical interface.

It’s worth noting that on current versions of Android 11, 12, 13 and 14 with the HyperOS shell, third-party applications are limited by security policies. They may not have the right to forcibly stop Google Play processes, so their effectiveness may be lower than that of the ADB method.

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Third-party managers are a convenient trade-off between ADB complexity and the inefficiency of standard settings, but they don’t give a 100% lock guarantee on newer versions of Android.

When using these tools, carefully read the permissions requested. To manage other applications, they need wide access to the system. Only download these tools from trusted sources, such as Google Play, checking rankings and reviews.

Compatibility issues and returning to older versions

Often, the desire to ban the update of applications on Android Xiaomi arises after the new version of the program broke the functionality. However, it is not enough to simply ban the updates - you also need to roll back to the previous stable version. You can not do this with standard Android tools, you need to delete the current version and install the old one.

We need to find it. APK-file of the desired version on a reliable archive, for example, APKMirror or 4PDA. Before installing, be sure to remove the current version of the app.If it is a Xiaomi system app, it must first "remove updates" through the app menu (three dots in the corner), and then, if possible, remove it completely through the app. ADB.

⚠️ Note: If you roll back the application version (downgrade), the program data may be lost. Be sure to back up important data before deleting it.

Once you install the older version, immediately apply the methods described at the beginning of the article to block the re-update.If you simply install the older version but do not prohibit auto-update, Google Play will update it within minutes or hours, reducing all efforts to zero.

Also, some applications have a forced lifespan, and the server may stop accepting requests from older versions of the client, in which case the ban on updates will cause the application to stop connecting to the server, which will only help to find modified versions or to accept the update.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)