How to prevent the application from updating on Xiaomi: the full guide

Xiaomi smartphone users often face a situation where important programs suddenly cease to function correctly after another update. Developers MIUI and HyperOS by default set the system to automatically download and install new versions of software, which is not always convenient. Sometimes the new version contains errors, requires more resources or simply changes the usual interface, making working with the gadget less comfortable.

In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to prevent an application from updating on Xiaomi using both standard settings and advanced methods. Software version control allows you to maintain system stability and save mobile traffic. You will learn how to block updates for individual programs or disable them globally for the entire device.

Before we take any drastic measures, it’s worth understanding that ignoring updates completely can lead to security vulnerabilities, but if you know exactly why you need a particular old version of software, our instructions will help you fix it on your device forever. We will look at the settings of the Google Play store, the built-in GetApps, as well as system restrictions through the ADB.

Automatic Update Settings in Google Play

The main source of updates for most users is the Google Play store. This is where the default settings are stored, which are often ignored when you initially set up your smartphone. To change the behavior of the system, you need to go to the profile menu by touching the avatar in the upper right corner of the screen. Next, select Settings and open the Settings section inside it.

In the list that opens, you're interested in Preferences, which is Application Auto Update, and here you'll find three options, each affecting traffic consumption and background activity differently, and the right option depends on your current needs and your unlimited Wi-Fi connection.

If you choose “Do not update apps automatically,” no program will get a new version without you directly participating. This is the most reliable way to control versions, but it requires manually checking for updates from time to time. The alternative is to allow the update only through Wi-Fi, which will save your mobile data, but will still change the software without warning.

• 📱 Open the Google Play Store app on your device.
• 👤 Click on the profile icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Settings → Preferences.
• 🚫 Select Auto Update and set the desired value.

It is important to note that these settings are global for the entire account on a given device, and if you need to leave auto-update for most programs, but block it for one particular one, this method will not work, in which case you will have to use individual settings for each application, which we will talk about in the next sections.

Disabling Auto Updates for a Specific Application

It is often not convenient to turn off the global service because most programs must remain relevant. The problem is with one or two specific applications that start to work incorrectly or change functionality after an update. Google Play has the ability to customize the update options for each program, which allows for flexible version control.

To do this, find the app you want in the store through a search or in the App and Device Management list. On the app page where the Update or Open button is usually located, you need to look at the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen, and clicking on this item opens a context menu with additional management options.

⚠️ Note: Individual disabling auto-renewal may not be visible immediately if the entire store is prohibited from automatic updates. Make sure that global settings allow at least an upgrade via Wi-Fi.

In the drop-down menu, you need to uncheck the Auto Update item, and then next to the application name, a crossed-out arrow icon will appear in the update list, indicating that this software is removed from the list of automatic updates, and the system will ignore new versions until you manually initiate the process.

It is worth considering that after reinstalling the application or cleaning the data of the Google Play store, these settings can reset to default values. Therefore, if you are critical of the stability of a particular version of the program, it is recommended to periodically check the auto-update status in the application card.

Blocking updates in the built-in GetApps store

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners know that they have a branded app store called GetApps (formerly Mi Apps), which often updates system components and pre-installed apps independently of Google Play. To gain full control of the device, you need to configure this source of updates.

Launch GetApps and go to Profile, which is usually in the lower right corner of the interface. In the menu that opens, look for the gear icon or Settings. We're interested in App Auto Update, which controls how the system behaves when new versions of the software appear.

There are also options for selecting a network or disabling a feature completely.However, unlike Google, the GetApps store can have its own priorities for MIUI system applications. Even with auto-update disabled, some critical security components can try to update if the operating system itself requires it.

For users who want to limit background activity as much as possible, it is recommended not only to disable auto-update, but also to prohibit data transfer for the GetApps store in the background. This can be done through mobile traffic settings, which we will discuss in detail below, This approach ensures that no byte of data will be spent on version verification.

💡

If you rarely use the built-in GetApps store, it’s easier to turn it off completely in your application settings than to configure individual update options.

Restriction of background data and network access

A radical but highly effective method of preventing updates is to completely shut down an application from accessing the Internet, and if a program cannot connect to the developer's server, it cannot physically download the installation package, which works seamlessly for any update source, whether it's Google Play, GetApps or the built-in mechanisms of the program itself.

To implement this method, go to Settings of your smartphone, then select the Application → All Apps section. Find the program you want to “freeze” in the current version. Inside the app menu, select Other Permissions or Data Use (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI).

You need to turn off Wi-Fi switches and Mobile Internet, and then the app can only work offline or use features that don’t require a network, and this is the perfect way to block updates for programs that don’t require a permanent online connection for their primary function.

• 📶 Open the Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
• 🔍 Find the target application in the general list.
• 🌐 Select Data Use or Other Permits.
• ❌ Transfer Wi-Fi and Mobile Internet switches to the “Off” position».

It's worth remembering that this method has its side effects: If an application is a messenger, a navigator or a streaming service, it will stop performing its basic functions, so this method is only suitable for utilities, calculators, offline games or specific software where network activity is not necessary.

⚠️ Attention: Blocking access to the network can lead to loss of data synchronization, inability to receive notifications and errors in the operation of cloud services.

Using ADB to Systemically Ban Updates

For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, the most powerful control tool is Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which allows you not only to prevent the update, but completely disable the system component responsible for this process, or “freeze” the installer application, which gives the maximum level of control that is not available through the standard interface.

Before starting the procedure, activate the developer mode. To do this, seven times click on the build number in the About Phone section. Then in the Additional → For developers menu, turn on USB Debugging. Connect the smartphone to your computer and make sure that the Xiaomi drivers and the SDK Tools platform are installed on the PC.

The method is to execute a command that disables a standard package installer or a specific application, for example, to disable Google Play services that are responsible for updates, you can use the command:

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

However, a complete shutdown of Google Play can disrupt other services, a safer approach is to disable only the auto-update component if it is isolated in a separate process, or use specialized devices. ADB-Freeze scripts, you can also prevent the installation of applications from unknown sources through ADB, This will create an additional barrier.

💡

Using ADB requires caution: disabling critical system components can lead to unstable smartphone performance or loss of warranty.

Once the commands are executed, the application or service goes into a "disabled" state, it stays in memory, does not take the user's place, but cannot be started by the system. To return it back, the adb shell pm enable command is used. This method is ideal for removing advertising and system debris, which is often updated.

System Limitations and Energy Saving MIUI

The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have aggressive energy-saving mechanisms that can be adapted to their own purposes. The system seeks to save battery power by limiting the background activity of applications. If you set these restrictions correctly, you can prevent background checks of updates, because to do this, the application needs to activate in the background.

Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Select the right program and find AutoStart. Make sure it’s turned off. Then go to Energy Saving (or Activity Control) and select Hard Limit or No Limits mode (paradoxically, in some versions of MIUI, the “No Limits” option combined with manual data locking works more stable, but more often it’s necessary to limit background activity).

Also worth checking the battery settings. In Battery → Settings (cogs) you can turn off Auto Start Apps globally, which will prevent the program from starting when you turn on the phone, which indirectly reduces the chance of starting the update process immediately after you restart.

• 🔋 Open the battery settings and find the list of applications.
• 🛑 Set the operating mode in the background of "Strict restriction».
• 🚫 Turn off auto-start for the target application.
• 🧹 Clean RAM regularly to “kill” the update process.

The effectiveness of this method varies depending on the firmware version, and in newer versions of HyperOS, algorithms have become smarter and can ignore some user settings for the sake of “optimization”, so this method is better used in conjunction with blocking network access.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)