How to completely ban the background work of applications on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are known for their versatility, but sometimes that functionality turns against the user. Application background processes not only drain the battery at an accelerated pace, but also slow down the system, especially on budget models with limited resources. If your Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 began to slow down and the battery goes down in half a day, the problem is likely to lie in the background tasks.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can turn off background activity, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features for power users, how to prevent unnecessary services from auto-starting, limit internet access in the background, and even completely freeze apps without root rights, and also what system processes can never be turned off so as not to break a smartphone.

Why Background Apps Are Harmful to Xiaomi

Background software isn't always evil. Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), email clients and some system services need to run in the background to get notifications and updates in real time, but most apps abuse this right:

• 🔋 Battery consumption: According to Xiaomi, up to 30% of the charge can go to background activity of social networks and games.
• 🐢 Slowing down: Each background application takes up a portion of RAM (RAM), which leads to hanging.
• 📡 Traffic is wasted: Many programs (such as TikTok or Instagram) constantly exchange data with servers.
• 🔄 Auto-Run: Some apps (Facebook, AliExpress) run themselves when you turn on your phone or connect to Wi-Fi.

For example, tests show that MIUI 14 on the Xiaomi 13 Pro spends up to 15% of CPU time on background optimization of system applications (com.miui.analytics, com.xiaomi.midrop). and programs like Clean Master or UC Browser can run up to 5 background processes at a time!

⚠️ Warning: Disabling background activity for system applications (e.g. com.android.phone or com.miui.securitycenter) may result in loss of mobile communications or sensor failures. Always check the name of the package before blocking.

Method 1: Standard MIUI settings (without root)

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which is suitable for all models, from Redmi 9 to Xiaomi 14 flagships.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose the app you want (like Facebook or Wildberries).
3. Slip on Battery Consumption (or Battery in newer versions of MIUI).
4. Choose the option to Limit background activity or Prohibit (depending on the firmware version).
5. Activate the AutoStart switch (if any) and turn it off.

For mass blackout:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management.
2. Select the Apps Selection and mark the ones you want to ban background work for.
3. Click Limit and confirm the action.

Auto-start is disabled for selected applications

Have important notifications (for example, from messengers) disappeared?

Has the geolocation deteriorated (if the maps were turned off)

Check the battery consumption through 2-3 hourly-->

This method works for 80% of user applications, but it doesn't affect system processes, and it doesn't block Internet access in the background, so it needs to do this in the following way.

Method 2: Limiting mobile data and Wi-Fi in the background

Many apps continue to eat traffic even after the background activity is limited, to completely block them from accessing the network:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Data transmission (or Settings) → Connections → Use of data for new MIUI).
2. Select the Use of Data by Applications.
3. Find the right application and turn off the Background Data switch.
4. For Wi-Fi, repeat the steps in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Application Data Management.

This method is especially useful for applications like YouTube or Netflix, which can download content in the background, but note that some messengers (Viber, Skype) will stop receiving messages without access to the network.

Social networks (Facebook, Instagram)

Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)

Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact)

System processes (MIUI Optimizer)

Others-->

Method 3: Using a Security App (Security)

The MIUI Security app has hidden functions for managing background processes. Here's how to use them:

1. Open the Security app (shield icon).
2. Go to Optimize or Accelerate (name depends on the version of MIUI).
3. Click on Deep Optimization or Sleep Mode.
4. Select apps that you want to “sleep” (they won’t work in the background, but will save notifications).
5. Confirm the action by clicking Optimize.

In newer versions of MIUI 14+, this section may be called Hibernation Mode, which completely stops the background processes of selected applications, but saves their data, ideal for games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) or rarely used programs.

💡

If the optimization list doesn’t have the right app, try first restricting it through standard settings (Method 1), and then go back to the Security App – it should appear.

Note that some system applications (Mi Video, Mi Music) cannot be optimized in this way. ADB-teams (Method 5).

Method 4: Energy saving and super-energy saving mode

MIUI offers several energy saving modes that automatically limit background activity, and can be combined with manual settings to maximize the effect:

• 🔋 Power Saving Mode: Limits background activity for most applications except instant messengers and calls. → Battery → Energy saving regime.
• ⚡ Overpower saving: Disables all background processes except basic functions (calls, SMS). Activated in Settings → Battery → Over-energy saving.
• 📱 Adaptive mode (b) MIUI 13+): Automatically limits background tasks depending on the level of charge.

For maximum battery savings:

1. Turn on Power Saving Mode.
2. Add only critical applications (e.g. Telegram or Google Maps) to the exceptions.
3. Turn off Adaptive Brightness and set a fixed value of 40-50%.
4. Activate the Dark Theme (in Settings → Screen).

⚠️ Note: In super-energy saving mode, all push notifications are turned off, except for the power-saving mode. SMS Some of the smart home features (Mi Home) and fitness trackers (Mi Band) may also not work).

Tests show that the combination of manual back-end application restriction (Method 1) + power saving mode increases the life of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 by 25-30% with moderate use.

Method 5: ADB-Teams for experienced users

If standard methods do not help, you can use them. ADB-Android Debug Bridge, which is a deep back-end limit, requires you to connect to a computer, but gives you maximum control over the system.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone with enabled debugging USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to your computer and allow debugging.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
4. To prevent background work for a particular app (e.g. Facebook), use: adb shell cmd appops set com.facebook.katana RUN_ANY_IN_BACKGROUND deny
5. To disable autorun: adb shell cmd appops set com.facebook.katana BOOT_COMPLETED deny
6. To get it back, replace deny with allow.

List of popular packages for blocking:

• com.facebook.katana — Facebook
• com.instagram.android — Instagram
• com.whatsapp – WhatsApp (caution – notifications will stop coming!)
• com.alibaba.intl.android.apps.poseidon — AliExpress
• com.zhiliaoapp.musically — TikTok

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Never block system packages like com.android.phone (telephony) com.miui.securitycenter (security) com.android.settings (settings) Before experimenting, back up through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

💡

ADB-commands are the most powerful tool for limiting background activity, but it requires caution. Always check the name of the package before blocking and test the changes on one application.

Additional tips for maximum optimization

Besides limiting background activity, there are a few tricks that can help make your Xiaomi faster and more economical:

• 🧹 Cache Clearing: Clean the app cache regularly in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Clear the cache. It doesn't affect the background, but it frees up memory.
• 🔄 Disable animation: Enable developer mode and install window animation, transition animation and animation duration on Disabled.
• 📴 Bloatware Removal: Many system applications (Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps) can be safely removed via the Internet. ADB: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.video
• 🔋 Battery calibration: Once in a while 2-3 Perform a full cycle of discharge / charging (0% → 100%) calibration of the battery controller.
• 🛡️ Disable Analytics: Go to Settings → Confidentiality → Diagnostics and reviews and disable data sending to Xiaomi.

For models with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) Additional savings are provided by using black wallpaper and disabling Always-on Display (Settings) → Screen. → Always-on Display and Lockdown).

If after all the manipulations the phone still brakes, check it for viruses through Security → Scan or install Malwarebytes from Google Play. Some malware masquerades as system processes and consume resources in the background.

FAQ: Frequent questions about background processes on Xiaomi