Xiaomi’s mobile devices are known for their energy efficiency and aggressive resource management system. However, standard MIUI or HyperOS shell optimization algorithms do not always cope with the background processes of “heavy” programs. The user may face a situation when the phone warms up and the battery is melting in front of his eyes due to the inconspicuous operation of the software.
Activity control is a powerful tool in the smartphone owner’s arsenal, which allows you to severely limit the background activity of specific programs, prevent them from starting the system or completely shut down their operation. Unlike simply closing the window in the menu of recent tasks, this method forcibly stops all related processes at the kernel level.
In this article, we will look at where to find hidden settings, how to apply them correctly, and what to expect after implementing restrictions, and the proper configuration of these parameters can extend the battery life of the device to 30% per day.
Before we move on to specific actions, we need to understand the difference between freezing and deleting completely. Activity control does not delete user data, but can block notifications from the software we choose, a critical nuance for instant messengers and email clients.
What is activity control and why is it necessary?
Activity control is a system mechanism that controls application rights to perform background tasks. In the Android operating system on which Xiaomi's firmware is built, programs often behave incorrectly: they continue to collect geolocation, update news feeds or synchronize data even when the screen is turned off.
This feature is especially relevant for programs that you rarely use but need from time to time, such as taxi apps, food delivery apps, or bank customers, and if you don't expect them to give you instant notifications right now, there's no point in letting them run out of battery power.
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Use activity control for applications that do not require a permanent online connection to significantly increase the time of your smartphone without recharging.
It's worth noting that standard swipe-closure doesn't guarantee results. MIUI can automatically restart an important process in minutes, and only a deep restriction of rights through the settings menu ensures a stop.
Search and login to the application management menu
The MIUI and HyperOS shell interfaces may differ depending on the Android version and the firmware region, but the logic of accessing system settings remains the same. There are two main ways to get to the desired menu: through general system settings or through managing a particular application.
The first one is the most versatile one: you have to open the standard Settings app, scroll down to the Apps section, and here is the Application Management section, which opens the full list of all the software you have installed, and that's where the feature you're looking for is hidden.
The second method is good if you want to quickly check the settings of a particular program: Find the icon of the desired application on the desktop, pinch it before the context menu appears, and select "About the application" or "Info" that will open the program card, where permissions and activity options are also available.
Note that in some versions of the firmware, the item may be called “Out-Start” or hidden inside the “Battery and Performance” menu. If you didn’t find the desired section right away, use the search bar at the top of the settings menu to enter “Activity Control”.
Setting restrictions for selected programs
Once you are on the installed program list, select the app you want from the list. You will see a page with information about version, space and energy consumption. At the bottom of the screen or in the menu of three points (depending on the version of MIUI), you will need to find the item Activity Control.
In the window that opens, you'll be offered several restrictions, the softest mode is "No Limits," which allows the application to run in the background without any system obstruction, which is recommended for messengers to keep calls from being missed.
Limited Background mode allows the program to run in the background, but the system will try to save resources by limiting the frequency of updates.
☑️ Pre-limitation check
The hardest option is to "Disable." When you select this item, the operating system completely blocks the application from running in the background. The program will only work when you open it on the screen. All notifications, syncs and updates will not arrive at this time.
It is important to understand that applying strict restrictions to Xiaomi system components can lead to unstable interface performance. Be careful when choosing programs with names that contain the words "System", "Framework" or "Services".
Autostart and Background Process Management
The AutoRun feature deserves special attention, and many users confuse it with activity control, but these are different mechanisms: AutoRun allows or prevents the program from starting itself immediately after turning on the phone. If you prevent autorunning, the application will not start until you manually open it yourself.
To set this option, go to the Apps menu and find AutoStart, which lists programs that have permission to start with the system, and disable sliders in front of those apps that you don't need right after you wake up.
In addition, there is a section on the Battery and Performance menu called Background Activity, where you can see which apps consume the most power when the phone is in standby mode, which helps identify hidden charge eaters.
| Type of restriction | Impact on the battery | Receipt of notifications | Recommended application |
|---|---|---|---|
| No restrictions. | High. | Instantly. | Messengers, navigators |
| Limited background | Average. | With a delay. | Social media, mail. |
| Banned | Minimum | Absent. | rarely used software |
| Auto-start (off) | Savings at start | Only in active mode | Games, utilities. |
Why does the app still work after auto-start ban?
Combining the prohibition of auto-start and the restriction of background activity, you can achieve maximum energy savings, but do not overdo it: too aggressive settings can lead to the fact that the alarm clock will not work or an important call will be missed.
Features of work in the mode of energy saving
Xiaomi's system has built-in energy saving profiles that automatically apply restrictions to all applications. When you turn on the "Energy Saving" or "Ultra-Saving" mode, the system forcibly changes the activity control policy.
In normal operation, the smartphone allows most programs to function normally, but when the battery is reduced to 20% or 10% (configured by the user), the system can automatically transfer all applications to the “Restricted background” or “Disable” mode, except for select ones.
⚠️ Note: When you turn on ultra-savings, Internet connections for most applications may stop working, as well as data synchronization. Make sure that programs important to you are added to the exceptions.
The user can customize the behavior of the system at low charge, and for this purpose, the Battery menu has a paragraph called "Battery settings", where you can choose which applications will continue to work even in critical energy saving mode.
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Power saving modes take precedence over individual application settings, and if hard saving mode is enabled, individual permissions can be temporarily ignored by the system.
Also worth mentioning is the app sleep, which is a feature where long-unused programs automatically go into deep freeze, and they don't consume battery or memory until you start them manually again.
Typical errors and troubleshooting notifications
The most common problem after setting up activity control is the lack of notifications from important applications: the user forbids the messenger from working in the background, and then wonders why the messages come only after opening the program, this is a direct consequence of the chosen restrictions.
If you are faced with this situation, you need to go back to the settings of the particular application and change the activity control mode to “No restrictions”, also check whether the ban on autorun is worth it, since without it, the application will not be able to initiate a connection to the server.
Another mistake is blocking Google Play Services or Mi Service Framework, which are the components that make push notifications work throughout the system, and restricting them will cause notifications to stop coming from even the apps you have allowed to work in the background.
⚠️ Warning: Never apply a full activity ban to system processes with names that contain “Google”, “Xiaomi”, “Android” or “Framework.
To diagnose notification problems, you can use the event log in the developer menu or simply restart the device after changing the settings. Often, changes only take effect after a full system restart cycle.
What to do if the application is constantly flying out?
Final recommendations for optimization
Smart activity control settings on Xiaomi are about balancing autonomy with functionality. Don't try to ban everything in the hope of miracle savings. It's smart to isolate 5-10 really heavy apps and limit them, leaving system and work tools alone.
Check your battery usage statistics regularly, and if you see an app that you barely use is at the top of your consumer list, it's a first-rate candidate for restriction, and periodic revisions of installed programs help keep your smartphone on track.
⚠️ Note: After major firmware updates MIUI or HyperOS, activity control settings can be reset to factory values.
Use this knowledge to create a customized usage profile. Your smartphone should work the way you want it to work, not the way the default optimization algorithms decided.