When you suddenly stop running your apps on your smartphone, it always takes you by surprise: you try to open a messenger, browser or game, but the screen just blinks, or the app instantly closes, bringing you back to the desktop. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices face this at least as often as users of other brands, but in their case the problem often lies in aggressive algorithms for optimizing the MIUI system.
The reasons for this behavior can be many: from the banal overflow of RAM to conflicts of system updates. Do not immediately panic and bring the gadget to the service, because in 90% of cases you can solve the problem yourself by performing a series of simple actions. It is important to understand that the Android operating system, which is the basis of the manufacturer's shell, is sensitive to changes in the file system and access rights.
In this article, we will look at all possible crash scenarios in detail, look at both software errors and hardware constraints that can block software, and learn how to correctly diagnose the problem using built-in debugging and settings hidden from the average user, which will allow you to return the device to full life without losing important data.
RAM and system overload
One of the most common reasons why Xiaomi apps don’t open or crash immediately after launch is a critical lack of free RAM. When RAM is filled with background processes, the system simply doesn’t have the resources to initialize a new application, especially on models with 3 or 4 gigabytes of memory, where today’s heavy programs require significant power to work.
The MIUI shell is known for its ability to hold a lot of applications in memory, but it has a downside. Over time, residual processes accumulate that have not been properly closed, which causes even simple utilities to become unstable, and the user may notice that the interface has slowed down, and the response time to touch has increased.
To check the current state of memory, you can use the built-in toolkit: press and hold the menu button or swipe from the bottom up (depending on the type of navigation) to open the list of running tasks. If you see dozens of open windows, you need to close them.
There are several indications that the problem lies in a lack of resources:
- 📉 Apps fly out through 1-2 seconds after the logo appears.
- 📉 The smartphone is very hot in the upper part of the case, even in simple.
- 📉 Internet disappears or touch input stops working in all programs.
- 📉 The system suggests closing background applications when trying to launch a new program.
To solve this problem quickly, you can use the memory extension feature, if it's available on your model, which is a technology known as Virtual RAM, which is part of the internal flash memory for the system, and you can activate it in the settings menu, which will allow you to slightly offload the main memory pool and stabilize the performance of heavy applications.
Failures in the cache and application data
Temporary file accumulation or damage to a particular application’s database is the second most frequent factor of failures. Cache is designed to speed up the loading of frequently used items, but if you write it can become a source of problems. If only one particular application, such as Instagram or Bank, is not opened on Xiaomi, then there is a 99% probability that its local files are the cause.
The process of cleaning the data returns the program to a "just after installation" state, which means that you have to re-authorize and configure the interface. However, this is often the only way to make the software work correctly. It is important not to confuse cache cleaning and data cleaning: the first deletes only temporary files, the second deletes all settings and logins.
You can do this through the standard Android settings menu. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 🗑️ Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
- 🗑️ Find the problem program in the list and click on it.
- 🗑️ Select Memory (or "Storage»).
- 🗑️ Click the Clean button and select “Clean All” or “Clear Cache».
⚠️ Note: Before completely clearing the data, make sure you remember the password from the account in the application, otherwise access may be lost without the possibility of recovery.
Sometimes permission resets can also help. Apps may not start if they block access to critical features such as microphone, camera, or storage. In newer versions of MIUI, the security system can automatically disable suspicious permissions after an update. Check the Permissions tab in the app information menu and make sure all the necessary switches are active.
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Use the Safe Mode mode to check: if the application is running in it, then some third-party software or widget causes a conflict.
Conflicts after the MIUI system update
Updating the operating system is a necessary process, but often leads to instability. Once a new version of MIUI or Android security patch is installed, older versions of applications may stop interacting with system libraries correctly, especially for devices that have been receiving updates for several years.
Often, right after the firmware is done, the phone starts to behave strangely, warms up, discharges quickly, and the applications fly out, which is a normal system reaction to redesigning file indexes and optimizing databases, and can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days of active use of the device.
However, if the problem persists after 2-3 days, check for updates for the apps themselves. Go to Google Play Market or GetApps, go to the App Management section and click Update All. Lack of an up-to-date version of the software is a common reason for incompatibility with the new kernel.
What to do if a system update breaks your phone?
The table below shows the main symptoms of conflicts after updating and how to resolve them:
| Symptoms. | Probable cause | Method of decision |
|---|---|---|
| Departure of all Google services | Conflict of GMS versions | Update Google Play Services |
| Wi-Fi does not work in applications | Network settings failure | Resetting network settings |
| Black screen at launch | Interface rendering error | Turn off the dark theme |
| Continuous resets | The critical error of the nucleus | Reset to factory settings |
Aggressive energy savings and background restrictions
Xiaomi’s energy-saving system is notoriously rigor-free: Battery Saver and various SEOs can force applications that algorithms believe are consuming too much resources or not being used at the moment, often resulting in an app simply not being able to start in the background or shutting down immediately after opening.
To prevent this, you need to manually adjust the battery behavior for important programs, especially for messengers, navigators and activity trackers, and if you notice that the application is falling asleep or not opening its services, you need to add it to the exceptions.
The setting is made through the “Security” menu (green icon with lightning) or through the general settings:
- Open the Security app.
- Go to the Battery section.
- Find the desired application in the list or click on the settings gear.
- Select No Limits mode instead of Saving Charge.
☑️ Setting up energy saving
It is also worth checking autorun settings. In MIUI, many applications are not allowed to run on their own after the phone is turned on. If the application depends on background services (for example, to receive notifications or synchronize), not having the right to autorun can block its normal functioning.
Date, time and network settings problems
It would seem that the banal setting of time can cause most modern applications to fail. SSL/TLS security protocols used to encrypt a connection require exact timing on the device and server. If the date on your Xiaomi is behind or in a hurry even for a few minutes, security servers (Google, banking systems, social networks) will reject the connection, and the application will hang on the download screen or give a network error.
Check if you have automatic time synchronization installed. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Date and time. Make sure the Use Network Time switch is activated. Also check the time zone you have selected is correct.
Another network problem can be a DNS failure. Sometimes the provider or router can not correctly resolve the domain names necessary for the application to work, in which case, resetting network settings or temporarily switching to the mobile Internet to test the hypothesis helps.
⚠️ Warning: Resetting your network settings will remove saved passwords from Wi-Fi and a pair of Bluetooth devices.
If you use VPNs or proxy servers, try disabling them. Many applications, especially banking and government services, block the operation of the VPN tunnel, considering this as an attempt to hack or circumvent geographical restrictions.
Malware and damage to system files
The least pleasant but possible cause is a virus or miner infection of a device, malware that can disguise itself as system processes or legitimate applications, consuming all resources and blocking the launch of other software, and if a phone has full-screen ads or apps open on their own, this is a sure sign of infection.
To check, use the built-in antivirus in the Security app or install a reliable scanner from the Play Market, such as Dr.Web or Kaspersky. Do a full system scan. It is also worth checking the list of installed applications for programs that you do not know with administrator rights.
In more complex cases, when a virus has penetrated deep into the system, a complete reset may be required, a radical measure that will delete all data, but is guaranteed to clear the system of most threats.
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If nothing helps and apps continue to fly out, the cause could be a physical degradation of the smartphone’s flash memory, which requires replacing the drive or the entire device.
Sometimes system files are not damaged by viruses, but by improperly turning off the phone or recording failures, and in such cases, cleaning the cache partition through Recovery mode can help, which does not affect user data, but restores the integrity of the system temporary files.