Who Calls on Xiaomi: Full Setup to Protect Against Spam and Fraud

Spam calls and scam messages became an epidemic in 2026 — according to Kaspersky, every second smartphone user encounters them weekly. Xiaomi owners have a unique advantage: the built-in Who Calls service (formerly known as Mi Security), which automatically identifies unwanted numbers and blocks them.

This article will not just tell you how to turn Who Calls on your Redmi, POCO Xiaomi 13/14. We'll break down the hidden settings that allow you to customize your number base, set up security levels for different contacts, and even integrate the service with Google Contacts, and you'll also learn why sometimes Who Calls doesn't work on new models and how to fix it without resetting your settings.

What is Who Calls and How Does It Work for Xiaomi?

Who Calls is Xiaomi’s built-in call identification system that analyzes incoming numbers in real time, compares them to a global database of spammers, scammers and advertising companies, and takes into account other users’ marks. Unlike third-party apps like Truecaller, the service does not require registration and works completely offline after the first database synchronization.

Key features of Who Calls on Xiaomi:

• 🔍 Automatic identification – determines the type of call (fraudster, spam, advertising, service number) before the response.
• 🛡️ Category Block – All calls from credit institutions or lotteries can be banned.
• 📱 Integration with MIUI — It operates at system level and does not consume an additional battery.
• 🌍 Global database – data is updated daily with reports from 200 users+ countries.

It’s important to understand that Who Calls is not a standalone app – it’s part of the ecosystem. MIUI, So its settings are hidden in the security menu on new models (e.g. Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Note 13 Pro).+) The service interface has been updated, but the functionality has remained the same, with the only exception being that some regions (e.g. the EU) have a stripped-down version due to data protection laws.

How to turn Who Calls on Xiaomi smartphones (step-by-step instructions)

Activation of the service takes less than a minute, but the path to settings varies depending on the version. MIUI. Below is a general guide for all models, including POCO F5, Redmi 12 and Xiaomi flagship 13T.

Open the Security app (the shield icon) and follow the following steps:

1. Go to Spam Protection (or Who Calls in English firmware).
2. Click on Call Identification and move the slider to the On position.
3. In the Call Block section, select the categories you want to block (we recommend you to note Fraud and Spam).
4. Return to the main Security menu and enable Message Check for filtering SMS.

Once activated, the service will start working in the background, and the first results will be seen on the next incoming call: a tag will appear next to the number (for example, a tag will appear, 🚨 Fraudster: Banker. If the tags don't appear, check if Security Application Permits are enabled in the system settings (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Phone).

Configuring the levels of protection: from basic to maximum

By default, Who Calls is “balanced” but can be fine-tuned to your needs. For example, if you often receive important calls from unknown numbers (such as courier services), you should relax the filtering, and vice versa, you can block all numbers that are not entered in contacts for maximum protection.

To change the level of protection:

1. Open Security. → Who Calls → Identification settings.
2. Choose one of three modes: Basic modes, which identifies only obvious scammers; Balanced mode (recommended) modes, which blocks spam and suspicious numbers; Hard mode, which prohibits all calls except from contacts in the phone book.

Exceptions

For users who want full control, there's a hidden option called Manual Filters Configuration, to activate it:

1. Go to Who Calls Settings → Additionally.
2. Click 5 times in a row on the service version (bottom of the screen).
3. Expert settings menu will appear where you can manually add number templates to lock (for example, all numbers with a prefix) +375 to block spam from Belarus).

How to add a number to the Who Calls database manually

The Who Calls database is updated once a day, but sometimes users encounter spam numbers that are not yet on the system, in which case you can add a number to the blacklist yourself and send a complaint to Xiaomi to protect other users.

Instructions for adding the number:

1. Open the Phone application and go to the Journal tab.
2. Find the right number and click on it.
3. Select the details. → Complaining spam.
4. Specify the category: 💳 Fraud (finance) 📢 Advertising 🚨 Other (with the possibility of stating the reason)

Send.

If you want to add a number before he calls you (for example, from the SMS copy it and paste it in the field Add to the blacklist through Security → Who Calls → Blacklist. → Important: numbers that are manually blacklisted are permanently blocked, even after resetting the phone.

Who Calls Problems: Why It Doesn't Work and How to Fix It

Despite being reliable, Who Calls sometimes fails, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

1.The Service does not identify numbers

• 🔄 Update the database manually: Security → Who Calls → Update the base.
• 📱 Check the permissions: Settings → Annexes → Security → Permits → Phone (to be included reading magazines and managing calls).
• 🌐 Make sure your phone is connected to the internet (the database is updated online).

2 Who Calls doesn't block spam

• ⚙️ Check your lock settings: it may be too soft.
• 📋 Make sure that the number is not included in the exceptions.
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes it helps to reset the cache service.

3. Permanent notifications of blocking

• 🔔 Turn off alerts: Security → Who Calls → Settings → Notice of blocking.
• 📊 Set up a lock log: you can hide records older than 7 days.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Who Calls may conflict with Google Phone. If the service stopped working after the update, try resetting the Phone application or rolling back to standard software through Settings. → Annexes → Phone. → Reset.

💡

If Who Calls does not recognize local spammers (e.g., from your region), add their numbers manually via Security. → Who Calls → Blacklist. → This will help not only you, but also other Xiaomi users in your country.

Who Calls vs Truecaller: What’s Best for Xiaomi in 2026

Many users are wondering whether to install Truecaller if Xiaomi already has built-in Who Calls? Let’s compare the two services in key parameters:

Bottom Line: If you live in Asia or use Xiaomi with Chinese firmware, Who Calls is enough. For Europe or America, it's better to combine both: Who Calls for basic protection and Truecaller for advanced identification. But remember, Truecaller requires registration and access to contacts, which can be a risk to privacy.

⚠️ Attention: On models POCO Who Calls may be worse off with a downsized database, in which case it is recommended to manually add spam numbers or use alternative applications like Hiya.

Hidden Who Calls chips that few people know about

Most users use Who Calls only to block spam, but the service has a few hidden features that can be useful:

1. Filtration SMS key-word

You can set up automatic blocking of messages containing certain phrases (e.g., "you won", "loan online").

1. Go to Security. → Who Calls → Message filter.
2. Enable the option of Filtering by Keywords.
3. Add words or phrases by comma (regular expressions are supported).

Exports/imports of the blacklist

If you change your Xiaomi smartphone, you can transfer all the locked numbers to the new device:

1. In Who Calls, click on the three dots in the top right corner.
2. Select Data Export and save the file to Google Drive or Mi Cloud.
3. On a new phone, import the file through Data Import.

3.Integration with Mi Home

If you have Xiaomi smart devices (such as Mi Band or Smart Door Lock), you can set up an automatic alert on them when a spammer calls.

1. Connect the devices to Mi Home.
2. In Who Calls, enable Smart Notifications.
3. Choose gadgets that should vibrate or blink when spam calls.

💡

The hidden Who Calls settings allow you to not only block spam, but also automate your response to it. SMS-replying to fraudsters (“Your number is blacklisted”) or forwarding such calls to voicemail.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Who Calls on Xiaomi