Yellowpage on Xiaomi: what is it and is it necessary?

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often notice a system application called Yellowpage in the running process list or in the battery settings. Its appearance raises many questions, since the name is not associated with the usual functions of the phone. Many users mistakenly believe that it is a virus or malware that collects personal data, but the reality lies in the work of the MIUI shell.

In fact, Yellowpage is a system component that identifies incoming numbers and the identifier, and it maps the caller's number to the database so you can see not just numbers, but the name of the organization or name, if it's stored in the cloud, and it's a process that's integrated closely into MIUI, and it allows for a comfortable communication by filtering spam and tagging unknown numbers.

Despite its usefulness, users often experience intrusive behavior, sometimes consuming battery power or causing ad windows to appear when unlocking the screen. Understanding how this component works will help you set up your device properly and avoid unnecessary anxiety. In this article, we will discuss in detail the functionality, risks and ways to manage this system process.

The main purpose of the system process

Yellowpage's functionality goes far beyond just displaying names, and it's a system-level number identification service, and when you get a call, it sends a request to the database to verify the number, which is especially true for Xiaomi and Redmi, where it's pre-installed by default and embedded in the phone book.

It also filters unwanted calls, uses algorithms to identify spam numbers and telemarketing agencies, and if a number is labeled by multiple users as “Adverts” or “Fraudsters,” the system will automatically alert you or reset a call, and automatically updates the databases to stay protected from new scams in real time.

And it's worth noting that the process is also responsible for visualizing the call card, and it loads up the company logos, if they're in the database, and displays them instead of the standard subscriber icon, which makes the call interface more informative, but it's the loading of that data and the background work that can lead to increased traffic consumption.

• 📞 Identification: Definition of the name of the organization or number type (courier, taxi, bank).
• 🚫 Blocking: Automatic screening of calls from blacklists and spam databases.
• 🎨 Visualization: Display of company logos and advanced information about the caller.

Why the app consumes battery and memory

One of the common complaints is that Yellowpage is eating the battery, because of constant background processes, the app needs to be active to respond instantly to an incoming call, and if database synchronization or spam listings are updated in the background, energy consumption increases dramatically, especially on older smartphones with small batteries.

Also worth considering is the cache volume. The app stores data about the numbers checked and the logos downloaded. Over time, this cache can grow to hundreds of megabytes, taking up precious space in the device's memory. Periodic cleaning of the cache helps reduce the load on the system and speed up the interface.

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To save battery power, turn off automatic update of the number detector in the settings of the application “Security” or “Phone”.

In some cases, high resource consumption is associated with errors in optimizing the MIUI shell itself. If the process “hangs” in the restart cycle, it can consume up to 10-15% of the charge even in standby mode, in which case a forced stop or reset of the application settings is required.

⚠️ Note: If Yellowpage is using more than 5% of its charge per day without active calls, it is a sign of a failure».

Is it safe to remove Yellowpage on Xiaomi?

Since Yellowpage is part of the Google and Xiaomi system suite, simple deletion through the standard interface is usually not available. The Remove button will be inactive, and only the option to Disable or Stop is available. Attempts to completely delete via ADB or root rights can lead to unstable operation of the phone book.

Complete deletion can cause errors in the communication module. The smartphone can stop correctly detecting incoming calls, and in the worst case, the ability to make calls disappear. The system can start to emit errors "Process com.android.phone has stopped." So complete deletion is not recommended for ordinary users.

The safer solution is to turn off functions you don't need, so you can leave the process running, but you can block it from accessing the Internet, or you can turn off the number definition, which will keep the system stable, but eliminate intrusive functions.

How to Turn Off Advertising and Pop-ups

The most common problem users face is advertising, which is often confused with MSA (MIUI System Ads), but it can trigger pop-ups when unlocked or in the call interface, and to get rid of this, you need to change your personalization settings.

Go to your phone's settings and find the Password and Security section, and you'll find the Personal Data Access or Special Features section, and you'll find the Yellowpage process (sometimes called the Number Defineer or the batch name com.android.yellowpages) on the list, and you'll turn off the switch, which will prevent the app from using data to target.

It's also important to turn off recommendations in the Security and Themes app itself. Often, ads come from there, and Yellowpage only acts as a trigger, and once personalized ads are turned off, the number of pop-ups should be significantly reduced.

• 🔒 Turn off personalization of ads in your Mi Account.
• 🚫 Disable Internet access for system services in traffic settings.
• 🧹 Clean the Security and Topics app cache regularly».

Instructions for the management of access rights

To fully control the reception, you need to configure its rights in detail, which will allow you to leave the number definition functionality, but limit the collection of unnecessary information. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications and find Yellowpage.

In the access rights menu, look at Location, Contacts and Phone. Contacts are essential for work, but geolocation is often redundant. Disabling geolocation will increase privacy. Also check Autostart, which is best turned off if you rarely use your phone for calls.

For advanced users, you can set up via a hidden menu, enter the code ##6484## to log into the engineering menu (on some models), or use ADB commands to limit background activity. However, standard settings are usually sufficient for most use cases.

⚠️ Note: Do not disable the rights to Phone and Contacts completely, otherwise the application will cease to function, and the system may begin to issue errors when incoming calls.

Alternatives and conclusion

If Xiaomi’s system number detector doesn’t suit you with its intrusiveness, you can always use third-party solutions. Apps like Truecaller, Yandex or GetContact offer more flexible settings and up-to-date databases for your region, but it’s worth remembering that they also require access to your phone book.

Using third-party apps requires you to disable the Yellowpage system to avoid conflicts. Two number detectors will not work correctly at the same time. Once you install the alternative, assign the new application to work with calls in the Android settings.

In the end, Yellowpage is a useful, but sometimes annoying, tool, and by configuring access rights and disabling unnecessary features, you can take advantage of it without compromising your device's privacy and autonomy, and by taking your time to delete system files, you can learn how to manage them.

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Yellowpage is a secure system process for determining a number that can be limited in settings, but it is undesirable to remove completely to avoid communication failures.

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