How to completely disable Anti-AON on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The Anti-AON (Always On Network) feature in Xiaomi smartphones was introduced to combat excessive background energy consumption by apps, which the manufacturer wants to extend battery life by blocking permanent network connections in the background. However, in practice, many users face the opposite effect: apps stop syncing, notifications come with a delay, and messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp work unstable.

Disabling Anti-AON can greatly improve the user experience, especially if you are actively using push notifications or background services. But it is important to understand that this process requires a balanced approach. On new versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS, disabling methods are different from older firmware, and some methods may require unlocking the bootloader or root rights. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from simple settings to advanced manipulation of system files.

What is Anti-AON and why it should be turned off

Anti-AON technology (sometimes referred to as Always On Network Control) was introduced by Xiaomi as part of its power optimisation policy, with the main objective of limiting the background activity of applications that keep the network connection open at all times.

• 📱 Messengers (Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp)
• 🔄 Synchronizers (Google Account, Mi Cloud)
• 🎵 Music services (Spotify, Yandex Music)
• 📊 Fitness and health apps

On paper, this sounds reasonable, but in practice, Anti-AON is often too aggressive.

• ⏳ Delayed notifications (until) 10-15 minute)
• 🔄 Unsynchronized contacts and calendars
• 🚫 Interrupted file downloads in the background
• 🔋 Paradoxical increase in battery consumption due to constant reconnection

The problem is particularly acute in Xiaomi’s budget and mid-budget models (e.g. Redmi Note 12, POCO X5), where hardware resources are already limited, while on flagships (Xiaomi 14, Mix Fold 3), the effect of disabling Anti-AON may be less noticeable due to the more powerful processor and optimized software.

Official method: via MIUI/HyperOS settings

The safest method is to use the system’s built-in tools. Unfortunately, in the latest versions of MIUI 14+ and HyperOS, there are no direct settings for completely disabling Anti-AON, but you can mitigate its impact through battery settings.

Instructions for MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select the option to Manage battery consumption applications.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Special Access.
4. Activate the option Without restrictions for critical applications (messenger, synchronizers).
5. Return to Consumption Management and set the No Limits mode for each application.

For older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5), a more direct path was available:

Settings → Special features → Always On Network → Disable

Battery charge > 50%|Data backup created|Important notifications (banks, work) are disabled)|Verified version. MIUI/HyperOS-->

This method does not completely disable Anti-AON, but only reduces its aggressiveness, and more radical measures will be needed to completely disable it.

Method for Advanced: Disconnecting through ADB

If standard settings don’t work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require root, but requires connecting your smartphone to your computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.
2. Enable USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell settings put global aon_enabled 0
4. Reset the device.

To check your current status, use:

adb shell settings get global aon_enabled

If the team returns 0, the Anti-AON is disabled.

Attention! Some Xiaomi firmwares reset their ADB settings after the system update, and you'll have to repeat the procedure after each major update.

Radical method: editing system files (root)

For users with unlocked bootloaders and root rights, the most reliable method is system file editing, which is guaranteed to disable Anti-AON, but requires caution.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/etc/permissions/android.hardware.alwaysOnNetwork.xml
3. Rename the file to android.hardware.alwaysOnNetwork.xml.bak.
4. Reset the device.

An alternative option is to disable via build.prop:

1. Open /system/build.prop file in the text editor.
2. Add a line: persist.sys.aon_enabled=0
3. Save the changes and reboot.

💡

Before editing system files, be sure to back up your system files via TWRP or OrangeFox Recovery, which will allow you to restore your device in case of an error.

On models with HyperOS, the path to files may be different. For example, on Xiaomi 14, the file android.hardware.alwaysOnNetwork.xml is located in /vendor/etc/permissions/.

Disconnection via TWRP (for custom firmware)

If your smartphone is running on custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS, Pixel Experience), you can turn off Anti-AON via TWRP Recovery.

Algorithm of action:

1. Download the mod to disable Anti-AON (for example, Disable_AON_Magisk.zip).
2. Reboot to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up).
3. Install the downloaded file via Install → Select ZIP.
4. Clean the cache (Wipe → Cache) and restart.

The advantage of this method is to save changes after firmware updates (if the mod is integrated into Magisk), but on MIUI stock firmware, this method can cause problems with Mi Account and Xiaomi services.

Alternative Optimization Methods Without Disabling Anti-AON

If you can’t disable Anti-AON or don’t want to risk the stability of the system, you can try alternative solutions:

One of the most effective alternatives is to disable MIUI optimization via command:

adb shell settings put global miui_optimization_disabled 1

This does not disable Anti-AON directly, but reduces the aggressiveness of the background constraints.

Possible consequences of disabling Anti-AON

Before disabling Anti-AON, it is important to assess the potential risks:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption by 5-15% (depending on the model and load).
• 📈 Increased heating with active use of network applications.
• ⚠️ Some Xiaomi system services (e.g. Mi Cloud or Mi Fit) are unstable).
• 🔄 Automatic Enablement After Updating the Firmware (on Stock Versions).

In practice, most users note that the negative effects are offset by stable notifications and background tasks. However, on weak devices (for example, Redmi 9A or POCO M3), disabling Anti-AON can lead to a noticeable reduction in battery life.

Attention! On HyperOS devices, completely disabling Anti-AON can cause Mi Share and other proprietary Xiaomi features to fail.If you are actively using the brand ecosystem, it is recommended to test the changes in stages.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Anti-AON on Xiaomi