Modern Xiaomi smartphones provide users with wide multimedia communication capabilities, but automatic downloading MMS-This can come as a surprise to those who are monitoring mobile traffic, and users often notice that the Internet packet is being consumed faster than expected, and the reason for this is heavy graphics files coming in the background. Feeholders with limited gigabytes or those on roaming are particularly sensitive to any background processes consuming data.
The Android system that runs the MIUI shell is set to automatically download multimedia content for convenience, which means that once the device receives a notification of an incoming MMS, it immediately tries to download the attachment via the mobile network, which is convenient when unlimited Wi-Fi is available, but becomes a problem when using mobile data. Disabling this feature is not a complicated process, but requires understanding where the settings are hidden.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all available methods for deactivating automatic MMS downloads on Redmi and Poco devices. We will look at settings in both the standard messaging app from Google and Xiaomi’s branded solutions. In addition, we will touch on the topic of manually editing APN access points, which is the most reliable, albeit more complex, way to control traffic.
Why MMS is wasting traffic and how it works
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) technology is fundamentally different from traditional SMS in that it uses mobile data channels (GPRS/EDGE/3G/4G/5G) rather than a cellular signal channel. When you send or receive a picture, audio or video through a standard messaging application, your phone actually downloads this file from a dedicated operator server (MMS Center), which is the download process that consumes megabytes of your Internet packet.
Compounding the problem, many carriers and smartphone manufacturers are defaulting to Autoboot, which means that the phone doesn't ask the user's permission before spending traffic to receive a message. When Wi-Fi is off, the device switches instantly to the mobile network, and if there are many such messages or they contain high-resolution files, the traffic consumption can be quite substantial.
It's also worth noting that in today's environment, MMS is often used by operators to send logo or service notifications. Even if you don't send media, your phone can automatically download incoming spam. Background synchronization is a cruel joke, quietly reducing the rest of your data packet. Understanding the mechanism of this service helps to consciously approach the setting of security and savings.
Setting up the Google Messages app
On most modern Xiaomi smartphones, especially those that come with global firmware or are intended for the European market, the standard text messaging application is Google Messages. This application has its own set of settings, which is prioritized over system parameters. To change the behavior of the program, you need to open it and go to the settings menu.
Usually, the configuration is accessed through the profile icon in the upper right corner of the screen. After clicking on the avatar or user icon, a drop-down menu opens, where you should select Message Settings. This is where the main parameters of the multimedia service are concentrated. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the application, but the logic remains the same.
☑️ Checking the settings of Google Messages
Inside the settings section, you need to find the item that handles multimedia messages, which can be simply called "MMS" or hidden in the subsection "Additional." Here we are interested in the option "Outload MMS." By default, it can be activated for all networks or only for Wi-Fi. We need to change this parametry to prevent downloading over mobile networks.
- 📱 Open the Google Messages app on the home screen.
- ⚙️ Click on the profile icon or three dots in the top corner.
- 🔍 Select "Settings" then «MMS».
- 🚫 Find the "Shoot" switch. MMS» Select “Only through Wi-Fi” or “Never».
It's important to understand that once you turn off the autoload, you won't stop receiving notifications of new messages. Instead of a picture or video, you'll see a "Download" button or a text preview, which will allow you to manually control when you turn on the mobile Internet to download a particular file, which gives you complete control over traffic and eliminates unexpected costs.
Management of MMS in the MIUI Application Messages
Owners of Redmi and Poco smartphones with Chinese or Russian firmware often encounter MIUI Messages (or just “Messages” with a yellow icon), the logic of this application is different from the standard Android solution, and the settings are different here. The interface may seem more congested, but the traffic management functionality is also present.
To access the desired settings, you need to open the application and click on the gear icon or three horizontal bars in the upper right corner, then select Settings. In the list that opens, look for the Multimedia Messages (MMS) section. This is the block that hides the switch responsible for automatic data acquisition, and sometimes this item can be hidden in advanced settings.
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If you can’t find the settings in the menu, try searching inside the phone’s settings by typing in the query “MMS” or “Access Points.”
Unlike Google Messages, there may be no Wi-Fi Only and Mobile Data gradations. There is often a binary choice: on or off. If you turn off the feature completely, the phone will stop loading MMS even over Wi-Fi, which can be inconvenient, in which case it is recommended to use a more subtle setting through the access points, which will be discussed below.
⚠️ Note: In some versions of the shell MIUI autoloading MMS It can be reset after a system update or device restart, and it is recommended to periodically check this setting to avoid unexpected traffic consumption.
Also worth paying attention to is the “Delivery Notices” and “Delivery Reports” function, which, while they don’t consume much traffic, activation creates additional background requests to the operator’s server. To maximize resource and battery savings, these features can also be deaktivirovat in the same app settings menu, which is especially true for devices with a small amount of RAM.
Manually configuring APN access points
The most reliable and hard-to-concrete way to prevent MMS downloads from mobile is through APN editing, which works at the operating system level and is independent of the specific application you use to communicate, and changes are made to your carrier’s system profile, making it universal for any software.
First you need to get into the settings menu. SIM-The path usually looks like this: Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Choice SIM-mobile-internet maps → Name of the access point (APN). In the list you will see your operator profiles (for example, MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2). You need to select an active profile (marked by a dot) for editing.
Path to settings:
Settings → SIM- Maps and Mobile Networks → (Selection SIM) → Access Points (APN) → (Selection of an Active Point)Within the APN profile, we're interested in the APN Type field, which is the default, default, default, default, or default,supl. The key word here is mms. That's what allows the system to use that channel for multimedia messages, and our job is to remove that word from the line.
- 📝 Click on the "Type" field APN» editable.
- ✂️ Remove the text “,mms” or simply “mms” from the line.
- ✅ Leave the value of "default,supl" (or "default,supl,dun" for Wi-Fi distribution).
- 💾 Be sure to click Save (usually via a three-dot menu).
After saving the changes, it is strongly recommended to turn on and off Flight Mode or restart the smartphone, this is necessary to ensure that the network modules are re-registered on the network with the updated settings. After this procedure, the phone will not physically be able to download MMS via the mobile network, since the access point profile will not have the corresponding protocol.
What if the APN Type field is not edited?
Comparison of MMS disabling methods
The choice of disablement method depends on your needs and level of technical training. Each of the methods examined has its advantages and disadvantages. In-app settings are convenient for a temporary solution or for those who want to be able to quickly turn on and off the download. APN editing is a radical solution for constant traffic savings.
Below is a table that will help you determine the best setting for your Xiaomi smartphone use case. It compares the main characteristics of the methods by key parameters.
| Parameter | Application settings | Editing by APN | Disconnecting mobile data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Low. | Medium | Low. |
| Efficiency | Depends on the app. | 100% (System) | 100% (complete ban) |
| Impact on other functions | Only MMS. | Only MMS. | Shutting down the entire Internet. |
| Stability | Maybe she'll drop. | Constantly. | Temporarily |
It is worth noting that completely disabling mobile data (through the notification curtain) also solves the MMS problem, but it deprives you of the ability to use the navigator, messengers and browser outside the Wi-Fi zone. Therefore, this method is only suitable as a temporary measure when you are roaming and want to make sure that no bytes will be wasted.
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APN editing is the most reliable way, as it blocks the MMS protocol at the operator’s network settings level, ignoring the settings of individual applications.
Features of work in roaming
Being in another country is a scenario where MMS control becomes critical: mobile internet and multimedia roaming charges can vary by dozens of times from home rates, and even one automatic welcome MMS from an operator or a picture from a friend can cost several hundred rubles.
Many users forget that even with data shutdowns, some system services can initiate a short-term connection for service needs, although modern versions of MIUI and Android have learned to block this rigidly. However, relying on this is risky.Be sure to check the APN settings before traveling and make sure that the mms parameter is removed from the access point type.
⚠️ Attention: International roaming MMS Often sent not through a local operator, but through a home, which can lead to double write-offs: for incoming roaming traffic and for the service. MMS at home region rates.
Also in roaming, it is recommended to completely disable the function «MMS-Notifications" in the settings of the message app itself, which will prevent the phone from even trying to contact the server behind the message header, and it is better to manually check email or messengers through the Wi-Fi at the hotel than risk the balance of the account. Some operators offer special "Safe Roaming" options that block all types of traffic except voice and other services. SMS.