How to permanently disable unfamiliar numbers on Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Why Calls From Strangers Are a Problem №1 for Xiaomi owners

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi lines) have become a target for spammers and scammers: according to Kaspersky 2023, owners of devices on MIUI receive 37% more unwanted calls than users of other Android smartphones, the reason lies in the popularity of the brand in Asia, where the lion’s share of spam traffic comes from, and the features of the firmware, which by default poorly filters incoming calls.

The situation is aggravated by aggressive advertising of microloans, “bank help” and even phishing centers masquerading as support services. MIUI 12/13/14 Often fail: spammer numbers are constantly changing, and the built-in blacklist is limited 500 This article will help you set up a multi-level security that will cut off the 98% Unsolicited calls without affecting important notifications.

Method 1: Built-in blacklist in MIUI - basic protection

The easiest method is to use the standard locking tool hidden in the phone settings. It works on all Xiaomi models, starting with the Redmi Note 5 (2018) and later, but has a limitation: it only blocks the numbers that have already been reached.

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings.
3. Select Number Block (or Blacklist in older versions).
4. Click Add a number and enter the problem contact manually or select from the log.

⚠️ Important nuance: in MIUI 14 The blacklist syncs with your Mi Account account, and if you drop your phone or log in on another device, the locked numbers will automatically be transferred, but this also means that when you delete the account, the list will be cleared.

The number does not belong to the bank or delivery service.|Contact is not saved in the phone book (otherwise the lock will not work)|Synchronization with Mi Account is enabled (if you need to save the list)|Verified that the number is not on the white list (see Method 3)-->

Method 2: Spam filtering through Google Phone (for MIUI Global)

If your Xiaomi runs on global firmware (not Chinese), you can replace the standard Phone app with Google Phone. It has a built-in spam filter trained on Google's database that recognizes fraudulent numbers even before the first call. Install it from the Play Market and:

1. Open Settings → Applications → By default.
2. Select Google Phone as a call app.
3. In the settings of Google Phone activate: 🔍 Spam and Fraud Filtering 📞 Showing spam warnings 🔕 Automatically block spam

💡 Note: On Chinese firmware (MIUI China does not work, it does not support Google services, and owners of such devices are advised to switch to Method 4 (third-party applications).

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If your phone calls stop coming after you install Google Phone, check the app's permissions in Settings → Apps → Google Phone → Permissions. Lack of access to contacts or microphone can block incoming calls.

Method 3: White list – only checked numbers are missed

A radical but effective method is to allow calls only from contacts in the phone book, all other numbers will be automatically rejected, an approach that is suitable for those who rarely receive important calls from strangers (such as couriers or bank call centers).

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Autorun.
2. Find the Phone application and turn on auto-start for it (this is necessary for the correct operation of the filter).
3. Return to the phone settings → Lock numbers.
4. Activate the option to Block Unknown Numbers (or Only Contacts in Newer Versions).

We recommend that all important organizations be added to the contacts.

Every day.|Several times a week|Rarely, but accurately.|Almost never.-->

Method 4: Third-party applications – advanced protection

If the built-in MIUI tools fail, specialized applications will come to the rescue: they use cloud-based spam numbers, analyze caller behavior, and can even send an automatic SMS response to scammers.

Truecaller is the leader in spam databases

The app recognizes more than 90% of fraudulent calls thanks to crowdsourcing: users from all over the world mark spammers.

1. Register (required for the filter to work).
2. In the settings, activate Spam Blocking and Fraud Detection.
3. Allow access to call logs and SMS (otherwise the application will not be able to filter).

💡 Tip: Truecaller has Flash Call feature, which shows the name of the caller on the full screen, even if the number is not in contacts.

Hiya – an alternative without registration

Hiya (formerly Whitepages) does not require an account and is less battery loaded, and its feature is geolocation lock: you can prohibit calls from specific countries (for example, from Africa or Asia, where scammers often call).

1. Install it from Play Market.
2. Turn on Spam Protection in the settings.
3. Add regions to the blacklist through Settings → Location Block.

⚠️ Note: Some anti-spam applications (e.g. CallApp) conflict with MIUI 14, causing freezes when an incoming call. Before installing, check the reviews from the last month - developers often update compatibility.

Method 5: Blocking through a communications operator

Russian operators (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2) offer free spam filtering services, they block numbers at the network level, so the call will not even reach your phone.

• 📱 Through USSD-commands: MTS: dial *111*769# Beeline: send it to me. SMS with the text STOP SPAM to the number 5116. MegaFon: dial *105*789#. Television2: type *220*1#.
• 🌐 Through the personal account on the operator's website (section "Services" → "Protection against spam").

💡 Nuance: Operators only block numbers entered in the Roskomnadzor register. New spam numbers can slip, so this method is better combined with the built-in lock in the phone.

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Operator services do not conflict with phone settings, but can be used in parallel with the MIUI blacklist or third-party apps for maximum protection.

Method 6: Radical method – disabling all incoming calls (for emergencies)

If you're flooded with calls (e.g., after a data breach), you can temporarily turn off all incoming calls except your favorite contacts, a method that's suitable for emergencies, but not for permanent use.

1. Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose yours. SIM-map.
3. Tap on Inbound Calls (or Call Redirects in older versions).
4. Activate the option to Reject all incoming or Redirect to voicemail.

⚠️ Warning: In this mode, you will not receive any calls, including emergency calls (112, 102, etc.) to unlock important numbers:

1. Create a group of contacts of the favorites.
2. Install the Tasker (or MacroDroid) app.
3. Set up automatic lock removal for numbers from the Favorites group.

🔧 Technical detail: On some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro) after turning off all incoming calls, mobile Internet may disappear.In this case, restart the phone or turn on / off the flight mode.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with the right lock setup, Xiaomi users are facing problems.

1. Spammer numbers keep ringing after being blacklisted. Reason: MIUI has a bug where the lock is reset after a firmware update.Solution: Before upgrading, export the blacklist to the file (via Settings → System → Backup) and import it after the update.
2. Third-party anti-spam apps don't block calls. Reason: MIUI limits background processes. Solution: Give the application permission to Autostart and Run in the background (in battery settings).
3. Important calls disappeared after the whitelist was turned on, and the reason: Bank or delivery numbers were not added to the contacts. Solution: Save them in advance with the name of the organization (for example, Sberbank Official).

🛠 Advice for advanced: If you use Xiaomi.eu (unofficial firmware), it has a hidden Call Recording Blacklist feature that not only blocks but also records spammer calls for subsequent exposure. Activated via an engineering menu: dial ##4636## → Phone information → Battery settings → Turn on the blacklist entry.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions