Exchange with the environment on Xiaomi: how to completely disable the function and why do it

The Surrounding Sharing feature (or Nearby Share in global firmware) on Xiaomi devices allows you to quickly transfer files between nearby gadgets — whether they are smartphones, tablets or even laptops with technology. At first glance, it is convenient: it is enough to turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to instantly share a photo, document or link. However, the feature has a downside: it constantly scans the air, consumes battery power and, more importantly, can transfer data about your device to third parties without explicit consent.

If you notice that Redmi, POCO or Mi are running out faster and unknown devices are in communication settings, the culprit may be “Ambient Sharing.” In this article, we will discuss how to completely disable the feature on different versions of MIUI, including hidden settings, and also describe the risks it carries to privacy.

What is “Sharing with the Environment” and why it should be turned off

The technology “Sharing with environment”** (in global versions — Nearby Share, in Chinese — ) was presented by Xiaomi as an alternative to AirDrop from Apple. It uses a combination of Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi Direct and Ultrasonic communication to transfer files at speeds up to 10 MB / s. On paper, everything looks perfect, but in practice users face a number of problems:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption: The feature runs in the background even if you’re not using it, constantly scanning nearby devices.
• 📡 Data Leakage: In Some Versions MIUI «Interchange with the environment" transmits MAC-Address, device model, and even username without requesting confirmation.
• 🚫 Spam and unwanted requests: in crowded places (metro, cafe) your smartphone may receive requests for file transfer from strangers.
• 🔄 Conflicts with other features, such as Mi Band or Yeelight smart bulbs, which also use Bluetooth LE.

This feature is particularly critical for Xiaomi users in Russia and China, where firmware often contains additional “chips” to share data with other devices in the ecosystem (for example, Mi Home), while in the European version of MIUI (MIUI EU), some of these functions are disabled by default due to GDPR requirements.

How to disable “Ambient Sharing” in standard MIUI settings

The easiest way to deactivate the function is through the settings menu. The instructions are suitable for most devices on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and later). If you have Chinese firmware, some items may be called differently — see the table below.

1. Open the settings (cog icon).
2. Go to Connection and Sharing (or Connection & Sharing in the global version).
3. Select the Nearby Share (Nearby Share) option.
4. Move the slider to the off position (or press Turn off).
5. Confirm the action if a pop-up window appears.

If after turning off the function again turns on itself - this is a sign of a system failure or the action of third-party software.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Network Reset (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and restart the device.

💡

After resetting the network, check to see if other data sharing features, such as Mi Share or Quick Share (on HyperOS devices) are automatically enabled.

Hidden settings: how to turn off background scanning

Even after disabling the “Ambience Sharing” in the settings menu, Xiaomi can continue to scan nearby devices in the background, which is due to the work of the system services com.xiaomi.midrop and com.android.bluetooth.

Method 1: Through "Special Permits" (without root)

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show System Processes.
3. Find apps: Nearby Share Mi Drop (if any) Bluetooth Share

• Stop AutoRun.
• Turn off background activity.
• Remove the Location and Warehouse Permit.
• Go back and click Turn off Quick Share.

⚠️ Attention: offline MIUI Optimization can lead to unstable operation of the interface (hangs, lags). Use this method only if other methods have not helped.

Alternatives to “Exchange with the environment”: what to use instead

If you have disabled the built-in feature but still need to transfer files quickly, consider alternative ways. It is important to choose a method that does not load the battery and does not collect unnecessary data:

• 📲 Local area network (FTP/HTTP): Apps like this FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer lets you create a local server and transfer files over Wi-Fi without intermediaries.
• ☁️ Cloud services with P2P: Send Anywhere or Snapdrop use direct exchange without downloading to the server (but require internet access).
• 🔗 QR-codes: Generators, like, QR & Barcode Scanner allows you to transfer links to files (for example, downloaded to Google Drive with limited access).
• 📡 Wi-Fi Direct manually: Enables through Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct and does not require constant scanning.
• Test with another device: Ask a friend to enable Surrounding Sharing on his Xiaomi. Make sure your smartphone doesn't appear on the list of available devices. If you find that the feature is still active, has been disabled through settings, this could mean: 🔄 Automatic update MIUI returned default settings (check the update history in Settings) → The phone). 📦 Action of third-party software (e.g. Clean Master or Security Antivirus) that independently includes system services. 🛠️ Firmware failure (solved by resetting to factory settings). ⚠️ Note: on some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro with a MIUI 13) The “Ambient Sharing” function can be disguised as Xiaomi Share or Mi Drop. Check all such applications in the settings! FAQ: Frequent questions about “Exchange with environment” Can I turn off the function only for individual applications? No, "Ambience Sharing" works at the system level and does not support selective shutdown. However, you can prevent specific applications (such as a gallery or browser) from using this feature through Settings → Applications → Permissions. Why did the feature turn on again after the MIUI update? This is standard Xiaomi behavior: after major updates (such as MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), some settings are reset. To avoid this, make a backup of settings through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. Does disabling the function on the MiLE Band gadgets affect the way that users are not using Bluetooth synchronization after the other systems, however, the MiLE Band is used for the same as the Bluetooth environments are used for the same. And in this case, reconnecting the gadget will help. Can you completely remove the Sharing with the Environment app? Without root rights, no, because it's system software. But you can turn it off through Settings. → Annexes → Show system-based → Interchange with environment → Disable. It's equivalent to deleting for most users. How do you disable the feature on Xiaomi Pad or Mi Laptop? On Xiaomi tablets and laptops, the logic is the same: On Xiaomi Pad 6: Settings → Connections → Sharing with the environment. On Mi Notebook: Parameters → Devices → Sharing Nearby (in Windows Version) MIUI+). On laptops, also check out Xiaomi Cloud Services in tray – it can automatically enable sharing.