Why Xiaomi doesn’t block numbers: all the reasons and solutions

You’ve added a number to the blacklist on Xiaomi, but calls and SMS continue to flow? The problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones with MIUI — despite the promises of the system to block unwanted contacts, spam and scammers continue to pester. In this article, we will analyze 7 key reasons why the lock function may not work, and give step-by-step correction instructions for different versions of the firmware.

The peculiarity of Xiaomi is that the number lock depends not only on the phone settings, but also on the application used for calls (standard). MIUI Dialer, Google Phone or third-party), firmware versions, and from type SIM-For example, on some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) locking through the system menu works only for SMS, And calls are missed. Other times, updates are to blame. MIUI 14+, Who have reset the default privacy settings.

Before you jump to solutions, check the basics: the number is really added to the blacklist (sometimes users confuse it with "ignored"), and the phone did not reboot after changes (some settings apply only after the reboot).

1. Incorrect settings of the "Phone" application

By default, Xiaomi uses the proprietary MIUI Dialer app (or Contacts in Russian firmware), where the number lock is configured separately from the system settings. A common mistake is to add a contact to the blacklist through the contact menu, but without activating the lock function itself in the application settings.

To check:

• 📱 Open the phone application (pipe icon).
• 🔧 Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Number locking.
• 🔍 Make sure the Block Unknown Numbers switch is active (if necessary).
• 📋 Check the list of blocked numbers – there may be no contact there.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 for Xiaomi 11T), the lock menu is hidden deeper: Settings → Additional → Spam and Lock. If you have a global firmware version (e.g. MIUI Global), the path may differ from the Chinese or European one.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14+ After the update, the lock settings for numbers added through Google Contacts are reset.

2. Conflict between the system blacklist and Google Contacts

If you sync contacts with a Google account, the number lock may not work properly due to a conflict between Xiaomi’s local blacklist and Google Phone’s cloud list. For example, the number is locked in MIUI Dialer but unlocked in Google Contacts – as a result, calls pass.

How to check:

1. Open Google Contacts in your browser.
2. In the menu on the left, select Blocked.
3. Compare the list with what appears in the phone settings.

Decisions:

• 🔄 Turn off contact synchronization in Settings → Accounts. → Google → Synchronization of contacts (temporary solution).
• 📲 Remove the number from the lock in Google Contacts and add it again through MIUI Dialer.
• 🛠️ Install Google Phone as the default call app (see Section 4).

3. Limitations of the telecom operator

Some mobile operators (such as MegaFon, Beeline in Russia or Jio in India) block network-level blacklisting features if you have:

• 📶 The service "Antispam" from the operator is connected (it can conflict with the lock on the phone).
• 💳 Corporate is used SIM-card.
• 🌍 Roaming – in some countries, operators ignore the local settings of the phone.

To check the effect of the operator:

1. Call from another phone to a locked number – if the call passes, the problem is in Xiaomi settings.
2. Put another one in. SIM-map (e.g. from Tele2 Or Yota and check the lock again.
3. Disable the operator’s anti-spam services (e.g. send an SMS with text 0 to 5049 for MegaFon).

4. Use of third-party calls (Truecaller, GetContact)

Apps like Truecaller, GetContact, or CallApp intercept call processing and can ignore Xiaomi’s system blacklist, and if you have one of those calls installed, locking will only work through its settings.

How to set up:

• 🛑 Open the app (e.g. Truecaller) → Settings → Lockdown.
• 🔄 Add a number to the blacklist inside the app.
• 📵 Turn off the option "Show blocked calls in the log" (if any).

If you want to return a standard call:

Open Settings → Applications → Default Management → Calling App

Choose the phone (MIUI Dialer)

Delete or disable a third-party call (such as Truecaller)

Reboot the phone.

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⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 When you change the call, you reset all the lock settings by default. MIUI Dialer will have to add numbers to the blacklist again.

5. Failures after MIUI update

MIUI firmware updates (especially large ones, such as MIUI 12 to MIUI 13/14) often reset privacy settings, due to changes in the structure of the contact database and blacklist.

• 🔄 Numbers disappeared from the blocked list.
• 📞 Calls from spammers are coming through, but SMS Blocked (or vice versa).
• 🔧 In the lock settings, a notification appears "Sync error".

How to fix it:

1. Back up your contacts through Settings → System and Device → Backup.
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Phone → Storage → Clear the data.
3. Reboot your phone and add the numbers to the blacklist again.

For MIUI 14+, there is an alternative way through ADB (requires PC):

adb shell content insert --uri content://call_log/calls --bind number:s:"+79XXXXXXXXX" --bind type:i:5

This command forcibly adds a number to the log as locked. Replace +79XXXXXXXXXX with the desired number.

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If all contacts are missing after the update, check your Google account settings: sometimes MIUI resets contact permissions. Go to Settings → Accounts → Google → Contact Sync and turn it on again.

Features of two SIM-cards (Dual SIM)

On Xiaomi smartphones with support for two SIM-Cards (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+ 5G or POCO F4) The blacklist can only work for one of the SIM. It's related to the fact that MIUI It links the lock to a specific slot.

How to check:

• 📱 Call the blocked number from different SIM-map.
• 🔍 In the lock settings (Phone) → Settings → Block numbers) choose manually which one SIM rule.

If you POCO X3 NFC or another hybrid slot model (SIM + microSD, the lock may not work for the second SIM, Because it's technically considered secondary, the solution is to use applications like Truecaller that lock numbers at the system level, not the system level. SIM-map.

7 Hardware limitations and firmware errors

In rare cases, the problem lies in hardware limitations or bugs of a particular firmware version.

• 📱 On Xiaomi Mi. A3 (Android One: The lock is done via Google Phone, not Google MIUI.
• 🔧 V MIUI 12.5 Enhanced for Redmi K40 There was a bug that caused the blacklist to be reset after the reboot.
• 🛠️ On some devices with MediaTek (e.g. Redmi) 9A) The lock does not work for VoLTE calls.

Solutions for such cases:

• 🔄 Update your firmware to the latest version (check in Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 📲 Install an alternative call (e.g. Simple Dialer from F-Droid).
• 🛠️ Make a reset of network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.

⚠️ Note: On devices with bootloader unlocked and custom firmware (like LineageOS), the system number lock may not work at all. In this case, use applications like Call Blocker or Should I Answer?.

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If no solution works, check if there is a parental control app on your phone (such as Google Family Link or Kids Place) that can block you from changing your blacklist settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about locking numbers on Xiaomi