Modern Xiaomi smartphones run the powerful MIUI shell, which is famous for its aggressive resource optimization algorithms. Users often encounter a situation where important notifications from instant messengers arrive with a delay, and background processes are forced to end by the system. The culprit is the activated energy saving mode or standard battery optimization, which limits the operation of applications to extend battery life.
Completely disabling these restrictions allows you to unlock the potential of the device, but requires a careful approach to the settings. In this article, we will analyze in detail how to deactivate all types of battery saving so that your smartphone works at full capacity without sudden “putting to sleep” the necessary apps.
The concept of power modes in the MIUI shell
In the Android operating system, especially in custom firmware like MIUI, energy management is implemented at several levels. The base level is the standard Android settings that are present on any device. However, Xiaomi is adding its own control layer known as Ultra Battery Saver or Ultra Saving. This mode radically changes the interface and blocks almost all functions, leaving only calls and basic applications.
In addition to the extreme mode, there is background optimization that works unnoticed by the user. The system analyzes the frequency of application use and automatically limits their activity if it believes that they are using up too many resources. For normal use cases, this is useful, but for those who need instant notifications or the navigation in the background, such restrictions become a problem.
It is important to understand the difference between temporarily enabling savings and permanently tuning the system's behavior. Temporary mode is activated manually when the battery is low, while background restrictions are specified in the configuration of each installed application. To achieve maximum performance, you must adjust both aspects of operation Battery & performance.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling all power saving restrictions completely will drain your battery faster. Make sure you have the opportunity to regularly recharge the device throughout the day.
Disabling the standard power saving mode
The most obvious way to save battery is to activate a special mode through the notification shade or settings. If you notice that the screen brightness is reduced and animations become slower, this mode is most likely already active. To return the device to normal operating speed, you need to perform a few simple steps in the settings menu.
Go to the section Settings and find the item Battery. At the top of the screen you will see the current battery status. If the economy mode is active, there will be a corresponding button or switch. Clicking on it will switch the smartphone to standard operating mode, removing restrictions from the processor and network modules.
In some versions of MIUI, the “Ultra Saving” mode is also available, which turns the smartphone into a kind of push-button phone. Exiting this mode is usually done through a special button in the corner of the screen or by rebooting the device if the interface is locked. This mode should not be confused with regular optimization, as it affects the availability of applications.
If the button to exit the economy mode is inactive, try connecting a charger - the system can block the mode from turning off when the charge is critically low (less than 5%).
After disabling the main mode, the system will stop artificially lowering the processor clock frequency. This is especially noticeable in games and heavy applications, where previously there were frame drops due to throttling caused by software restrictions, and not overheating.
Setting background activity restrictions for applications
Even after disabling the general saving mode, individual applications may continue to work incorrectly due to individual battery settings. MIUI allows you to flexibly customize the behavior of each installed software. This is critical for instant messengers, email clients and smart home applications.
To change the settings of a specific application, open Settings, then go to the Applications section and select All applications. Find the desired app in the list, for example, Telegram or WhatsApp. Inside the application menu, find the item Activity control or Battery saver.
Here you will be offered several options for system behavior:
- 🔋 No restrictions — the application can run in the background without any restrictions, receiving notifications instantly.
- ⚖️ Saving charge —standard mode that limits background activity after closing the application.
- 🚫 Hard limit —background activity is completely prohibited, the application “falls asleep” immediately after minimizing.
Selecting an item No restrictions ensures that the system will not “kill” the application process. This solution is especially relevant for users who wait for important calls via the Internet or use a navigator when the screen is off.
☑️ Checking application settings
It is worth noting that resetting the phone settings or updating the firmware can return these settings to default values. Therefore, after major system updates, it makes sense to check critical applications again to make sure that they have not been affected automatic optimization.
Managing autorun and access rights
Another mechanism that affects the operation of applications in the background is autorun control. Unlike pure Android, in MIUI applications cannot start on their own after a reboot or unloading from memory without the user’s explicit permission. This is done for security purposes and to save resources, but often interferes with correct operation. services.
To enable autorun, you need to go to the application Security, which is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones. In the bottom menu or in the list of tools, find the item Permissions, and then select Autostart. A list of all apps that can run in the background will be displayed here.
Activate the switches next to those applications that should be running constantly. This will allow them to resume their work immediately after turning on the screen or rebooting the phone. Without this permission, even the “No restrictions” setting in the battery section may not work correctly after restarting the device.
| Permission type | Impact on the system | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Autostart | Launch the application after reboot | Enable for instant messengers |
| Background launch | Work in minimized state | Enable for navigation |
| Display on top of windows | Pop-up notifications | Enable for dialers |
⚠️ Attention: Do not enable autorun for all applications in a row. This can lead to a significant increase in RAM consumption and rapid battery drain in standby mode.
Why are the settings reset?
The MIUI system periodically performs deep memory optimization If the application has not been used for a long time, the system may force a reset. its rights to autostart, considering it inactive. Regular use of the app prevents this reset.
Disable MIUI optimization through hidden menus
For advanced users who want complete control over the system, it is possible to disable MIUI global optimization This step makes the system behave more like standard Android, removing many aggressive algorithms for closing background processes.
To access this setting, you must first activate developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the item MIUI version seven times in a row. After the message “You have become a developer” appears, return to the main settings menu.
Go to section Advanced settings and select For developersScroll to the bottom of the list until you find the item Enable MIUI optimization. Disabling this switch will require entering the password for your Mi account and rebooting the device.
Path to settings:
Settings → Advanced settings → For developers → Enable MIUI optimization (Off)
After completing this procedure, the system will no longer forcefully terminate processes that it considers “heavy”. However, it is worth remembering that MIUI optimization is also responsible for the smoothness of the interface and some gesture functions, so disabling it may slightly affect the visual part of the smartphone.
Disabling MIUI optimization is a drastic measure. Use it only if the standard battery settings did not help solve the problem with notifications or background work.
The impact of system updates on battery settings
Xiaomi regularly releases firmware updates that can change the logic of energy saving algorithms. Sometimes after updating, users notice that previously configured application exceptions no longer work, or the battery begins to drain faster.
This is due to the fact that new versions of Android and MIUI bring updated power consumption profiles. The system can re-analyze your usage habits and suggest turning on battery saving where it was previously disabled. The paths to the settings menu or the names of items may also change.
If you notice strange behavior of the device after the update, do not rush to reset it to factory settings. First, check that the settings in the battery section are up to date and double-check your autorun permissions. Often the problem is solved by re-configuring the same items that were lost due to updating the system configuration files.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and names of menu items may differ depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14) and regional firmware (Global, China, EEA). If you do not find the specified item, use the search in the settings.
Use the search in the settings menu (magnifying glass icon at the top of the settings screen) by entering the queries “battery”, “autostart” or “saving” to quickly find the desired item in the new firmware version.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why does the phone quickly discharge after disabling power saving?
Disabling restrictions allows the processor to operate at maximum frequencies, and applications to constantly update data in the background. This naturally increases energy consumption. If the drain occurs too quickly, check for frozen applications that are wasting resources even when you are not using them.
Is it possible to disable power saving for just one game?
Yes, there is an application in the MIUI shell Game Turbo (Acceleration of games). Once you add a game to this list, you can set a separate performance profile for it, which will ignore the general power saving settings during gameplay, ensuring maximum FPS.
Are the settings reset when you reboot the phone?
Unlimited mode and autoplay settings are saved after reboot. However, if the system detects a critical error in the operation of the application or a heavy load on the battery, it can temporarily limit its operation until the next manual intervention by the user.
Does disabling power saving affect battery life?
In itself, software disabling restrictions does not harm the physical condition of the battery. However, deeper discharge cycles (frequent discharge to 0% and charge to 100% due to high consumption) can accelerate the natural wear of the chemical element over time.
What to do if the “For Developers” item has disappeared?
Sometimes after updates, access to the developer menu is hidden. Try tapping 7 times on “MIUI Version” again in the “About Phone” section. If this does not help, check if the “Second Space” or “Guest Mode” mode is activated, where the developer settings may not be available.