Modern smartphones Xiaomi i Redmi, running on MIUI or HyperOSshells, are famous for their aggressive memory optimization system. This feature is designed to maximize the battery life of the device, but it often causes messengers to stop sending notifications and the music to stop when the screen is locked. Users are faced with a situation where the desired application is simply “unloaded” from RAM as soon as you minimize it or lock the smartphone.
To fix this, you need to manually configure the operating parameters of specific apps, prohibiting the system from “killing” their processes. In this article we will look in detail at how to enable background mode for any applications, from social networks to navigators. You will learn about hidden energy-saving settings and methods for pinning apps in memory, which guarantee their uninterrupted operation even when there is a lack of free resources.
Correctly configuring background activity is a balance between performance and autonomy. We will cover all stages: from basic settings in the application menu to advanced methods through the engineering menu and special permissions. Follow the instructions carefully so that your smartphone works exactly as you need, and not as the algorithmic battery saving decided.
Basic setup through the app menu
The easiest and most effective way to allow a app to run in the background is to change its individual power consumption settings. The system MIUI by default limits the background activity of most installed apps, considering them unimportant. You need to explicitly indicate to the system that this application is important.
First, find the icon of the desired application on the desktop. Click on it and hold your finger for a couple of seconds until a pop-up context menu appears. In this menu, select the item About the application (sometimes it is indicated by an icon i in a circle). You will be taken to the app card, where all technical information about it is stored.
In the menu that opens, find the section Battery Saver. By default, the value is usually “Limited” or “Battery Saver”. Click on this item and select the option No restrictions. This action will remove all software restrictions on the application running in a minimized state. Now the system will not forcefully stop the processes of this app.
If you do not see the “Battery Saver” item right away, scroll down the “About application” menu to the end - sometimes it is hidden under additional settings or is located in the “Battery” section inside the application card.
After changing the setting, it is recommended to completely close the application through the multitasking menu and open it again. This is necessary for the new settings to take effect. Now the app will have priority when allocating processor and RAM resources.
Locking applications in memory (Lock)
Even with energy saving restrictions removed, the system can unload an application from memory if the device urgently needs to free up space for a new task. To prevent this, there is a locking or "lock" feature. Applications with a lock installed are protected from automatic cleaning through the Close All button.
Open the multitasking menu by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and holding your finger in the center (or pressing the corresponding navigation button). You will see a list of all currently running apps. Find the desired window and tap on it while holding your finger, or swipe the window down a little (depending on the MIUI version).
In the action menu that appears, select the lock icon. A closed padlock symbol will appear next to the app name. This is a signal to the system that this process is critical. Now, even if you press the clear memory button, this application will remain hanging in the background.
- 🔒 The pinned application will not close when you press the "Clear all" button.
- ⚡ The system gives priority to such apps when there is a lack of RAM.
- 📱 The lock icon is only visible in the multitasking menu, it is not on the desktop.
- 🔄 To cancel the action, repeat the procedure and click on the lock again.
Do not pin too many apps at the same time. If you fix a dozen heavy applications in memory, this can lead to general system instability and rapid battery drain. Use this function selectively only for those services that need to work constantly, for example, for a navigator or music player.
☑️ Checking application pinning
Setting up autorun and special permissions
Sometimes simply removing restrictions is not enough, especially for messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, which should receive messages instantly. In the ecosystem Xiaomi there is a separate mechanism for controlling which apps can start on their own after the device is rebooted.
Go to the main Settings smartphone. Go to section Applications and select item Permissions. Find the category here Autostart. In the list that opens you will see all installed apps. Switch the toggle switch opposite the desired application to the active position. This will allow the app to start immediately after turning on the phone, without waiting for your manual launch.
Next return to menu Permissions and find the item Display on top of other applications. This feature is critical for toast notifications, chat heads, and widgets to work properly. Without this permission, the application can run in the background, but will not be able to show you a notification if you are in another app.
⚠️ Attention: Granting the "Display on top of other applications" permission gives the app a high level of access to the interface. Enable this option only for trusted instant messengers and system utilities to avoid intrusive advertising from dubious sources.
It is also worth checking your notification settings. In the same menu About the application make sure that the switch Show notifications is active. Go inside this item and check that all categories of notifications (sound, pop-up, on the lock screen) are allowed. Sometimes users accidentally disable them, thinking that the problem is in the background.
Why is autorun important?
Without permission to autorun, the application will not be able to restore its background services after rebooting the smartphone. You will have to manually open it every time you turn on the phone, otherwise notifications will not arrive.
Management via the Security application
In smartphones Xiaomi i Redmi the key resource management tool is the built-in application Security. It is this that controls the operation of all background processes and applies energy saving rules. Global settings are often located here, and not in the standard Android menu.
Open the application Security (lightning bolt or shield icon). Click on the battery icon at the top of the screen or select the section Battery. Here you can see the overall charge percentage and a list of applications that are consuming energy. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner to enter the battery settings.
In the battery settings menu, find the item Activity control or Limit background activity. Here you can set a global rule for all applications or select specific ones. Make sure that important apps are not set to Hard. Also in this section there is often a switch “Increase operating time in sleep mode”, which should be disabled for testing.
| Restriction level | Description of behavior | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| No restrictions | The application runs fully in the background | High consumption |
| Battery saving | Limits background data and synchronization | Average consumption |
| Hard limit | Complete stop of background processes | Minimum consumption |
In the application Security also available section Acceleration (or Cleaning). Click on the gear icon inside this section. Here you can configure "Exceptions". Add important applications to the exclusion list so that they are never cleared when the system is automatically accelerated.
Special settings for messengers and music
Messengers and streaming services have their own specific requirements for background work. Simply removing the battery limit is not enough for them, as they rely on persistent network connections. If voice messages on Telegram won't load in the background, and Spotify goes silent after 10 minutes, you need to dig deeper.
For music apps, permission to run in the background without data restrictions is critical. Go to Settings → Connection and sharing → Data usage. Find your music app and make sure the switch Background mode is active. Also allow the use of data in traffic saving mode.
In the settings of the messengers themselves (for example, WhatsApp) there is often internal traffic saving settings. Go to the application settings → Data and storage. Make sure that background media download restrictions are not enabled. External Android settings should work in conjunction with the internal settings of the app.
If you use navigators (Yandex.Maps, Google Maps), enable them to allow them to use geolocation in mode Always, and not just “When in use”. Without this, the navigator will stop plotting the route as soon as you turn off the smartphone screen.
⚠️ Attention: Constant operation of the navigator and streaming in the background with GPS and mobile data turned on can drain the battery by 30-40% in a couple of hours. Use the energy saving mode only for instant messengers, and for media, turn it on consciously.
For stable operation of instant messengers, the combination of three settings is critical: “No battery restrictions”, permission for “Autostart” and access to geolocation “Always” for maps.
Advanced methods and developer mode
If standard methods do not help and the system continues to aggressively unload applications, you can use developer tools. This section contains hidden settings that allow you to manage processes at a deeper level. Be careful when changing these settings.
To get to the developer menu, go to Settings → About phone. Find the item MIUI Version (or OS Version) and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row until the message “You have become a developer” appears. Now in the main settings menu, in the section Additional, a new item will appear For developers.
Inside this menu, find the section Applications. There may be an option Do not keep active. Make sure this switch off. If it is active, the system will kill any application immediately after you minimize it. Also check the background process limit: set the value Standard limit or Without restrictions.
adb shell pm grant com.example.app android.permission.REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONSFor the most advanced users, it is possible to disable battery optimization via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) by connecting the phone to the computer. The command above (where com.example.app needs to be replaced with the package name of your application) forces the app out of the control of the power saving system. This is the most radical method that guarantees that the application will work in the background.
⚠️ Attention: The interface of the “For Developers” menu may differ on different versions of MIUI and HyperOS. Some items may be hidden or renamed. Change settings only if you understand their purpose, as incorrect parameters can lead to unstable system operation.
Remember that shell interfaces are constantly updated. What is called "Activity Control" in one version may be called "Background Restriction" in another. If you cannot find an item, use the search in your phone settings by entering the keyword “battery” or “autostart”.
How to find the package name of the application?
Install the App Inspector application from the Play Market. Open it, find the desired app in the list, and you will see the line “Package Name” - this is the identifier that needs to be inserted into the ADB command.
Possible problems and their solutions
Even after making all the settings, users sometimes encounter that applications are still unloaded. This may be due to the features of a specific firmware version or a conflict with third-party optimizers. Let's look at the main failure scenarios.
A common cause is the installation of third-party memory cleaners or antiviruses. apps such as Clean Master or various boosters often have their own rules for “killing” processes that override system settings Xiaomi. If you have such utilities installed, add the necessary applications to their white list or remove them altogether.
Another problem is the “Complete Silence” or “Do Not Disturb” mode. In some configurations, this mode blocks not only sound, but also visual notifications from background applications. Check the Do Not Disturb settings in the notification shade and make sure that the “Block all notifications” checkbox is unchecked.
- 🛑 Check to see if you have a third-party launcher installed that may conflict with system memory management.
- 🌐 Make sure that the app is allowed to transfer data in the background, even on Wi-Fi is turned off.
- 🔄 Try clearing the application cache, but do not delete the data so as not to lose the settings.
- 📲 Reboot your smartphone after making all changes to the settings.
If nothing helps, the problem may be in the firmware itself. In beta versions of MIUI, there are often bugs with power management. In this case, you should wait for the official update or temporarily roll back to a stable version of the software. You can also try resetting the network settings, since sometimes problems with background synchronization are associated with incorrect operation of network modules.
The main enemy of background work is not the Xiaomi system, but third-party optimizer applications. Removing such “boosters” often solves the problem better than any complex settings.
Why are settings reset after a reboot?
Usually settings should not be reset. If this happens, you may have changed your settings in Guest mode or have a restricted profile. Also, some “smart” scripts in the Security application can restore the default settings when abnormal battery consumption is detected.
Does turning on the background mode affect the speed of the phone?
Yes, it can. If you leave too many heavy applications (games, video editors) unrestricted, they will consume RAM and CPU time even when minimized. This can lead to micro-slowdowns of the interface and faster heating of the case.
Is it possible to enable background mode for all applications at once?
Technically, this is possible through the developer settings (background process limit), but doing this is strictly not recommended. This will cause the battery to drain within 3-4 hours and the phone will become very hot. Set up only those applications that you really need.
Why does YouTube stop playing when the screen is off?
This is not a problem with the Xiaomi settings, but a limitation of the YouTube application itself. Without a Premium subscription, video stops when the screen is locked. Energy saving settings are powerless here, since this is a software limitation of the Google service.
How to check whether an application is really running in the background?
Go to Settings → Battery → Charge consumption. If an application that should run in the background is displayed in the list with energy consumption for the period when you did not actively use it, it means that it is successfully running in the background.