How to Close Background Apps on Xiaomi - MIUI / HyperOS Guide

Is your Xiaomi phone getting slow or your battery draining faster than usual?

You're not alone. Many users search for how to close background apps on Xiaomi because apps keep running even when you don't use them.

And honestly… MIUI sometimes treats apps like VIP guests — once they enter, they don't want to leave. Let's fix that properly.

Why You Need to Stop Apps Running in Background on Xiaomi

If you don't control background apps, your phone will:

• Drain battery quickly
• Slow down performance
• Use mobile data without permission
• Cause heating issues

That's why learning how to stop apps running in the background on Xiaomi is important.

Xiaomi Phones and Background App Activity

Xiaomi phones running MIUI or HyperOS, especially on newer devices, offer robust features for controlling how an Android device handles background tasks. However, even a well-optimized Xiaomi device can experience performance slowdowns, battery drain, and excessive background app activity when too many processes continue working behind the scenes. If you want to disable unnecessary activity, optimizing your phone can improve speed, battery life, and data usage without affecting the apps you actually need. This comprehensive guide uses a step-by-step approach to managing those processes and controlling what runs behind the scenes.

Managing Background Apps on Xiaomi

In my experience with Android phones, it is better to identify which apps are actually active before changing system settings, rather than simply closing everything at once. On a Xiaomi device, checking MIUI or HyperOS controls gives you a clearer picture of what is consuming resources. This approach can help disable unnecessary background app activity while maintaining performance, speed, and battery life. The goal is not to stop every app from running, but to control excessive activity so your phone can manage battery, data usage, and everyday tasks more efficiently.

Xiaomi Operating Systems and Background Activity

Xiaomi operating systems, including MIUI and HyperOS, have sophisticated battery management features designed to control how apps run in the background. There are several reasons an app may continue working, such as sending notifications, constantly checking for new messages and alerts, syncing data with email, social media, or cloud services, using location services for tracking your location, or handling updates by downloading new content. These background processes can continue even when you are not actively using an app, so managing them properly can help maintain a smooth user experience while keeping unnecessary activity under control.

How to Close Background Apps on Xiaomi (Step-by-Step)

1. Open Recent Apps Screen

Tap the Recent Apps button on your phone.

2. Swipe Apps Away

Swipe apps left or right to close them. This removes apps from active memory.

3. Tap "Close All"

The fastest way to clear all running apps.

Unlock Apps That Won't Close (Important Xiaomi Feature)

Sometimes apps don't close — here's why: they are "locked" in memory.

Fix:

• Open Recent Apps
• Tap and hold the app
• Tap the lock icon to unlock

Now you can close it normally.

App pinning / App locking

Some Xiaomi phones allow you to keep specific apps protected from being removed when you clear recent apps. If an app is locked here, it may remain available in the background while other applications are cleared.

How to Stop Apps Running in Background on Xiaomi

This is the most important step for long-term results.

• Go to Settings → Apps → Manage Apps
• Select the app
• Tap Battery Saver
• Choose Restrict background apps

This prevents apps from running secretly.

Using MIUI/HyperOS Battery Saver Features

Xiaomi phones running MIUI and HyperOS come with built-in battery management controls that let you restrict unnecessary background app activity. These settings are a useful primary method for controlling background apps, because you can manage individual apps instead of stopping everything at once. When I troubleshoot background activity on a Xiaomi phone, I usually start with these battery controls because they provide a straightforward way to balance battery use with normal app behavior.

The key is to use the available battery management options according to how often you actually need an app. Apps that do not need frequent background access can be restricted, while important apps can remain available when required. This gives you more direct control over their background behavior without immediately moving into advanced system settings.

Mobile Apps & Add-Ons

The same check is useful for mobile apps and their related add-ons. Some apps may have supporting components that continue working after you leave the main app, so reviewing their background behavior can reveal activity you do not actually need. Managing these mobile apps individually can help keep unnecessary processes under control while allowing the apps you use regularly to function normally.

Step 1: Access Battery Settings

Start by opening Settings on your Xiaomi phone and scroll down until you find Battery. Tap Battery to enter the battery settings, where you can access the controls used to manage how apps behave when they are not actively open.

Step 2: Navigate to App Battery Saver

Inside the battery settings, look for App Battery Saver. Depending on your MIUI or HyperOS version, it may appear as Battery usage by app or Manage app battery usage. These options take you to app battery usage, where you can review installed apps and access app management and battery management controls.

Step 3: Select an App to Optimize

After opening the app list, select the specific app you want to optimize. Reviewing installed apps individually makes it easier to identify an application that is consuming unnecessary resources. Tap the chosen app and look for the available app optimization controls to optimize app behavior.

Step 4: Choose a Background Restriction Option

This is where you can choose a background restriction or another restriction option based on how you use the app. The available controls determine its background activity and whether it can continue working with other background apps. Adjusting these settings gives you better app control while using battery management to apply suitable app restrictions.

Battery Saver (Recommended)

For most users, Battery Saver is the recommended starting point because it is the default option in many MIUI and HyperOS versions. It intelligently manages background activity instead of completely stopping an app, giving you a practical balance between battery saving and normal app activity. I generally use this option first when an app does not need constant background access.

Restrict background activity

If you want to restrict background activity, this setting can disable background apps more aggressively on a Xiaomi phone. The app may be closed after you stop using it and will no longer run freely in the background. Keep in mind that this background restriction can affect notifications, causing notification delays, and some apps may take longer to load when reopened. It is therefore better suited to apps where instant updates are not important and continuous app activity is unnecessary.

Restrict background apps

The restrict background apps option also limits background processes while allowing you to reduce unnecessary activity. Depending on the application, some notifications may still arrive, but the background restriction can change how the app behaves when it is not open. This can be useful when you want to stop unnecessary app activity without completely preventing the application from working.

No restrictions

With no restrictions, an app can run freely in the background, so this setting is better reserved for essential messaging apps, security apps, or applications that need real-time data. Examples include an email client or a primary messaging app, where delaying notifications can be inconvenient. Keeping selected messaging apps or security apps unrestricted allows their required background activity to continue normally.

Disable Auto-Start Apps on Xiaomi (High Impact Fix)

Many apps restart automatically without permission.

Managing Autostart for Apps

Autostart controls whether apps can launch automatically when your phone boots up or when certain conditions are met. If too many apps are allowed to start this way, they can create unnecessary background activity before you even open them. Disabling autostart for apps you rarely use is a practical way to reduce that activity from the get-go, while still allowing important apps to start when you actually need them.

Smart Phones

On modern Smart Phones, including smartphones running Xiaomi software, reviewing which apps can start automatically is worth doing when you notice unnecessary background activity. I usually check this setting after installing several new apps because some applications may add themselves to the startup process, quietly using resources before the phone is fully ready.

Step 1: Go to Permissions Settings

Open Settings, go to Apps or App management, and enter Permissions to find Autostart and other app permissions. From these app settings, you can review which applications are allowed to start automatically and adjust their startup behavior.

Step 2: Disable Autostart for Unnecessary Apps

To Disable Autostart, identify unnecessary apps and use the toggle switch to prevent them from launch automatically in the background when the phone starts up. I normally pay particular attention to social media apps, games, and utility apps, because they may keep constantly running and add unwanted background activity. Turning off unnecessary app startup can reduce the number of processes working immediately after boot.

Manually Clearing Apps from Recent/Multitasking Screen

Another simple approach is manually clearing apps from the recent apps or multitasking screen when you want to temporarily stop apps that are running in the background. Closing unused apps can help with freeing RAM for immediate use, although modern phones manage RAM automatically. This method also gives you a quick way to manage background apps through everyday app management and memory management.

Mobile Apps & Add-Ons

When managing Mobile Apps and their add-ons, the mobile apps screen gives you a quick way to review what is currently active and remove apps you no longer need.

Step 1: Access Recent Apps

To Access Recent Apps, swipe up from the bottom of screen and hold if you are using gesture navigation, or use the navigation buttons and tap the recent apps button. The screen will display your open applications, making it easy to switch between apps or close them using familiar gestures.

Step 2: Close Individual Apps or All Apps

You can close individual apps by finding them in the carousel or grid of recently used apps and swipe upwards on the app you want to remove. If you want to close all apps, tap clear all or the X button, depending on your Xiaomi interface. This clears selected applications from the recent-apps view and can reduce unnecessary use of memory, app memory, and background apps while you continue multitasking.

Step 3: Lock Apps in Memory (Optional, for exceptions)

If you need an app to remain available, you can lock apps in memory as an optional choice for specific exceptions. For example, a music player may need to stay open in the background. On supported Xiaomi devices, long-press the app card in the recent apps screen and tap the lock icon so it is not cleared when you use Clear all. To remove the protection, unlock it using the same control, allowing the background app to be cleared normally while preserving available app memory.

Restricting Background Data Usage

Restricting background data usage is useful when you want to stop selected apps from using background data over mobile data when they are not in the foreground. This can reduce unnecessary data usage and limit unwanted app activity while your phone is connected to a mobile network. In my experience, this is especially helpful for apps that do not need constant internet access, while apps that rely on Wi-Fi or require frequent updates can be managed separately through App battery saver.

Step 1: Navigate to Data Usage Settings

Open Settings, then enter Connection & sharing or the relevant SIM cards and mobile networks section, depending on your Xiaomi version. From there, open Data usage to reach the available data settings and review how much mobile data your apps are consuming.

Step 2: Select an App to Restrict

From the list, select app or choose the specific app you want to restrict. Check its data consumption, data usage, and app data before changing anything. If an application is using more mobile data than expected, limiting its background data can help keep unnecessary network activity under control.

Step 3: Disable Background Data

Use the option to disable background data for the selected application. With Background data disabled, the app can use mobile data when you are actively using it in the foreground, while its background access is restricted. It may still use Wi-Fi depending on your settings, so combine this with App battery saver when you need stronger data restriction. This keeps app activity focused on active use rather than allowing unnecessary connections through the mobile network.

Utilizing Developer Options (Advanced)

For advanced users, developer options provide more system-wide control over background processes and background activity, but these settings should be changed carefully because they can affect app functionality, other system settings, and normal app management. On a Xiaomi phone, I usually treat this as a troubleshooting method rather than a first step, especially when normal battery controls are not enough to manage RAM during heavy multitasking. The same approach can also apply to mobile apps and their add-ons when you need to understand which processes remain active.

Step 1: Enable Developer Options (if not already enabled)

To enable developer options, open Settings, go to About phone, find the MIUI version or HyperOS version, and tap it seven times until the developer mode is activated. You can then return to the main Settings menu, open Additional settings, and select Developer options.

Step 2: Access Background Process Limit

Inside Developer options, look through the Apps section and find Background Process Limit. This control determines the background process or process limit that Android allows, helping you manage how many background processes can remain active at once. Before changing it, check the related app settings and consider your normal usage because aggressive limits can interfere with apps that need to stay active.

Step 3: Set a Limit

Under Background Process Limit, you can set a limit such as Standard limit, At most 1 process, At most 2 processes, or No background processes. Lowering the number can make Android terminate apps sooner, but it may also delay notifications, especially from messaging apps, and can affect multitasking when switching between applications. In practice, I recommend changing this only when you have a specific troubleshooting reason and understand your available RAM availability, because an overly strict setting can hurt app functionality and system performance rather than improving it.

Use Xiaomi Cleaner Tool

• Open Security App
• Tap Cleaner

Removes hidden files and improves speed.

Improve Xiaomi Performance and Reduce Battery Drain

If you follow all steps above, you will:

• Improve Xiaomi performance
• Reduce battery drain
• Stop apps running in background
• Make your phone faster

Restart Your Phone

This clears hidden background processes completely.

Pro Tips (Extra Optimization)

• Don't restrict important apps like WhatsApp
• Keep at least 20% storage free
• Update your system regularly

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do apps keep running in the background on Xiaomi?

Because auto-start and background permissions are enabled by default.

How do I stop apps running in background on Xiaomi?

Disable auto-start and restrict background usage in settings.

Does closing background apps improve battery life?

Yes, it reduces power usage and improves performance.

What is auto-start in Xiaomi?

It allows apps to run automatically in the background.

Should I close background apps daily?

Not required, but doing it regularly helps performance.

How do I force stop all background apps?

Android does not normally provide one option to force stop every background app at once. You can force stop individual apps from Settings > Apps > select the app > Force stop, while Recent Apps and battery controls can be used to manage multiple apps.

How do I know which background apps to close?

Start with apps you are not using and apps that are consuming unnecessary battery, mobile data, or system resources. Avoid restricting important apps such as messaging, security, or other apps that need to provide timely notifications.

Is it okay to turn off background apps in Android?

Yes, you can restrict background activity for apps that do not need to work continuously. However, restricting some apps can delay notifications, stop background syncing, or affect how quickly the app works when reopened.

How do I turn off the background?

You cannot completely turn off all background activity on Android because some system services and apps need to work in the background. Instead, you can restrict background activity for individual apps through battery, data, or app management settings.

How do I find apps running in the background on my Android?

Open the Recent Apps screen to see recently used apps. You can also check Settings > Battery or Settings > Apps, depending on your Android version, to review app activity and battery usage.

How do I limit background processes on Android?

Advanced users can open Developer Options and use the Background Process Limit setting. Be careful when changing this option because a strict process limit can affect notifications, multitasking, and normal app functionality.

How to stop apps running in background on Android programmatically?

Android apps cannot normally force-stop other apps programmatically because the operating system restricts this behavior for security and system stability. Developers can manage their own app's background work using Android background execution and lifecycle APIs.