Xiaomi / Redmi recording stops in the background — the MIUI and HyperOS fix
Xiaomi's MIUI and HyperOS add several layers on top of Android's own battery rules: a per-app Battery saver, an Autostart permission, and memory cleanup that closes apps you swipe away or haven't opened recently. Any one of them can end a background recording. Set the recorder's Battery saver to No restrictions, turn Autostart on, lock it in Recent apps, and exclude it from the Security app's cleanup.
Try this first
- Settings → Apps → Manage apps → your recorder → Battery saver → No restrictions.
- Same screen → Autostart → on.
- Open Recent apps, long-press (or drag down) the recorder's card and lock it.
- Security app → Boost speed / cleanup settings → exclude or lock the recorder.
- Allow the app's notifications, then test 15 minutes locked, one hour, and overnight.
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Diagnose my recording issueWhy Xiaomi phones are harder than most
Every Android phone has battery optimisation. Xiaomi phones running MIUI or HyperOS add their own controls on top, and they are among the strictest of any manufacturer. The independent tracker Don't kill my app has long ranked Xiaomi among the most troublesome brands for background work, noting that with default settings, background processing in many apps simply stops.
The settings differ a little between MIUI versions and HyperOS, and between Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models, but the layers are the same:
| Layer | What it does | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Per-app Battery saver | Restricts the app's background activity | Settings → Apps → Manage apps → app → Battery saver |
| Autostart | Lets the app start itself and act on schedules | Settings → Apps → Manage apps → app → Autostart |
| Recent-apps cleanup | Closes apps when you clear Recent apps | Recent apps → lock the app's card |
| Security app cleanup | "Boost speed" and cleaner close background apps | Security app → Boost speed / cleaner |
| Ultra battery saver | Cuts background work to a few allowed apps | Settings → Battery |
| Other permissions | Background pop-ups and starting in the background | Settings → Apps → Permissions → Other permissions |
Fix in this order
- Battery saver → No restrictions. Settings → Apps → Manage apps → your recorder → Battery saver. "No restrictions" is the setting that matters most.
- Autostart → on. Same screen. Without it, scheduled recordings can't start on their own, and the app may not come back after the system closes it. Newer MIUI versions call it "Background autostart" under App permissions.
- Lock the app in Recent apps. Open Recent apps and long-press the recorder's card (or drag it down, depending on the version) until a padlock appears. Locked apps survive "clear all".
- Exclude it from cleanup. In the Security app, open Boost speed or the cleaner settings and lock or exclude the recorder.
- Notifications on. Android requires a microphone foreground service to show an ongoing notification. Blocking it undermines the very thing keeping the recording alive.
- Battery saver and Ultra battery saver off during long recordings.
- Restart the phone, then test.
Menu names vary by device and OS version, so treat the paths above as a guide and search your Settings app if one doesn't match.
Test it like you mean it
MIUI's cleanup often kicks in after a while, not immediately, so a short test proves little. Work up:
- 15 minutes with the screen locked.
- One hour locked, phone left alone.
- Overnight, or a full working day.
If the first two pass and the overnight run stops, look again at Autostart and the Security app's cleanup, and check whether a system update has reset the app's Battery saver setting. Updates sometimes do.
If it still stops
- MIUI optimisation. Some older MIUI versions have a "Turn on MIUI optimisation" switch in Developer options that has been reported to interfere with background apps. Only change it if you're comfortable with Developer options, and change it back if anything else misbehaves.
- Second space and dual apps. A copy of the app in Second space or as a dual app has its own settings; apply them there too.
- A cleaner app you installed. Third-party cleaners and "RAM boosters" do the same damage as the built-in one. Exclude the recorder or uninstall the cleaner.
Where BlackBox fits
BlackBox runs as an Android foreground microphone service with a persistent notification and writes each hour as its own file, so on a Xiaomi phone you can see exactly which hour a restriction cut in. No app can override MIUI or HyperOS on its own; the settings above have to be changed once, then checked again after a major update. The phone compatibility checker builds the same checklist for your exact phone.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Autostart on Xiaomi and Redmi phones?
Usually Settings → Apps → Manage apps → your app → Autostart. On some versions it's in the Security app → Permissions → Autostart, and newer MIUI lists it as Background autostart under App permissions.
Why does my Redmi stop recording when I clear recent apps?
Clearing Recent apps on MIUI and HyperOS closes the apps listed there, including a recorder. Lock the recorder's card in Recent apps so it's skipped, and turn Autostart on.
Does HyperOS behave differently from MIUI?
The same controls exist under slightly different names: per-app battery restrictions, Autostart, locking in Recent apps, and Security-app cleanup. Work through the same list, then run the overnight test.
Do I need to redo these settings after an update?
Check them. Major MIUI and HyperOS updates sometimes reset per-app battery or Autostart settings, and a recorder that worked for months can start stopping again.
Related fixes
Go deeper
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Designed for continuous and scheduled background recording, on-device and private. Operating-system restrictions still apply — test it on your device first.