Parental control on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO: what to set up
On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, MIUI (and HyperOS on newer models) works hard to save battery: it closes apps that run in the background by itself. For a game that's fine; for parental control it isn't. If the phone closes KidPair, a break doesn't start, a limit doesn't kick in and the location on the map stops updating. Here is what to set up once so that doesn't happen.
The main thing: Xiaomi settings in KidPair's permission list
KidPair recognises that the child's phone is a Xiaomi and shows this maker's special settings under the main permission list. Each has an "Open" button that goes straight to the right screen. More about maker settings
- Activity control → "No restrictions". Open KidPair's app page → "Activity control" (called "Battery saver" on some versions) → choose "No restrictions". Otherwise MIUI closes the app in the background.
- Remove "Ultra battery saver" from the quick settings. Pull the shade all the way down → the pencil ("Edit") → drag the "Ultra battery saver" tile down to the unused ones → "Done".
- Pin KidPair in recent apps. Open the list of open apps, find KidPair and tap the padlock (or pull the card down). Then "Clear all" won't close it.
- If KidPair's app page has "Autostart", turn it on.
Why "Ultra battery saver" matters so much
This Xiaomi mode doesn't just save battery: it closes KidPair and switches it off in Accessibility. After that, rules, limits and location stop working until KidPair is turned on again. That's why it's better to remove the tile, so the mode can't be switched on by accident.
If it is switched on anyway, you get an urgent notification at once. When it is switched off, open KidPair on the child's phone and turn it on again in Accessibility. How to turn on Accessibility
Steps for any Android phone
- Accessibility → "KidPair: breaks and schedules" — without this service breaks and limits don't work. How
- Background work — "Unrestricted", not "Optimised". Do it before "Uninstall protection": after that Android won't let you change the mode. More
- KidPair shows everything in order on the "Still to allow" screen. Permissions
If KidPair is installed from a file rather than from Google Play, Android may grey out Accessibility. Then on the app page tap ⋮ → "Allow restricted settings". Installing from Google Play is simplest.
How to tell everything works
On the adult's Home screen the child's card says "Everything works". If the phone stops reporting or protection is turned off, KidPair says so plainly instead of quietly showing old data.
To be honest: no Android app can promise it can never be switched off. But with these settings Xiaomi stops closing KidPair by itself, and if something changes, you'll know right away.