How the Xiaomi 17's software differs from stock Android for privacy

MIUI / HyperOS vs Stock Android Privacy Philosophy

Stock Android, developed by Google, emphasizes a relatively transparent privacy model where permissions are requested dynamically and users can restrict app access to sensitive data on a granular, per-permission basis. It relies on Google's Play Integrity and Verify Apps features to prevent malware, and apps generally run in isolated sandboxes.

Xiaomi's HyperOS (formerly MIUI) layers additional customized features and system apps on top of Android but has historically faced scrutiny regarding aggressive data collection and advertising integration. While Xiaomi has taken steps to improve privacy, differences remain in how privacy is implemented relative to stock Android, especially concerning preinstalled system apps, data collection, and ad tracking.

Data Collection and Preinstalled Apps

- Stock Android: Google's OS collects data mostly to provide services such as personalization, security, and app verification. Users have control over many permissions, and some system apps like Google Play Services have robust privacy controls, though some data processing remains opaque. Preinstalled apps typically have limited permissions or can be disabled.

- Xiaomi 17 HyperOS: MIUI and now HyperOS include several Xiaomi-specific system apps that may collect user data. For example, some preinstalled apps like Mi Video, MSA (MIUI System Ads), Feedback, and Get Apps have been flagged by users as potential sources of data collection or unwanted ads. Permissions for these apps can sometimes be revoked via Authorization & Revocation settings but complete removal is often difficult. Xiaomi has introduced settings to disable ads or limit network access for certain apps, but control may still be less transparent than stock Android.

Permission Management and App Controls

- Stock Android: Uses a runtime permission model where apps request permissions like location, camera, or microphone access only when needed. Users can revoke permissions at any time. Permissions are granted on a per-app basis, and system apps often follow the same rules, giving users consistent control.

- Xiaomi 17 HyperOS: Adopts Android's runtime permission system but adds additional layers of app management. It allows disabling background data per app and has network permission controls selectively available. Some permissions tied to Xiaomi system apps or core services may not be fully revocable, limiting user control compared to stock Android. Users can disable network access for apps, but in some MIUI versions, this was limited to mobile data only, excluding Wi-Fi, though HyperOS may have improved this.

Advertising and Personalized Recommendations

- Stock Android: While Google serves ads, users can limit ad personalization via settings linked to their Google account. Stock Android itself usually does not embed ads into system UI or default apps.

- Xiaomi 17 HyperOS: Known for integrating ads and personalized recommendations deep in system apps and UI elements. Xiaomi offers switches to "receive recommendations" which is essentially controlling whether ads appear in apps like the file manager, playback app, or security app. Ads and recommendations can be disabled by the user, but the process requires navigating multiple settings, and some ads may persist in core apps by default.

Privacy Policy Transparency and User Consent

- Stock Android: Google publishes its privacy policies and data collection practices fairly openly, including information about how user data is processed for services and advertising. Users consent to data collection when setting up their Google account and installing apps.

- Xiaomi 17 HyperOS: Xiaomi publishes privacy policies but has faced criticism over data collection, especially for services running in the background. Xiaomi's privacy policy discloses that data like browsing history in Xiaomi's browser, voice commands, and usage details may be collected to improve services and for personalized ads. Some users report that manages to disable such collection only partially after extended tweaking.

Security Features Related to Privacy

- Stock Android: Includes robust sandboxing for apps, encryption of user data, verified boot, and regular security updates via Google Play Protect. The OS also supports Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) in devices for secure handling of sensitive operations like biometrics and payment data.

- Xiaomi 17 HyperOS: Maintains Android's baseline security features but includes Xiaomi's own fingerprint ultrasonic sensor support and potentially enhanced security layers in HyperOS. Xiaomi may add proprietary security modules but integrates them deeply with their ecosystem. Security patches and updates tend to follow or slightly lag Google's, with Xiaomi adding specific fixes for their hardware and features.

Custom Features Affecting Privacy

- Secondary Display on Xiaomi 17 Pro Max: The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max has a secondary display with customizable themes, notifications, AI pin functions, and selfie tools. This functionality requires additional permissions and may increase data exposure risk compared to standard stock Android phones which lack this hardware feature.

- Cloud Services and Sync: Xiaomi's cloud services in HyperOS sync data like photos, contacts, messages, and device settings to Xiaomi's servers. This is parallel to Google's sync services in stock Android but increases the surface for data transfer outside Google's ecosystem. Privacy depends on Xiaomi's server security and policy adherence.

User Controls and Privacy Settings

- Xiaomi 17 HyperOS offers:
- Authorization & Revocation controls for system apps.
- Ability to disable network data for certain apps.
- Settings to turn off personalized ads and recommendations, though not always straightforward.
- Options to disable location sharing or limit app background activity.
- Advanced privacy settings in the Security app that allow permission audits, app behavior monitoring, and usage tracking controls.

- Stock Android offers:
- Google Privacy Dashboard to review app activity and permissions.
- Easy access to disable or restrict any app.
- Ad personalization controls via Google Account.
- Scoped storage to limit app access to file system.
- Privacy indicators for microphone, camera, and location use.

Areas of Concern

- Despite improvements, Xiaomi's software customization including HyperOS often still includes Xiaomi-specific apps that are harder to remove and which may collect telemetry and usage data.

- Ads integration and recommendations are baked deeper into system apps in HyperOS than in stock Android, requiring more manual effort to disable by privacy-conscious users.

- Some users report detecting official Xiaomi apps flagged as spyware or overly intrusive due to background data communication, which is less common in stock Android where such preinstalled apps typically have stricter controls and less aggressive data collection.

Conclusion

Xiaomi 17's HyperOS software diverges from stock Android by introducing additional Xiaomi ecosystem services, system apps, and custom UI elements that increase the potential data collection surface and ad exposure. While Xiaomi provides controls to disable or limit these aspects, stock Android generally offers a more transparent and user-controllable privacy environment with fewer integrated ads and less aggressive telemetry. Users seeking privacy must invest effort disabling or restricting Xiaomi-specific services on HyperOS to approach the privacy granularity and minimal data exposure offered by stock Android. This difference reflects Xiaomi's business model balancing feature-rich customization and ecosystem integration against a more streamlined and privacy-focused stock Android design.