Owning a Xiaomi phone these days is perfectly normal, as their devices are everywhere. But of course, for the phone to truly shine and not fall short, you need to know how to use its custom interface , which is where all the magic happens. MIUI is a super versatile system that has adapted over the years, integrating everything from the notch to virtual assistants, moving quite far from what a pure Android experience would be.
If you want your phone to be more than just another device and truly maximize its capabilities , delving into the settings is essential. It doesn't matter if you have a high-end model, a Redmi, or a POCO, as most of these features are available on all of them, although some very basic models may have certain limitations. Let's see how to fine-tune your phone.
Visual and Aesthetic Customization
To keep your phone from getting boring, the Themes app is your best friend. It not only lets you change the wallpaper, but you can also modify the icons, the lock screen, and even the startup animation. A really cool trick is to mix elements from different themes ; for example, using the icons from one and the background from another to create a unique style.
As for the home screen, you can adjust the grid size (choosing between 4x6 or 5x6) and decide whether you want the empty spaces to automatically fill in when you delete an app. If you find visual clutter bothersome, you can remove the text from the icons so only the images are visible. Additionally, for those who prefer a more classic look, you can enable the app drawer by following a guide to customizing your Android home screen , preventing all your apps from being scattered across the desktop.
For those who spend hours glued to the screen, reading mode and dark mode are lifesavers. The former reduces eye strain, and the latter not only looks more elegant but, on AMOLED screens, helps extend battery life . You can even schedule dark mode to activate automatically at nightfall.
Ease of Use and Navigation
If you want to navigate your phone at lightning speed, forget traditional buttons and switch to gesture navigation . This allows you to make better use of the screen and makes your workflow more natural if you master Android's hidden gestures . To enhance the feeling of speed, I recommend setting the animation speed to "fast ," which makes everything feel much smoother.
MIUI offers some very interesting features like the floating ball , a quick menu that floats on the screen for easy access to functions. You can also configure gesture shortcuts , such as opening the camera by double-tapping the volume down button with the screen off—super handy for capturing every photo.
In multitasking mode, the system organizes apps into cards. If you press and hold one of these cards, you can activate split-screen mode or lock the task to prevent it from closing automatically. For those who use their phone for everything, the RAM extension feature allows you to use part of the internal storage as virtual RAM, giving performance an extra boost.
Privacy and Advanced Security
If you manage both personal and work accounts, dual apps are fantastic, allowing you to have two separate WhatsApp or Instagram accounts. But if you need something more radical, Second Space literally creates a separate profile with its own password, ideal for hiding apps on Android and protecting your privacy or separating leisure from work.
To protect sensitive files, the file manager lets you hide folders and documents using a pattern. Similarly, there's a private album in the gallery so your most personal photos aren't visible to just anyone. A very important feature is the privacy protection when sharing , which allows you to send images while removing metadata such as GPS location.
You can also restrict data usage for specific apps, preventing them from connecting to the internet if you don't want them to use up your data allowance or track your activity in the background. Additionally, you can activate a notification that alerts you when an app accesses the clipboard , preventing the theft of copied information.
Hardware Maintenance and Health
To prevent your phone from slowing down over time, a Security app is essential. Its cleaner helps clear the cache and junk files that accumulate without you noticing. To protect your battery, it's best to keep the charge between 20% and 80% , although you can check your phone's battery status to monitor its wear.
It's recommended to calibrate the battery every few months by letting it fully discharge and then charging it to 100% once. It's also wise to alternate between turbo charging and normal charging to prevent overheating . Always remember to use the original charger or a certified one to avoid electrical problems.
On a physical level, keeping the charging port clean is vital to prevent connection problems. It's always recommended to use a case and tempered glass screen protector, as these are the only real defense against accidental bumps. To clean the screen, avoid paper towels or rough cloths and use microfiber cloths to prevent scratching the panel.
Extra Features and Hidden Tools
Many people are unaware that their Xiaomi phone can be used as a remote control thanks to its infrared sensor and the Mi Remote app. It's also possible to record the screen without installing anything, using the quick access feature in the control center, or scan documents directly from the camera in "Document" mode, saving them as JPGs and then converting them to PDFs.
If you're an advanced user, there's a secret diagnostic menu (CIT ). You access it by tapping repeatedly on the kernel version in the device information, and it's used to check that the hardware (screen, speakers, sensors) is working correctly.
To manage notifications, you can choose between the classic or modern style and decide what's displayed on the lock screen. If you have a physical button for the assistant, you can reassign its function in the additional settings so that it performs a different action when pressed and held or double-tapped.
Mastering MIUI involves everything from managing extreme battery saving to customizing the screen's color temperature. By combining regular system maintenance, physical care of the device, and fine-tuning the interface, any user can transform a standard phone into a highly optimized tool, ensuring that the hardware lasts for many years and the user experience is always fast and smooth.
