MIUI on Xiaomi Redmi 9C: everything you need to know about the brand shell

Why MIUI is so important for the Redmi 9C

If you are the owner of Xiaomi Redmi 9C, you probably noticed that its interface is noticeably different from the “pure” Android on other smartphones. This is not a coincidence – for the unique appearance and additional features is responsible for the proprietary shell MIUI. It was developed by Xiaomi specifically for their devices and has become one of the key reasons for the popularity of the brand.

The MIUI on the Redmi 9C is not just a wrapper over Android, but a complete ecosystem with its own services, optimizations and even limitations. For example, because of MIUI, your smartphone can automatically block background processes to save charge or offer unique control gestures. But how does this work in practice? And why do some users prefer to abandon MIUI in favor of naked Android?

What is MIUI and how it relates to Android

MIUI (abbreviated as Mi User Interface) is a proprietary shell that Xiaomi installs on top of the Android operating system.It replaces the standard launcher, settings menu, default apps (calls, messages, gallery) and adds hundreds of small but useful features.For example, MIUI has a built-in read mode that filters blue light better than the standard Android night mode.

It is important to understand that MIUI is not a separate OS – it is an add-on above Android. Redmi 9C out of the box installed MIUI based on Android 10 (depending on the firmware version), but over time the device can get an update to a newer version of Android, while maintaining the proprietary interface MIUI. This architecture allows Xiaomi to quickly adapt new Google features for their smartphones, while adding their own “chips”.

• 📱 Interface: MIUI Offers unique animations, design themes and widgets that are not found in standard Android.
• 🔧 Settings: Advanced options for performance, battery and network management (e.g. Battery) → Energy saving regime).
• 🛡️ Security: Built-in tools for blocking apps, scanning viruses and protecting personal data.
• 🌍 Localization: MIUI adapted for different regions, including support for Russian language and local services (for example, Mi Pay for Russia).

But there are critics of MIUI, with some users complaining about excessive advertising in system applications (especially budget models like the Redmi 9C) and that the shell sometimes slows down due to background processes, but most of these problems are solved by properly configuring or installing custom firmware.

What version of MIUI is installed on Redmi 9C

Xiaomi Redmi 9C was released in 2020, and it was originally pre-installed MIUI 12 based on Android 10. However, since then the smartphone has received several major updates. As of 2026, the current versions for the Redmi 9C (codename angelica) are as follows:

Check out the current MIUI version on your Redmi 9C from Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. If your firmware is outdated, it is recommended to update via Settings → System Update. However, note: Redmi 9C will no longer receive official updates after MIUI 14, as Xiaomi has stopped supporting budget models in 2020.

⚠️ Attention: If your Redmi is 9C proposes to upgrade to MIUI 15 or later is a fake! Official firmware for this model doesn't come out after 2023.

The main features of MIUI on Redmi 9C: what you can configure

MIUI on Redmi 9C offers dozens of hidden and explicit features that many users do not even know about.

1.Gestural and control

MIUI allows you to completely abandon the classic navigation buttons in favor of gestures. To enable them, go to Settings → Display → Full-screen mode. There are two options available here:

• 👆 Gestures MIUI: wire from the bottom edge up - return to the main screen, swipe from right to left - back.
• ➡️ Android gestures: wire up and hold - multitasking, swipe diagonally - fast return.

2. Performance mode

For weak smartphones (and Redmi 9C is one of them), MIUI offers Light MIUI mode, which simplifies animations and turns off background processes. Included in Settings → Special features → Light MIUI. It is also useful to activate Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode to extend autonomy.

3. Secondary space

Secondary Space (or "Dual Applications") allows you to create a second user account with separate settings and data, which is convenient if you share a smartphone with loved ones or want to share work and personal applications. → Special facilities → Secondary space.

4. Hidden functions

MIUI hides a few useful options:

• 🔍 Search by Settings: There is a search bar at the top of the Settings menu – type in a keyword (like “bat” for battery) to quickly find the section you want.
• 📵 Do Not Disturb Mode with Flexible Rules: Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Don't bother. You can set up automatic on schedule.
• 🔄 Screen rotation at 180°: set up → Display. → Crash-turn → Turning 180.°, If you use your smartphone upside down often.

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If MIUI on Redmi 9C started to "brake", try resetting to factory settings via Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset. Pre-save data to Mi Cloud or to your computer!

How to upgrade MIUI to Redmi 9C: step-by-step instructions

You can update MIUI to Redmi 9C in two ways: through the built-in menu or manually by downloading the firmware from the official website. The first method is simpler and safer, but sometimes updates come with a delay. Let's consider both options.

Method 1: Air Update (OTA)

1. Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (update "over the air" can weigh up to 2 GB).
2. Go to Settings. → Updating the system.
3. Click Check Updates. If a new version is available, the system will prompt you to download it.
4. After download, click Reboot and Update. The smartphone will restart and install the firmware automatically.

Method 2: Manual installation via Recovery

If the update doesn’t come or you want to install a specific version of MIUI, download the.zip firmware from en.miui.com (select Redmi 9C model, angelica code).

1. Place the firmware file in the root of internal memory (not in folders!).
2. Go to Settings. → Updating the system → Threefold (⋮) → Select a firmware file.
3. Select the downloaded file and confirm the installation.
4. After the reboot, the smartphone will be updated. Don't turn it off during the process!

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI on the Redmi 9C Mobile data or Wi-Fi stopped working, reset your network settings to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network resetting. It's a common problem when you switch to MIUI 13/14.

MIUI issues on Redmi 9C and how to fix them

Despite the optimization, MIUI on the budget Redmi 9C may not work smoothly, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If problems persist, try resetting to factory settings (don’t forget to make a backup!). In extreme cases, you can install custom firmware, such as LineageOS, but this will require unlocking the bootloader and may deprive you of warranty.

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The MIUI on Redmi 9C is optimized for budget hardware, but aggressive optimization sometimes interferes with applications, setting exceptions to background processes solves 80% of problems with arbitrary closure of programs.

MIUI vs. Pure Android: What’s Best for Redmi 9C

Many Redmi 9C users are wondering if MIUI should be abandoned in favor of Android naked, and the answer depends on your priorities.

• ⚡ Performance: Pure Android usually runs smoother on weaker devices, as MIUI It's using more resources for the background, but Redmi. 9C It does not support official firmware from Google, so you will have to install custom (for example, Pixel Experience), which is risky.
• 🔧 Functionality: MIUI It offers more built-in tools (read mode, dual apps, advanced gestures) that are not available in standard Android.
• 📱 Updates: MIUI It gets updates longer than pure Android, but for Redmi 9C Castom firmware can offer new versions of Android, but without guarantee of stability.
• 🛡️ Security: MIUI It has built-in protection tools (virus scanner, application lock), but collects more user data than stock Android.

If you're willing to sacrifice some features for stability, custom firmware may be a good option, but for most users, MIUI remains the best choice because of the balance between capability and ease of use.

FAQ: Frequent questions about MIUI on Redmi 9C