Modern smartphones have long since ceased to be just a means of communication, becoming powerful handheld computers, where users simultaneously solve dozens of tasks. Owners of Xiaomi devices often notice that the interface allows you to run applications not only full screen, but also in the form of small blocks getting stuck on top of other programs.
Many users are unaware of the potential of their gadget, continuing to switch endlessly between tabs. Understanding how the floating windows in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS will allow you to watch videos while chatting, respond to messages in messengers without interrupting the game, or keep notes in parallel with reading the news. It is not just convenience, but a real way to increase personal productivity.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the activation methods available, the finer points of the settings, and the hidden possibilities of this mode, and learn how to turn your smartphone into an effective tool for work and entertainment, using the full potential of the big screen.
What are floating windows and why do they need them?
A floating window is a special display mode of an application, where it occupies only a part of the display and can be freely moved by the user. Unlike split-screen mode, where two applications are rigidly fixed vertically or horizontally, floating windows have greater flexibility. They can overlap, change their size and hide in the sidebar, while remaining active.
The main purpose of this feature is to implement real multitasking. If you're used to using a tablet or a computer, the concept is familiar to you: you can keep a calculator, a browser and a messenger open at the same time. On Xiaomi smartphones, this technology is implemented through system services that manage the CPU resources so that the background processes do not slow down the main application.
⚠️ Note: Using multiple active floating windows at the same time can lead to increased battery consumption and heating of the device body, especially on mid-range models. The system allows most compatible applications to run in this mode, but some programs can behave unstable, for example, heavy games or video editing applications can be forced to unfold to the full screen or close when trying to roll them out the window. This restriction is associated with the optimization of the interface for a specific software. 💡For maximum performance, try to keep open no more. 2-3 heavy floating windows at the same time, especially if you play resource-intensive games. MIUI HyperOS provides several ways to run applications in floating mode. The choice of the particular method often depends on the user's habits and the smartphone model. Some methods require customization of gestures, others are available immediately from the menu of running applications. The easiest way is to use the menu of recent applications. To do this, you need to run the desired program, then swipe from the bottom up (or menu button) to the list of open windows. At the top of the application card, you usually display an icon that allows you to deploy the action menu». 📱 Through the recent task menu: Click on the app icon in the list of running programs and select the appropriate mode. 🖐 Two-finger gesture: In some firmware versions, it is enough to pinch a two-fingered finger over an open application to roll it into a window. 📂 Sidebar: Launching apps from the special “floating windows” menu that is called by a swipe from the edge of the screen. ⌨️ Keyboard commands: When you connect a physical keyboard, you can use hotkeys to quickly switch modes. It's also worth mentioning a method that is often overlooked - drag and drop. If you have gesture navigation enabled, sometimes you just pull the app up from the bottom edge and hold your finger until you have a menu of display options. 📊 How do you most often run applications?Through the menu of recent tasks Using the sidebar Using gestures with two fingers Do not use floating windows Setting up the sidebar for quick access One of the most convenient tools for managing multitasking is the sidebar, Or "floating window panel." This interface element is a narrow bar hidden outside the screen boundary that leaves when you swipe from the edge, and you can pin the shortcuts of commonly used applications to instantly run in window mode. To activate this function, you need to go to the system settings. The path usually looks like this: → Additional functions → Floating windows (or "Sidebar"). Here you can not only turn on the display of the panel, but also adjust its position (left or right) and transparency. Setting parameter Description of function Recommended value Panel Selection of the screen side to call the menu Right (for right-handers) Transparency Adjustment of panel visibility in the rolled-up state 50-70% (so as not to interfere) Vibration Tactile response when calling the panel Included Size of labels Change the scale of icons in the list Standard Inside the panel itself, you can add and remove applications. Just click on the icon "+" or "-" next to the program icon. This allows you to create a personalized set of tools for work or entertainment. For example, you can add to study, you can add a calculator, a browser and a rest messenger. ☑️ Setting up the ideal panel Go to Additional functions:Floating windows:Enable panel display:Select screen side:Add 5-7 frequently used applications Completed: 0 / 1 Size management and window relocation Once an application is launched as a floating window, it can be interacted with in a variety of ways. Basic control involves moving and zooming. To move, you just need to press and hold the top of the window (header), then drag it to any free area of the screen. The size is changed using special markers located usually in the lower corners of the window. Pulling on them, you can make the window bigger or smaller, but it's worth remembering that every application has a minimum size threshold below which the interface can become unreadable or the functionality will be limited. ⚠️ Note: Some applications, especially banking clients and system settings, can block resizing or floating launch for security reasons. In addition, a floating window can be folded into a thumbnail that will hang from the side of the screen without taking up useful space. This is useful when you need to get back to a task quickly, but right now it doesn't require active attention. Double-pressing a rolled window often turns it back. Windows management secrets Many users don't know that when you drag a window to the bottom of the screen, you get a reset zone. If you let the app go above that zone, it closes, and if you drag the window to the right or left edge, it can automatically go into split-screen mode if it's supported by the current firmware version. Split screen vs. floating windows Often users confuse floating windows with split screen mode (Split Screen), although these are two different approaches to organizing space. Split screen divides the display strictly in half or in a predetermined proportion between two applications that occupy all width or height. A floating window is an independent layer that can be third, fourth, and so on. The main difference is the priority of resources. In split screen mode, the system often gives equal priority to both applications, which can lead to slowdown on weak devices. The floating windows usually have a lower priority in these tasks. If you need to compare two documents or chat while you are working on a high-quality video, split screen is better. If you need to occasionally glanced at the exchange rate or chat while you are working on another application, choose a floating window. 🔍 Focus: Split screen requires constant switching of eyes, floating window allows you to keep information in peripheral vision. 🚀 Performance: Floating windows less load the GPU when rendering the interface. 📐 Flexibility: Windows can be completely closed with the main content, the split screen panel is always visible. Solving typical problems and bugs Despite the debugging of the system MIUI And HyperOS, users can run into some difficulties, and it's often the case that the application just doesn't open in floating mode, or the window disappears immediately after launch. This may be due to the limitations of the application itself or to power saving settings. One of the common problems is automatically closing the background windows when clearing memory or starting heavy play. To avoid this, you can fix an important application in memory, but this does not always guarantee the result. ⚠️ Note: If the floating window is constantly collapsing or the application crashes, try turning off the option "Memory Extension" in the settings, as virtual memory is slower than physical. On high-resolution and refresh rate screens, some windows may be incorrect, with artifacts or misaligned graphics, and in such cases, restarting the application or temporarily reducing the refresh rate of the screen in the display settings helps. 💡The stability of floating windows depends on the amount of free RAM; closing heavy background tasks before starting windows improves performance (FAQ) Can you run a game in a floating window to respond to messages? Yes, most instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) work perfectly in floating mode on top of games. But the game itself can go into the background and lose focus, so you can't control the game through a floating window, it'll only be used to view or type. Why doesn't the floating window button appear on the menu of recent tasks? This can happen for several reasons: either the application does not support this mode at the software level, or in the settings of “floating windows” disabled the display for specific programs. Check the list of compatible apps in the settings menu. Does floating windows affect battery discharge? Absolutely. When multiple active processes are running on the screen at the same time, the processor and the video core receive increased load. In addition, the constant screen lighting and network modules for several applications accelerate energy consumption. Can you change the transparency of the floating window itself? Standard means of the Xiaomi system can not change the transparency of the content of the floating window. However, in some design themes or with root access rights through special modules, this is possible. By default, only the configuration of the transparency of the side panel of the call. Do floating windows work in horizontal mode, but can also change the floating windows in the floating mode? The system can automatically adapt the window size to a wide format, or, conversely, limit the possibilities of scaling, so as not to overlap all the content of the main application.