Xiaomi smartphone owners, especially those who have switched from other brands, often face a misunderstanding of the logic of the MIUI interface or the new HyperOS. The main question that arises in the first minutes of use is: “Where is the classic app menu?”. Unlike pure Android, where all shortcuts are displayed on the desktop, in the shell from Xiaomi, the default activated “Folder” mode, where only widgets and favorite icons are on the screen, and the full list of programs is hidden.
But the Chinese giant’s ecosystem is much broader than just a list of programs: there are engineering menus for diagnostics, quick settings menus, hidden developer sections, and special service codes. Misunderstanding the navigation structure can lead users to simply not find the desired feature, considering it to be missing. In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the menu levels available on the brand’s modern devices.
First, you need to decide which section you want to use, and if you're looking for just a list of all the installed programs, swipe your finger from the bottom of the screen upwards (or press the central navigation button if you have three buttons on), which is what the Launcher will open, where all your applications are stored, and if you want deep system settings, the path is through the gear icon.
Classic application menu and its setting
By default, the system groups shortcuts into folders to save space, but many users prefer the classic "like on an iPhone" or "like in a pure android" look, where all the icons are on desktops. To change this setting, you need to go to the launcher settings. To do this, go to Settings → Desktop. Here is the Mode switch, which changes the logic of displaying elements.
Turning on Classic Menu will instantly change swipe behavior upwards. Now it will open Google's search bar, not the app list. All shortcuts will move to desktops, and you'll have to flip screens side to side. It's a matter of habit, but for newcomers to the Xiaomi ecosystem, it's often the list mode that's more understandable.
Importantly, you can also adjust the grid size in this section, and you can choose how many icons you want to see in the row, which is especially true on large-screen models, and the standard value is 4 or 5 speakers, but for 2K+ devices you can set 6 to accommodate as much information as possible.
And don't forget that you can sort it, and you can sort it by installation time, frequency of use, or alphabetical order in the application menu mode, so you can find less commonly used utilities that haven't been added to the Tools folder.
Engineering menus and hidden service codes
For advanced users and service center masters, there is a separate layer of interface, the Cit Menu, which is a hidden section designed to test hardware modules: speakers, vibrator, sensor, cameras and communication modules. It is impossible to get there through the usual settings, you need to enter special USSD-Teams in the "Phone" appendix".
The most universal diagnostic access code is ##6484##. Once the last digit (*) is dialed, the engineering menu will open automatically, without having to press the call button. This list includes tests for all components, for example, the Touchpanel test will test the screen response to the multi-touch, and the Speaker test will play the melody to check the audio speaker.
What if the code doesn't work?
There are other useful codes that provide information about a particular module:
- 📱 ##4636## — Phone testing menu, battery and usage statistics (useful for switching network modes) 4G/LTE).
- 🔍 ##8255## - Launch of GTalk Service Monitor (rarely used in modern versions, but may come in handy).
- 📊 ##34971539## - Camera information and the ability to update its firmware (use with caution).
Be careful when changing settings in section 4636. Changing the preferred network type from LTE/CDMA to 3G/2G may temporarily deprive you of access to high-speed Internet. You can return the settings there by selecting "LTE only" or "LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM".
Quick settings menu and control panel
Special attention should be paid to the notification curtain, which is divided into two parts in MIUI and HyperOS: the swipe down from the top of the screen opens the notifications, and the swipe down from the top right corner (or the entire width, depending on the settings) is the control panel, and this is where the important switches hide.
To edit this list, you click on the pencil or tripod icon in the corner of the panel, and an editor will open where you can drag and drop tiles, and you can take useful features like Screen Recording, Compact Mode (for one hand control), or Safe Mode (for disabling third-party apps when crashes).
☑️ Setting up the control panel
At the bottom of the curtain is a brightness slider and a tuning button. By tapping the gear in the corner of the curtain, you'll be taken straight to Settings → Screen and Brightness. This is a quick path to calibrating color temperature or turning on a protection mode that reduces eye strain at night.
Special features and menus for people with limited functions
There's a section in the back of the system settings that's critical to accessibility, but it's also useful to the general public. The way to it is: Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. There's a "Special Features Menu" that adds a floating button to the screen or activates gesture control.
Activating this menu allows you to perform system actions without using physical buttons. You can set actions for long presses of volume buttons. For example, long pressing of both buttons can call Google Assistant or take a screenshot. This is convenient if the switch button on your Redmi or Poco has started to fire.
And there's zoom in, and it works like a magnifier, where you can triple-click on the screen and zoom in on a piece of the image, and it's not only good for the visually impaired, but also for looking at the little details in photos or maps without losing quality with your fingers.
⚠️ Warning: Enabling certain features in the special features section (such as TalkBack) can completely change the logic of managing your phone. If you accidentally activate voice acting and your phone stops responding to normal touches, press the volume buttons on the phone at the same time. 3-5 quick-deactivation.
Developer menu: hidden system settings
For those who want to make the most of their smartphone, there's a developer menu, and it's hidden by default, and you need to press "Version" 7 times to activate it. MIUI" (or "Version." OS") When you see the "You're a developer" tag, you'll see a new "Additional" or "Developers" option in the settings menu".
So this is where you can use USB debugging, animation and CPU tuning, for example, you can scale up window animation from 1x to 0.5x, which will make the interface work faster visually, and you can force a dark theme to be included for applications that don't officially support it.
| Function | Description | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| USB debugging | Allows connection to the PC for ADB-team | Low (cable required) |
| Keep the screen down. | The screen burns while charging | Medium (burnout risk) AMOLED) |
| Window animation | Speed of opening/closing applications | High (visual speed) |
| Background processes | Applications' work limit in the background | High (can kill messengers) |
💡
To return to the standard animation settings, select the “Reset Settings” item in the top menu of the developer section without deleting user data.
You should be especially careful with the item "Limit background processes." If you limit their number, the system will begin aggressively to close applications, which will lead to the fact that the music will stop playing in the background, and messages in messengers will arrive with a delay.
Search for settings through global search
If you're confused in the menu maze, you don't have to flip through endless lists. Xiaomi's shell has a powerful built-in search that's called by swipeing down the center of the desktop (if Search is enabled) or through the search bar widget. By entering a keyword like "Wi-Fi" or "Bluthuse," the system will suggest a direct transition to the desired switch.
Search can find not only apps, but also specific items in your settings, contacts, files, and even information on the Internet. This is the fastest way to find an obscure setting that you remember roughly the name of, for example, the request for "update frequency" will immediately throw you into the screen menu.
And then there's a lot of smart recommendations in search, and if you've just plugged in a new Bluetooth accessory, it'll offer a menu to customize it, and it's part of an ecosystem that tries to predict user behavior by analyzing context.
⚠️ Note: When using search, be careful: the results may display promotional offers from GetApps or Google. Always check that you are going to the system settings (the gear icon) and not to the app store.