Where is the multitasking menu on Xiaomi: hidden settings

MIUI interfaces and Xiaomi’s new HyperOS shell offer users many unique personalization options, but standard navigation can sometimes be confusing for beginners. Smartphone owners often wonder where the multitasking menu is located and whether the way they switch between running apps can be changed, and the answer depends not only on the device model, but also on the navigation style they choose in the system settings.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how to find and activate the menu of running programs, what alternative methods exist for managing windows and how to optimize the operation of RAM. Understanding these mechanisms will allow you to significantly improve the efficiency of using the gadget in everyday life. We will touch on both classical methods and hidden functions available through the engineering menu or special commands.

Multitasking is a key element of today’s mobile operating system, enabling fast switching between tasks without losing their state. On Redmi and POCO devices, managing this process can vary dramatically depending on the regional version of the firmware. It is important to consider that some features can be hidden by default to save system resources.

Standard methods of accessing running applications

By default, most modern Xiaomi smartphones use the gesture navigation method that replaced the classic buttons. In this mode, the multitasking menu is called by swiping (swipping a finger) from the bottom of the screen up and holding a finger at the top point for a fraction of a second, which opens the carousel of running applications where you can select the right one or close the unnecessary ones.

If you choose a classic style with three buttons at the bottom of the screen, you can access the task list by pressing a square button, usually to the left or right of the central home button, which depends on the layout you choose (right-handed or left-handed). In some older versions of MIUI, double-clicking on the home button was responsible for switching, but in current builds this method is practically not used.

There is also an alternative way of controlling that combines the Back and Task Menu buttons into one area. When you turn on the Remove buttons or Hide the navigation bar, the menu is swiped upwards from the bottom of the screen with a small delay, similar to gestures, but with a visual display of a thin bar at the bottom of the display. This is a compromise option for those who are used to tactile button response but want more space on the screen.

⚠️ Note: If the swipe up does not open the menu, but just returns to the desktop, check whether the Full-screen Apps mode is enabled for a specific software that can intercept gestures.

For users who are often working with documents or a browser, it is convenient to use the split screen function, which is also activated through the multitasking menu. Simply click on the application icon in the list of running tasks and select the appropriate mode, which allows you to display two windows simultaneously on the same display, which significantly improves productivity.

Navigation style and hidden options

Changing the way you call the multitasking menu is done in the system settings section. The path may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the general logic is maintained. You need to go to Settings → Additional Settings → System Navigation. This is where the multitasking menu is located and how to manage it.

In this section, the user is asked to choose between “Buttons” and “Gestures” and when selecting buttons, you can further adjust their order by swapping the “Back” and “Menu” functions. This is especially true for those who are moving from devices from other manufacturers, where the logic of the arrangement of elements may be different, and you can also adjust the sensitivity of the edges of the screen to prevent accidental clicks.

There is a lesser-known method of accessing advanced navigation settings through a hidden menu, which requires the use of the Themes app or special codes, but in recent versions of HyperOS, access to them is limited for the sake of security.

Importantly, when switching to gestures, the system offers a training video that shows the basic movements, which is not worth ignoring, since it shows nuances, such as how to call the multitasking menu without completely closing the current application. The speed of the swipe plays a crucial role here: lifting your finger too quickly will return you to the desktop, and a moderate one will pause to open the task list.

Remember that changing your navigation settings is instant and doesn’t require rebooting your device. If the new way feels uncomfortable, you can always go back to the previous one in a few seconds. Xiaomi’s flexibility allows you to tailor the interface to each user’s individual preferences.

Memory management and background processes cleaning

Xiaomi’s multitasking menu is not just a list of open windows, but also a powerful RAM management tool. At the top of the task list screen, often a “Clear” button or broomstick icon that forcibly closes all background applications is displayed, but it’s worth understanding the difference between real memory freeing and a simple visual update to the list.

The RAM in modern smartphones is a “free memory – wasted memory” system. Android and the MIUI shell try to keep frequently used applications in memory to run them instantly. Forced cleaning of all processes can lead to the system having to reload heavy applications, which (paradoxically) will increase battery consumption and processor heating.

⚠️ Warning: Permanently forced cleaning of all applications through the multitasking menu can disrupt background services such as instant messengers or activity trackers by interrupting notifications.

To manage specific applications in the list of running tasks, you can use a long press on the window preview. This action opens the context menu, where options are available: Lock, Split screen, Floating window and About applications. Locking the application (lock icon) protects it from automatic cleaning by the system when resources are scarce.

If you notice that a particular application is constantly being unloaded from memory or is not working correctly in the background, you need to configure its autorun and battery access rights. This is not through the multitasking menu, but through Settings → Applications → All Applications → [Select Application] → Battery. You should set the No Limits mode here.

💡

Block 2-3 of the most important apps (such as Telegram or email client) from the multitasking menu so they never unload automatically.

Advanced Features: Floating Windows and Screen Split

One of the strengths of Xiaomi's ecosystem is its advanced windowing, which allows you not only to switch between programs, but also to run them in "Shopping Window" or "Share-up" mode, which turns your smartphone into a desktop computer, allowing you to watch videos and chat at the same time.

To activate a split screen, open the multitasking menu, click on the app icon (or hold your finger on the preview, depending on the version of MIUI), and select "Separate Screen." Then select the second app. The boundary between the windows can be moved by changing the proportions of the displayed space, which is convenient for copying text from one source to another.

Floating Window allows you to run an application on top of another in a small movable window, which you can swipe to the right of the application preview in the multitasking menu or through the sidebar of the tools, in which you can run a calculator, notes or video player, while you continue to work in the main application.

There's also a floating window feature that allows you to fold an active application into a small icon getting stuck above the screen, and this is done via swipe up from the bottom of the application previews in the task menu. On HyperOS devices, the number of floating windows running simultaneously has been increased to four, which is a unique feature of the new shell.

• 📱 Sidebar: Retractable curtain for quick access to frequently used applications in floating window mode.
• 🔄 Swipes: Swig to the right of previews - floating window, swipe down - split screen (depending on version).
• 🔒 Lock: Protecting important applications from being unloaded from memory during cleaning.
• 🎨 Topics: The ability to change the appearance of multitasking cards through the theme store.

Using these features is addictive, but it makes content work much faster, such as opening a map in a floating window over the top of a navigator or running a translator over text in a foreign language. Xiaomi’s ecosystem provides all the tools you need out of the box.

Solving problems with display and hanging menus

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the multitasking menu stops opening, animations are running late or the list of applications is displayed incorrectly (black screen instead of previews), most often due to overflowing cache of the system launcher or a temporary failure in the operation of the SystemUI process.

The first step to diagnose and solve the problem should be to clear the launcher cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, find the System Launcher (or Desktop) list and click Clear → Clear Cache. It is important not to confuse this with a complete data cleanup, as the last action will reset the location of the icons on the desktop.

If the problem is that the application previews are not updated (old state is displayed), try rebooting the device. In more complex cases, when the multitasking menu causes the system's "fries," you may need to reset the animation settings. To do this, in the For Developers section (which is activated by seven times clicking on the build number in About Phone), you can find the "Scale of Animation" item and reduce it or temporarily disable.

⚠️ Warning: Enabling Developer Mode and changing system settings can affect device stability if you are unsure of your actions.

Also worth checking for system updates. Xiaomi regularly releases patches that fix memory and interface optimization errors. Pathway to check: Settings → About Phone → MIUI/HyperOS version. Updating to the latest available version often solves problems with heavy animations.

Optimizing memory for heavy tasks

For users who use a smartphone to play games or work with heavy applications, it is critical to properly set memory priorities. The multitasking menu shows only the tip of the iceberg; real management takes place deeper in the system. On Xiaomi devices with more RAM (8 GB and above), the system more aggressively keeps applications in the background.

However, if you notice that games are constantly “flying out” or restarting when switching to them from the multitasking menu, you should use the built-in Game Turbo tool. Adding an app to this list gives it the highest priority in the allocation of CPU and memory resources, ignoring the standard limits of background activity.

In addition, in the battery settings, you can turn off Advanced Optimization for specific games. This algorithm tries to save charge by limiting background activity, but in the case of games, this leads to unwanted behavior of the system. Disabling this feature allows the game to run at full power while it is open and recover faster from the multitasking menu.

• 🚀 Game Turbo: Special mode for games, blocking notifications and allocating resources.
• 🔋 Battery: Set up the operating mode for each application separately.
• 💾 Memory Extension: Using a part of the drive as a virtual RAM (available on new models).
• 🛑 Auto Start: Controlling which programs start with the system.

The right setup of these parameters allows you to achieve a balance between autonomy and performance, and you should not rely only on automated algorithms of the system, especially on devices in the middle price segment, where resources are limited.

💡

Setting memory priorities and using Game Turbo is more important than manually cleaning the multitasking menu.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)