Xiaomi’s modern smartphones, with their huge screen sizes, often make it difficult to control one hand. Users are constantly faced with the need to reach the top corner of the display to lock a device or run a commonly used application. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer flexible tools for personalizing navigation, allowing you to bring functional elements directly into the working area of the thumb.
In this article, we will discuss how to add a lock button to the Xiaomi screen using built-in system tools and special accessibility features. You will learn how to create virtual joysticks, adjust floating windows and optimize the control of the gadget without having to buy additional accessories or get root rights. This is especially true for models with a physically damaged power button or for those who simply appreciate maximum comfort of use.
We're going to look at not only the standard methods, but also the hidden features of the developer menu that allow you to put additional controls into the interface. Understanding these mechanisms will help you make your smartphone experience more efficient and faster. Get ready to turn your Redmi or Poco into a perfectly customized tool for everyday tasks.
Use the “Ballroom Assistant” function to block
The easiest and most native way to add a lock button to the screen is to use the built-in Quick Ball feature, which was originally designed to make it easier to navigate on devices without physical buttons, but it also does a great job of quickly locking the screen. To activate this option, you need to go to the settings section of the system where the options for additional functions are located.
Once turned on, Ballroom Assistant creates a translucent floating button that can be moved around the edges of the screen. The standard action menu often already has a lock option, but you can add it manually if it is hidden. You need to open the settings of the widget itself and select Menu, where all possible commands for quick access are available, including locking the screen.
The thing about this is that the button only appears when you touch the edge of the screen or a floating ball, without taking up the useful space of the desktop all the time, and it's the perfect trade-off between functionality and cleanliness of the interface, so you can set the time of the menu or call it on a double tap, which greatly speeds up the process.
☑️ Setting up a ballroom assistant
Importantly, the widget may behave differently depending on the firmware version. In older versions of MIUI, the path to settings may look different than in current HyperOS builds. However, the logic remains the same: look for sections related to simplification of management or special features. Using such native tools ensures stable operation without the risk of conflicts with third-party software.
Setup of a virtual joystick in special features
If a standard ball isn't enough, Android offers a more advanced tool, a virtual joystick, available through a feature menu, which is often used for gaming, but there's nothing stopping it from being used for everyday navigation. Unlike a simple ball, a joystick allows you to create separate buttons for specific actions, including emulating the press of a physical power button.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. Find the Virtual Joystick or Virtual Keyboard (depending on the translation and OS version). Once turned on, a fully customizable panel will appear on the screen, on which you can put the lock button, which is especially useful if the physical power button on your Xiaomi is unstable.
Hidden possibilities of a virtual joystick
The main advantage of this approach is full customization, you can change the size of the button, its transparency and the location on the screen, and even more so, some versions of the virtual joystick allow you to create multiple profiles for different applications, for example, in games you need one button, and in the browser you need others, including the fast lock button for rest.
⚠️ Note: Using a virtual joystick may overlap part of the interface in applications, and it is recommended to reduce the size of the panel or hide it when not in use, so as not to interfere with the viewing in games or when watching videos.
Creating a lock widget on the desktop
Another effective way to access the lock screen is to place a special widget on the desktop. Unlike floating buttons, the widget is static and always on hand on the home screen. It's a classic method that works on all versions of Android and does not require deep immersion in system settings.
To add this, make a long tap on the empty desktop and select "Widgets." In the list that opens, look for the "Tools" or "System Apps" category. The options available are often the "Block" or "One-touch lock" widget. Drag it to the desktop and the button is ready to use.
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If the standard lock widget looks too simple, try changing the theme in the Themes app. Many custom themes contain unique, stylish lock button widgets that will fit perfectly into your interface.
It’s worth considering that some global firmware may not have a standard lock widget, in which case you can use third-party apps from Google Play that create similar shortcuts. However, native Xiaomi widgets consume less power and are better integrated into the system, so search for them or activate them through hidden menus.
Placing a widget on your desktop is a trade-off between convenience and aesthetics. The button is always visible, but takes up space that could be used for other icons. For users who are critically interested in speed access to the lock feature, this method is one of the most reliable and fastest to execute.
Adding a button through the developer menu and debugging
For advanced users who want to get maximum control over the interface, there are methods of customizing through the developer menu. Although there is no direct “add widget” button there, activating certain debugging modes can unlock additional items in the special features menu or change the behavior of the navigation bar.
To get into the developer menu, you need to quickly click on the build number in the About Phone section several times. Once the corresponding notification appears, a new section will open in the advanced settings. Here you can find parameters related to the behavior of buttons and the interface. For example, enabling the “Show Touch” option or changing the behavior of navigation buttons can indirectly affect the availability of control functions.
However, the most effective method for power users is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands to implement system widgets that are hidden by default, which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and entering specific commands, which allows you to add a lock button even to places in the interface where the developers did not foresee it.
Using debugging techniques requires caution. Changing system parameters incorrectly can lead to unstable interfaces. Always check what changes you make, and be able to reset to factory settings. For most users, the methods described in the previous sections will suffice without having to get into the jungle of system code.
Comparison of screen control methods
The best way to add a lock button depends on your personal preferences and the smartphone model, and to help you decide, we have prepared a comparison table of the main methods discussed above, which will help you to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
| Method | Difficulty setting up | Impact on the battery | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballroom assistant | Low. | Minimum | High (floating) |
| A virtual joystick | Medium | Average. | Very high (flexibility) |
| A widget on the desktop | Low. | Absent. | Average (takes up space) |
| ADB teams | Tall. | Depends on implementation | Maximum (integration) |
As you can see from the table, "Balloon Assistant" is the middle ground for most users. It's easy to set up and doesn't require complicated manipulations. The virtual joystick is for gamers or those who need full customization. Widgets are the choice of conservatives, and ADB is for enthusiasts who are willing to experiment with the system.
Keep in mind that different Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note vs. Mi Flagman) may have different interface performance, and on budget models, heavy floating widgets can cause micro-latency, so static desktop widgets are preferable.
Troubleshooting and troubleshooting
Users may encounter a number of common problems during the setup process, such as adding a button to the button that can overlap important elements in other applications or disappear after a reboot, often due to the aggressive MIUI energy saving system that kills the background processes of the widgets.
To keep the button running smoothly, add the appropriate app or system service to the battery exception list. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Protection (or “Battery Consumption”) and find the process responsible for special features. Set “No Limits” mode, which ensures that the system does not turn off the screen lock function to save energy.
⚠️ Note: If the lock button stopped responding after the system update, check the app's permissions. In new versions of Android and HyperOS, the permission requirements for overlaying on top of other windows have become stricter and need to be reconfirmed.
It's also possible that there's a button, but the screen doesn't go out. This could be due to device administrator privileges. Make sure the application that creates the button is allowed to control the device. Without that right, the lock command can simply be ignored by the security system.
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The stability of the lock button depends on the power saving settings. Be sure to turn off the energy savings for system navigation services to ensure that the function runs smoothly.
If neither method worked, it might be a firmware bug, where cleaning the Settings cache or resetting special features helps, and remember that software conflicts are temporary, and are most often solved by updating the system or reconfiguring settings.