How to change the functionality of the volume keys on Xiaomi smartphones: from the alarm clock to the launch of applications

The volume buttons on Xiaomi smartphones are only responsible for adjusting the sound by default, but few people know that they can be adapted to their needs. Have you ever wondered how it would be convenient to use side keys to quickly start the camera, switch tracks or even activate the flashlight? In this article, we will discuss all the working ways of reassigning functions - from standard MIUI settings to advanced methods using ADB and third-party applications.

It's important to understand that reassignment options vary depending on the firmware version and device model. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14 has some options available, while the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5 has others. We'll look at the universal methods that work on most devices, and also point out the specific features for specific lines. If you're ready to turn volume buttons into a feature-rich tool, read on!

MIUI Standard Settings: What You Can Change Without Root

So, to start with, the simplest thing is that it's built-in MIUI, and even without additional apps, you can actually do a little bit of volume button behavior.

1. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Volume buttons.
2. Here you will see the option Volume adjustment buttons - it allows you to choose which sound will change when pressed (melody, multimedia, alarm clock, etc.).
3. On some models (for example, POCO F4 or Xiaomi 12T) available option Quick volume reduction – it allows one long press to reduce the volume to zero.

Unfortunately, standard MIUI settings don't allow you to completely reassign buttons to other actions (like launching apps), but there's a hidden feature that allows you to use the volume button down to quickly start the camera - even when the screen is locked.

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Lock screen.
• 🔍 Find the Quick Camera Start option and turn it on.
• 📸 Now, double-pressing the volume button will open the camera (works on most models after 2020).

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A) This feature may conflict with the control gestures, so if swipes stop working after activation, turn off the camera's quick start or reconfigure gestures to Settings. → Display. → Full screen mode.

Use of Button Mapper: Extended features If built-in options MIUI Not enough, but a third-party Button Mapper app (available on Google Play) will help, and it allows you to reassign volume buttons to anything from launching apps to simulating taps on the screen. Here's how to use it: Install Button Mapper from the official store. When you first start, give the app special powers (necessary to intercept button presses) select Volume Up or Volume Down in the button list and assign a new action: 🎵 Switching tracks: one click is the next track, double – the previous one. 🔦 Lantern: long press turns on/off the lights. 📱 Launching an application: for example, opening Google Assistant or Shagomer. 🔄 Gesture simulation: swipe down to open the notification panel. The app supports conditional actions — for example, you can configure different functions for a locked and unlocked screen. There is also an option Delayed Action, which helps to avoid accidental pressing. ⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 13+ Button Mapper may not work properly due to system limitations. If the buttons don't respond, try turning off battery optimization for the app in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Button Mapper → Battery. Install an app from Google Play|Include special facilities|Select the Volume button Up/Down|Assign an action (for example, start the camera)|Testing the work in different scenarios-->

Reassignment through ADB: for advanced users

If you’re ready to dive into the technical details, the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method will unlock the maximum button reassignment capabilities that work on all Xiaomi devices, but requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Turn on the developer mode on your smartphone: go to Settings → About phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect the phone to the computer and install it. ADB-driver.
4. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell


settings put global volume_key_long_press_torch 1 # Turns on flashlight at long down volume press




settings put global volume_key_long_press_camera 1 # Starts the camera at long presses of volume up

The full list of available commands for reassignment:

To return the standard button behavior, replace 1 by 0 in commands or do:

adb shell settings delete global volume_key_long_press_torch

⚠️ Attention: Some teams ADB They may be reset after the update. MIUI. To avoid this, create a script to automatically apply settings after a reboot (for example, using the Tasker app).

Hidden MIUI functions: gestures and button combinations

There are a few hidden features in MIUI that many people don’t know about, such as the following combinations are supported on most Xiaomi devices (starting with the Redmi Note 7):

• 🎶 Switching tracks: one press of volume up + one volume press down (next track), double press - previous track.
• 📞 Deflection of call: during incoming call, press the volume down + power-button.
• 🔇 Silent mode: during the call, press the volume down twice in a row.
• 🔍 Quick search: on the main screen, press and hold the volume up (works on the main screen) MIUI 13+).

These combinations are activated by default, but can be disabled or changed in the Settings menu → Special Features → Button Gestures. On some models (for example, Xiaomi 11T Pro), a Double Press Power button setting is available, which, by analogy, allows you to assign an action to double press the volume buttons.

On devices with MIUI 14 there was an experimental function "Dynamic buttons" - it allows you to assign different actions depending on the context (for example, in the YouTube application, the volume buttons will rewind the video, and in Google Maps - zoom in on the map). While this option is available only in beta versions of the firmware, but it can be activated through the Settings menu. → Functions laboratory.

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If you listen to music often, double-press the volume button to start your player (such as Spotify or Yandex Music) and save time and reduce screen wear from constant unlocking.

Reassign buttons on root-right devices

If your Xiaomi has an unlocked bootloader and root rights, the options for reassigning buttons become almost limitless. You can use applications like the Xposed Framework (for older versions of Android) or Magisk modules for fine-tuning.

One of the most popular modules is the Volume Key Seek, which allows you to:

• 🎬 Rewind video in players (for example, YouTube or VLC) volume-button.
• 📖 Pages in books or articles.
• 🔍 Adjust the brightness of the screen (instead of volume).
• 🎮 Use buttons as game triggers (useful for emulators).

Installation of the module through Magisk:

1. Download the module file (for example, from the XDA Developers forum).
2. Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
3. Click Install Module and select the downloaded file.
4. Reset the device.

After setting the module settings usually appear in the Settings menu → System system → Note that some modules may conflict with MIUI-optimizations, so make a backup copy of the data before installation.

⚠️ Note: Using root rights voids Xiaomi's warranty and can lead to unstable system operation.Before experimenting, check the compatibility of the module with your version MIUI forum-room.

Reassign buttons to POCO and Black Shark: features of gaming devices

The POCO and Black Shark line devices (game smartphones from Xiaomi) have unique button reassignment capabilities tailored to gamers. On Black Shark 5 Pro, for example, physical volume buttons can be used as game triggers with customizable sensitivity.

To set the buttons on Black Shark:

1. Open the Shark Space app (pre-installed on the device).
2. Go to the section Game settings → Physical buttons.
3. Select the game you want to reassign buttons for (or adjust global behavior).
4. Assign actions: for example, volume up = jump, volume down = squat.

On POCO devices (like the POCO F4 GT), Game Turbo is available, which also allows you to reassign buttons, but with fewer options. The main difference from Black Shark is that you can not configure analog sensitivity (buttons only work as digital triggers).

There is another life hack for Black Shark owners: if you plug in the Black Shark FunCooler Pro gamepad, the volume buttons can be used to control backlighting or switch cooling profiles, which is especially useful during long gaming sessions.

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On Black Shark and POCO, volume buttons can be reassigned separately for each game, allowing PUBG Mobile to use them for shooting, and Genshin Impact to use them for character change, for example.

What to do if reassignment does not work: diagnosing problems

If you followed the instructions, but the volume buttons still don’t perform the new functions, here’s a list of possible causes and solutions:

If the problem is not solved, try resetting the button settings to the standard:

1. For Button Mapper: Open the app and click Reset to Default.
2. For ADB: Adb shell settings delete global settings volume_key_long_press_torch (substitute volume_key_long_press_torch on your team).
3. For MIUI: go to Settings → System → Resetting of settings → Resetting of button settings.

If the reassignment still doesn’t work, check if it’s blocked by antivirus or Google Play Protection, and make sure the device doesn’t activate Safe Mode (it disables all third-party button settings).

FAQ: Frequent questions about reassigning volume buttons