How to change the notification curtain on Xiaomi Mi 8: all the ways from standard to hidden

Why does the notification curtain on Xiaomi Mi 8 require customization?

The notification panel (or “curtain”) on the Xiaomi Mi 8 is not just a tool for quick access to alerts, but also a key element of the MIUI interface that can be deeply customized. Many users find the standard curtain overloaded with unnecessary switches, has an uncomfortable order of elements or simply does not match their aesthetic preferences. For example, in the versions of MIUI 12-14, the default activated “control panel” with large icons, which takes up half the screen, and the classic compact look is hidden in the settings.

The Mi 8 (codenamed dipper) features both official upgrades to MIUI 12.5 (the latest stable version for this device) and custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience. This means that the ways to change the curtain will vary depending on the software version. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from basic settings in the phone menu to editing system files for advanced users.

It is important to note that Xiaomi regularly changes the logic of the layout of options in new versions of MIUI. If your Mi 8 runs on MIUI 10-11, some menu items may be called differently or located in other sections.

Method 1: Standard settings through the phone menu

Let's start with the simplest of them all, built-in MIUI options that don't require superuser rights or third-party apps, and even there are more features than you might think.

To open the main curtain settings:

1. Go to Settings → Control Panel and notifications (in MIUI 10-11 this item may be called Notifications and Status bar).
2. Select Control Panel (or Notification Curtain in older versions).
3. Here you will see a few key options: 🔄 Control Panel Style: Switching between the “control panel” (large icons) and the classic look. 🎨 Color scheme: the choice between light/dark theme or automatic mode. 📱 Switch order: the ability to drag and drop icons of fast settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.). 🔍 Displayable elements: Turning on/off low-use switches (e.g. Airplane Mode or Hot Spot).

Note the option to Display Application Shortcuts – if you turn it off, only system switches will remain in the curtain, which will speed up access to them. MIUI 12+ also introduced the feature “Separate Notifications”, which sorts alerts by category (for example, “Messages” and “System”).

💡

If your version of MIUI doesn't have Control Panel, try the path: Settings → Additional → Special Features → Notification Panel. This is true for some regional firmware.

Method 2: Changing transparency and blurring of the curtain

One of the things about MIUI is the blurring effect of opening the curtains, but not everyone likes the transparency or the fact that it's blurry, and fortunately, you can customize it without root rights.

Instructions for MIUI 12-14:

1. Open Settings → Screen → Style of the lock screen.
2. Scroll down to the Blurring Effects block.
3. Here you will see the Notification Panel Transparency slider – move it left to reduce the effect or right to amplify.
4. Turn on or off the background blur option (in some versions it is called wallpaper blur).

In MIUI 10-11, this setting may be elsewhere: Settings → Additional → System Effects → Interface Transparency. If you don’t have an option at all, your firmware doesn’t support this feature, you’ll have to use third-party utilities (more on that below).

Method 3: Castomy through hidden settings (Engineer Mode)

For those who are willing to dive deeper, the Xiaomi Mi 8 has a hidden engineering menu (Engineer Mode) where you can change the curtain options that are not available in the standard interface, for example, here you can turn off the opening animation, change the speed of the swipe or even adjust the indentations of elements.

How to get into Engineer Mode:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code ##4636##
3. In the menu that appears, select Engineer mode (MTK) or EngineerMode (depending on the firmware).
4. Go to the Hardware Testing → Display section.

Consider setting up via NachoNotify (the easiest option):

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command ADB: adb shell pm grant com.fox2code.nachonotif android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
3. In the app, select: Notification background, Transparency level, Icon tint.

Apply the changes and restart the phone.

Install ADB on PC|Enable USB debugging in developer settings|Plug phone to PC and confirm access |Execute ADB command to grant rights |Reboot device-->

⚠️ Note: Apps like NachoNotify may conflict with some features MIUI, For example, with Second Space or Child Mode, if the curtain gets jammed after setting up, turn off those modes or uninstall the app.

Method 5: Deep Customization with Root Rights

If you are ready to get root access, the options for configuring the curtain are expanded significantly, with root you can edit system files, replace icons, change fonts, and even install alternative notification panels (for example, from the firmware Pixel or OxygenOS).

The basic steps to customization with root:

1. Get root rights with Magisk (the instructions for the Mi 8 are available on the XDA Developers forum).
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
3. Cross the path: /system/media/theme/default/ This is where the curtain style files are stored (notification_panel_bg.9.png — background, qs_tile_*.png - icons of switches).
4. Copy the original files to a backup folder, then replace them with your own (names and permissions must match).
5. Change the parameters in the file /system/build.prop, line-in: ro.config.notification_panel_style=1 ro.config.notification_panel_transparency=0.7 (where 1 — curtain-style, 0.7 — transparency).
6. Reboot the phone.

The process of installing custom firmware on Mi 8:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (it may take 7-30 days to wait).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. Download the firmware (for example, from the XDA site) and transfer it to the phone.
4. Download to recovery and wipe (Dalvik, Cache, System, Data).
5. Install. ZIP-Firmware and GApps (if you need Google services).
6. Reset the device.

After installing, for example, Pixel Experience, you will get a curtain with:

• Automatically sort notifications by importance.
• Quick access to brightness settings and media player.
• Supporting a dark topic at the system level.
• No advertising and no unnecessary switches (unlike MIUI).

Solving problems after changing the curtain

If after customization the curtain began to work incorrectly, use these tips:

• 🔄 Reset the curtain settings: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → System applications → Notification panel and press Reset.
• 📱 Cache Cleanup: Select Warehouse in the same menu → Clear the cache.
• 🔧 Recoiling changes ADB: If you use NachoNotify, run the command: adb shell pm revoke com.fox2code.nachonotif android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
• 🔄 Backup recovery: If you edited system files, return the original versions from backup.

If the curtain has stopped opening at all:

1. Restart your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button → long tap on Turn off → Safe Mode).
2. Remove all newly installed customization apps.
3. If the problem persists, reset your settings via Recovery (Wipe Cache Partition).

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi Mi 8 with MIUI 12.5. the curtain may reset and the order of the fast switches may also reset. To avoid this, take a screenshot of the current configuration before reset or export the settings via Mi Cloud.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up the curtain on Xiaomi Mi 8