How to change the status of the bar on Xiaomi: settings, styles and hidden features

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones offer users a huge amount of personalization beyond just changing wallpaper. One of the key interface elements we see every minute is the status bar, a narrow bar at the top of the screen that displays time, battery power and notifications. The standard appearance of a MIUI system or the new HyperOS may seem boring, but the deep-seated settings allow it to be transformed beyond recognition.

Many owners of Redmi and POCO devices are unaware that they can move the watch to the center, change the style of the battery indicator or add additional icons of system processes. This article will detail all the available ways to modify the top panel, from standard menus to the use of specialized tools like MIUI Theme Editor.

Before you start actively modifying system files or installing third-party themes, it is important to understand the structure of the interface. Status bar is not just a picture, but a dynamic widget that responds to the actions of the system. Incorrectly configuring or installing an incompatible theme can lead to incorrect display of information, so all actions should be performed consistently and consciously.

Basic configuration through the system menu

The first and most secure way to make changes to the top of the screen is to use the operating system’s built-in settings. Depending on the shell version (MIUI 12, 13, 14 or HyperOS), the location of the items may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same. You need to go to Settings → Wallpaper and Personalization → Lock screen, where the basic features of the appearance are hidden.

Here, the user can choose the format of displaying the time, there are options with large numbers, small print or full hiding of the clock in favor of widgets, and this menu often adjusts the style of display of notifications: they can appear with icons on the left or right, or form a single status bar, changing these parameters does not require superuser rights and is safe for device warranty.

The battery indicator is also worth adjusting, and the system allows you to choose between a percentage display inside the icon, a numerical value next to it or a classic graphic designation. For those who appreciate minimalism, the option of completely hiding the indicator is available, although this is not recommended due to the risk of discharging at the wrong time.

• 🔋 Battery Styles: Choosing between Digital, Graphic and Hidden Charge Display Mode.
• ⏰ Time format: the ability to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats, as well as changing the font.
• 🔔 Notification icons: setting the density and location of active application icons.
• 📶 Network Indicators: Displaying Connection Type (4G, 5G, Wi-Fi 6) and signal strength.

⚠️ Warning: Some system themes may force you to change the location of the bar status items, ignoring your menu settings. If the clock is out of place after installing the theme, check the theme description or try resetting the theme to a standard one.

Importantly, the basic settings are limited to visual preferences and do not affect the functional part. You can not add new widgets or change the transparency of the panel background through the standard menu.

Using themes to change the status of the bar

The most popular and effective way to dramatically change the look of the interface is to install third-party themes through the Themes app. Unlike standard settings, themes replace the system's graphical resources, including bar icons, fonts, colors and animations. The GetThemes directory has thousands of community-created options available.

When searching for a topic, pay attention to the screenshots in the description, especially the images of the lock screen and the top panel. Many authors create themes specifically for certain models, such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12, which ensures that all elements are correctly displayed. The installation of the theme takes a few seconds, and application requires confirmation and a brief reboot of the interface.

However, there are limitations to this method: Themes may not support all the features of the new version of Android or HyperOS. For example, dynamic islands or new types of notifications may not display correctly if the theme was developed long ago. In addition, some themes may contain ads or require an Internet connection to unlock, which is worth considering when choosing.

If you find the perfect theme, but you're confused by one element, like the color of the watch, you can use the mixing feature, so the theme editor (if available in your version) can take the status of a bar from one theme, and wallpaper and icons from another, and this allows you to create a unique design without having to resort to complex technical manipulations.

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Before installing a paid or complex theme, be sure to back up your current configuration through the Profile → Themes menu to quickly return to the original state in the event of a crash.

Advanced Customization with MIUI Theme Editor

For users who want to change the status of the bar on Xiaomi to pixel accuracy, there is a tool MIUI Theme Editor. This is the official utility from developers that allows you to edit the theme files on your computer, with the help of which you can change the transparency of the panel, move the clock to any corner of the screen or replace standard icons with your own images.

The process of working with the editor requires a PC and basic skills of working with the file system. You need to download the theme template, unpack it and find the files responsible for the status bar (usually they are in the statusbar folder). It stores images for the background, icons and text configurations. Changing them and collecting the theme back, you will get a.mtz file ready to install.

And the value of this is that you can set up transparency. The standard interface often has a solid background, but with the editor, you can make the bar completely transparent so that the wallpaper can shine through it, and it creates a depth effect and visually increases the screen space, and you can also adjust the behavior of the panel when you deploy the notification curtain.

Working with a theme editor opens up access to hidden system resources, but it requires caution. An error in the XML code or an incorrect image size can cause the status of the bar to disappear completely or the phone to go into a cyclical reboot.

Modification of system files and Root rights

The most radical way to change the status of the bar is to directly interfere with system files through the rights of the superuser (Root). Once you get advanced access rights, you can edit the framework files responsible for building the interface, which allows you to implement functions that are not available even in the theme editor, such as adding a second row of hours or changing the logo of the carrier.

To implement such changes, the most common modules for Magisk or direct editing of files in the section are used. /system/framework/framework-res.apk and SystemUI.apk. The process requires decompilation APK-files, editing resource code (XML) Any error here is critical: an incorrect byte in the code can brick a device, rendering it incapable of booting.

There are pre-built modules, like Pixelify or custom MIUI tweaks, that automatically make changes to system files, that can add real-time Internet speed, CPU temperature, or memory space to the bar status, but you can't install them on devices with a locked bootloader without unlocking it, which erases all data from the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Direct editing of system APK-Files without a recovery point (TWRP If the SystemUI file cannot start after editing, the phone will restart endlessly. Always have a computer with it installed. ADB rollback.

Users who choose to take this step need to understand the risks: Updating an over-the-air system (OTA) after obtaining Root rights and modifying system partitions most often leads to errors or a confluence of access rights, and banking applications and services with a high degree of protection may cease to work on the modified device.

Set up notification curtain and control center

Although the status of the bar and the notification curtain are technically separate, they are perceived by the user as a single interaction mechanism. In the new versions of MIUI and HyperOS, the control center was moved into a separate unit separated by a swipe, the setting of this area also affects the overall perception of the top of the screen.

From the Settings menu → Notifications and Status bar → Control Center can select a display style. Classic style is available, where the switches are in the same curtain as the notifications, and New style is divided into two parts. The choice of style changes the logic of swipes: in the new mode, the swipe down on the right side opens the settings, and on the left – notifications.

Also, the number of visible lines of text in the notifications and the behavior of the LED indicator (if any in the model) are configured here. AMOLED-It is important to set the timeout of the screen switch off so that the status of the bar is not burned out when a static image is displayed, although modern panels are deprived of this drawback thanks to the pixel shift technology.

Keep in mind widgets that can be placed at the top of the screen, overlapping or adjacent to the bar status. The right layout of widgets and app icons creates a harmonious visual range. The chaotic placement of elements reduces ergonomics and prevents quick access to important information such as time or battery power.

Solution and troubleshooting

During the setup process, users often encounter problems when changes are not applied or displayed incorrectly. One common reason is the system's caching of resources. After setting a new theme or changing settings, it is recommended that you completely reboot the device, rather than just turn off the screen, this will clear the temporary GUI files.

Another common problem is the conflict of topics: If you have a theme that is not optimized for your Android version, the status bar elements can go off or become unreadable, in which case resetting the theme to the standard through the recovery menu (if the phone is available) or through Safe Mode will help.

If after all the manipulations, the status of the bar is completely lost (it became a black field or a transparent void), most likely, the system interface file is damaged, in which case cleaning the cache of the Themes and System Interface application through the Settings menu → Applications → All applications will help.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu), customization methods may differ from global versions. Custom builds often already have advanced options to change the status of the bar in the standard settings menu.

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Stability is more important than visual effects, and if it causes lags or heat, it's better to go back to standard design.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)