How to Change the Top Curtain on Xiaomi: Android and Control Center Styles

The MIUI shell interface, and now HyperOS, offers users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones a unique way to customize system elements. One of the most notable changes that developers have implemented is an alternative control panel, often called a “curtain” or Control Center, which visually separates notifications from switches, making the control of the gadget more ergonomic and modern.

Many device owners are faced with the question of how to change the appearance of this area to fit their habits or look more fresh. Standard system settings allow you to switch between the classic look of Android and the new style of iOS, as well as finely customize the contents of each section. This gives you complete control over which buttons will be available in one swipe.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available top panel modification methods, where hidden settings are hidden, how to distribute widgets correctly, and what the limitations of the standard system are, and we will also cover the topic of third-party applications for those who lack standard functionality.

Differences between Android and Control Center

Before we make any changes, we need to understand what we're working with. Xiaomi's system settings have two main top-panel display modes. The first is the classic style that pure Android users are used to, and in this case, notifications and switches (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight) are in the same space and scroll together when swiping from top to bottom.

The second option is Control Center, which is visually divided into two separate parts, and the swipe on the right opens the panel with brightness and volume sliders and quick action buttons, and the swipe on the left shows a list of all notifications received from applications, which prevents important messages from being accidentally closed when you try to turn on Wi-Fi.

The choice of the appropriate style depends solely on the personal preferences of the user. Some people appreciate minimalism and speed of access to notifications in the classic mode, while others prefer the visual aesthetics and ease of managing multimedia that the updated interface offers. Fortunately, switching between them takes only a few seconds.

⚠️ Note: In some global firmware versions or regions, the style switch menu may be referred to as “Control Center Style” or “Notifications and Control Elements».

It should be noted that the transition to the new style does not affect the performance of third-party applications. All system functions remain stable, only the way the information is presented visually on the lock screen and desktop changes, a purely cosmetic change that, however, greatly improves the user experience.

How to switch the style of curtains in the settings

The process of changing the appearance of the notification panel is as simple as possible by Xiaomi engineers and does not require obtaining superuser rights. You do not need to install additional launchers or use complex scripts. All the necessary tools are already built into the system menu.

To begin the changes, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Unlock your smartphone and find the Settings app».
• ⚙️ Scroll down the list and select Notifications and Status bar».
• 🖱️ Click on the section "Notifications and control elements».
• 🔄 Choose the desired style: “Classic” or “New».

Once you have selected a new mode, the system will apply the changes instantly, you won't need to restart the device, you can go back at any time and check which one you're more comfortable with, and you're advised to use each style for at least a couple of days to make a final decision.

It is important to understand that in some versions of the shell MIUI 12 or MIUI 13, the location of menu items may be slightly different. If you do not find the desired section right away, use the search bar at the top of the settings menu. Type a request for "curtain" or "style", and the system will redirect you to the desired section.

Configuring the contents of the control panel

Once you have chosen your preferred style, you can move to a deeper setup, the control panel allows you to change not only the look, but also the functionality, you can add, remove and move the quick access buttons, as well as widgets for smart home control.

To edit the set of buttons, you need:

1. Open the swipe control panel down.
2. Click on the pencil icon or the Edit button (usually located in the corner or bottom of the list).
3. In the menu you will see two zones: “Add” and “Delete”.
4. Drag the items you want to the top of the list so they show up first.

The smart home control unit, which is particularly noteworthy, is that if you're using the Mi Home ecosystem, you can have switches in the curtain for lights, sockets or cameras, and you can control the lighting without opening the main application, but if you don't have one, you can hide it so you don't clutter the interface.

You can also adjust the behavior of brightness and sound sliders in this section, and in this new style, they are often combined or vertically arranged, which is convenient for one-handed control. In the classic style, they can be put into a separate row. Experiment with the location to find the most ergonomic option for your smartphone model.

Working with widgets and quick actions

Modern versions of the HyperOS and MIUI 14 have brought with them an updated widget system that can be integrated directly into or near the notification area, depending on the launcher and version of the system chosen, which allows you to display information about the weather, steps or battery status on the lock screen.

To add widgets to the notification area (if supported by your version of the software):

• 🌤️ Swipe down the center of the screen to open the widgets.
• ➕ Press the button «+» or "Edit" at the bottom of the screen.
• 📂 Select the category of widgets from the proposed list.
• ✅ Click on the plusic next to the desired element to activate it.

Some widgets are interactive. For example, a music widget allows you to switch tracks, and a calendar widget allows you to see upcoming events without unlocking the phone completely. This saves you a lot of time in everyday use. However, it's worth remembering that active widgets can consume additional battery power.

If you notice that your smartphone starts to run out faster after installing new widgets, try turning off those that require constant updates over the Internet, especially news widgets and social feeds.

Third-party customization applications

Xiaomi’s regular tools may not be enough for users who want to radically change the interface. There are many apps available in the Google Play and GetApps store that allow you to create your own curtain themes, they can mimic the interfaces of iOS, OneUI or offer a completely unique design.

Popular categories of applications for modification:

• 🎨 Launchers: Complete desktop replacement and often notification panel.
• 🔔 Notification Bars: Apps that replace only the system curtain.
• ⚙️ Control Centers: Utilities for Creating Complex Management Scenarios.

One of the leaders in this niche is iOS 15’s Control Center app or its analogues, which allows you to recreate an exact copy of the iPhone interface on an Android device, and installing such programs usually requires special permissions, such as “Above Other Windows” and “Access Notifications.”

⚠️ Note: Using third-party applications to replace system elements can lead to increased RAM consumption and unstable system operation.

Before installing any such software, be sure to read user reviews. Make sure the app is compatible with your version of Android. Remember that third-party programs do not have the same access to the phone hardware as system ones, so some features (such as brightness adjustment) may not work properly.

Frequent problems and their solution

During the setup process, users may encounter various technical problems, such as when the firmware updates, the curtains may reset to standard ones, or new widgets may stop updating, and in most cases these problems are solved by simple methods.

If the curtain is not working properly (it does not open, brake, does not respond to touch), try the following steps:

1. Reboot the device. It's the easiest and most efficient way to make temporary errors.
2. Clear the cache of the Settings or System UI application.
3. Check for system updates in the Settings menu → About the phone.
4. If you have third-party themes installed, try to disable them and return the standard one.

Sometimes the problem is that the device has overflowing memory. If there is less than 1 GB of free space on the drive, the system can run slowly, and the animations of the curtain will be twitched. Make room by removing unnecessary files or applications.

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If the curtain stopped opening after installing the application, go into Safe Mode (clamping the off button), remove the last installed application and restart in normal mode.

Also worth mentioning is a possible access rights conflict: If you allow an application to be displayed on top of other windows, it may overlap the swipe area, check the list of applications with this permission in the security settings and disable it for suspicious programs.

Results and recommendations for setting up

Changing the top curtain on Xiaomi is a simple but effective way to personalize your smartphone. You can choose between the functionality of a classic Android and the aesthetics of the new Control Center. Flexible customization allows you to adapt the interface to any task, whether it is work, games or multimedia.

Key findings for users:

• Use the built-in MIUI/HyperOS tools for maximum stability.
• Use third-party applications with caution only if the standard functionality is not enough.
• Clean the panel of unused buttons regularly for quick access to the desired functions.

Don't be afraid to experiment with settings. Xiaomi is flexible enough to allow you to create the perfect environment. The key is to find a balance between beauty and practicality. A properly tuned curtain saves time and makes interaction with your smartphone more enjoyable.

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Optimal curtain setting is a combination of a new Control Center style for ergonomics and a minimal set of widgets to save battery life.