The smartphone interface is the first thing we encounter with each interaction with the device, and its convenience directly affects the speed of work. Xiaomi users often wonder how to personalize the standard menu of quick settings, popularly known as the “curtain”. In the latest versions of the MIUI shells and the new HyperOS, the company’s engineers have provided enough tools to change the appearance and functionality of this element without the need to obtain superuser rights.
The ability to transform the interface allows you to adapt the gadget to specific usage habits, whether it is managing a smart home or changing sound profiles often. However, standard tools of the system are sometimes hidden from the eyes of the average user, requiring the activation of additional options or installing specialized applications. Curtain customization is not just aesthetics, but also a way to improve the ergonomics of one-handed control.
In this article, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can change your control panel, from built-in style switches to advanced methods using third-party software. You’ll learn how to move volume and brightness sliders to the top of your screen, change the button grid, and add useful widgets that were previously unavailable. A deep understanding of System UI settings will open up new horizons in managing your Redmi or Poco.
Built-in style settings in MIUI and HyperOS
Start with the basic features that the operating system itself provides: the latest updates to the MIUI 12.5 shell, MIUI 13/14 and especially to HyperOS have introduced a switch between the “old” and “new” style of the control panel, which is the most secure and stable way, without requiring additional software installation.
To access these settings, you need to go to the Settings menu, then select Notifications and Control Center (or just Notifications depending on the firmware version). This is where the key switch that changes the architecture of the display elements. The Control Center style separates notifications from the quick action buttons, making the interface more like iOS, which many find more convenient.
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If the style switch is not active or missing, check for system updates in the About Phone section, as this feature was implemented in later versions of MIUI.
When you choose a new style, you'll notice that the brightness and sound sliders have moved to the top right of the screen, and the buttons have become larger and grouped. This change affects the SystemUI.apk system interface, so it works stably and doesn't affect battery autonomy. The old style, in turn, leaves all the elements on a single list, which is common for Android users of earlier versions.
Use of third-party applications for customization
If built-in capabilities are not enough, specialized applications from the Google Play Store come to the rescue. The most popular and functional solution is the Control Center app from the developer tombayley, which allows you to completely replace the standard curtain with a custom curtain with support for themes, changing the number of columns and adding new switches.
Once the application is installed, it needs to be given a number of critical permissions, first of all, access to special capabilities (Accessibility) to allow the application to read the current state of the system and block the screen with its panel, and you will need permission to display on top of other windows and access to notifications.
- 🔍 Access to notifications: required to display the notification list in the new curtain.
- 🔓 Special features: allow the application to intercept the swipe from top to bottom and replace the system panel.
- 🖼️ Display over windows: Required to render the interface over running applications.
- 🔋 Autostart: It is important to allow the application to run with the system so that the curtain works immediately after turning on.
☑️ Setting up the side curtain
It is important to understand that using third-party interface launchers can lead to micro-latency when opening the curtain, especially on budget models of smartphones with a small amount of RAM. In addition, such applications consume additional battery power, as they are constantly active in the background, waiting for the user to act.
Detailed setting of grid and widgets
One of the main problems of the standard curtain on large screens of Xiaomi smartphones is the lack of space for all the necessary buttons. In custom application settings, and sometimes in system settings (section edit in the control center), you can change the number of buttons in the row.
Standardly, the system offers a grid of 4 or 5 buttons in a row, but third-party solutions allow you to increase this number to 6 or even 7, or, conversely, reduce to create large buttons. This is especially true for users who often change sound profiles or use many smart home scenarios.
| Setup parameter | Standard value | Possible value (mode) | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of buttons in a row | 4-5 | 8 | Minimum |
| Size of sliders | Fixed | Customizable | Requires third-party software |
| Number of pages | 1-2 | No restrictions. | Depends on RAM. |
| Support for topics | Limited. | Complete. | Affects design |
Hidden widgets
Adding widgets allows you to put common features on a single swipe, such as a weather widget, pedometer, or a quick start of an NFC payment, which turns the curtain from a simple list of switches into a full-fledged digital image control panel for the user.
Compatibility issues and interface bugs
When the system interface is modified in depth, users often experience unstable work, and the most common bug is the "duplication" of the curtain, where the system panel appears first when you swipe down, and after a split second, the custom panel pops up on top of it, due to a conflict of timings in the special services.
Another problem is desynchronizing the button state, and you can click on the Bluetooth button in the custom curtain, turn it off, but in the state bar, the icon will remain active until the next status update, usually by restarting the modifier app or the smartphone itself.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party control panels, be careful about requests to access banking applications.Some modified versions may request unnecessary permissions, which poses data security risks.
Also worth mentioning is the dark theme problem: If you use a system dark theme, a custom curtain may invert colors incorrectly, making the text unreadable, and in such cases, it is recommended to use the built-in design themes inside the application itself to adjust the curtain, ignoring the system contrast settings.
Management through ADB for advanced users
For those who are not afraid of the command line, there is a method of hidden configuration of the system curtain through ADB debugging (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to change the settings that are not available in the usual menu, for example, to force the new style of the control center on older versions of MIUI.
To start, you need to activate the developer mode by seven times clicking on the build number in the About Phone section, and turn on the Debugging over USB. After connecting to the computer and installing the drivers, you can enter commands to modify the global settings of the system.
settings put global quick_settings_tiles wifi,bluetooth,flashlight,brightnessThis command is an example of how you can reassign the order of the tiles, although the full functionality depends on the specific version of the firmware. Using ADB requires accuracy: one syntax error can cause the control panel to stop opening altogether and you have to reset the settings.
The advantage of ADB is that changes are made directly to the system settings tables without requiring a constantly running background application, which saves processor and battery resources, ensuring maximum smoothness of the interface.
Impact of design themes on control elements
Keep in mind that the appearance of buttons, sliders and background curtains depends on the installed theme. The MIUI Themes store has thousands of options that completely change the graphics of system elements, including icons in the control center.
When choosing a theme, look at the control center screenshots. Some designers create desktop-only themes, leaving system elements standard. Others work on creating unique brightness sliders and switches.
- 🎨 Icon design: Themes can change the shape of buttons from squares to circles or capsules.
- 🌈 Color scheme: the ability to choose colors under the wallpaper or make them fully transparent.
- 📐 Geometry: Change in the thickness of sliders and the distance between elements.
Changes often require a theme reboot or even a full device reboot. If the curtain looks “gotten” after installing the theme, or elements bump into each other, then the theme is not optimized for your Android version or screen resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it safe to use curtain replacement apps?
Why did the control center settings disappear after the MIUI update?
Can I bring the brightness sliders back down the screen?
Does the custom curtain affect the speed of the smartphone?
How to remove the installed custom curtain?
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The optimal way to change the curtain depends on your model: for flagships, any methods will suit, and for public sector employees it is better to limit yourself to built-in themes.
To sum up, changing the curtain menu on Xiaomi is a powerful personalization tool.Whether it’s simple styling switching in settings or complex configuration through ADB, every user can find an option that makes interaction with a smartphone more comfortable and efficient.