Smartphones brand Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are famous for their functionality, but out of the box their interface may seem overloaded or just unusual after other Android shells. Standard configuration of the home screen is only a base that developers offer each user, but the real power of the MIUI system or the new HyperOS is revealed through deep customization.
A good desktop setting not only makes your device aesthetically pleasing, but also significantly improves productivity, so you can remove visual noise, highlight really important applications, and optimize navigation with one finger. In this article, we'll look at all the tools available to transform your gadget's interface.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with settings, as the system provides ample opportunities to return to the original state at any time. We will consider both standard shell tools and hidden functions, which are not known to all owners of equipment from the Chinese manufacturer.
Basic grid and display parameters
The first thing to start with is to change the density of the elements. The standard 5x6 grid may be too small for users with large fingers or low vision, whereas compact models like the Xiaomi 13 or 14 sometimes require a denser layout.
To access these options, you need to pinch an empty space on your desktop or pinch a two-finger to go into edit mode. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a toolbar where you select Settings (the gear icon), and this is where the key Grid switch is located, allowing you to select a configuration from 4x6 to 6x9 depending on the screen diagonal.
⚠️ Note: When choosing a grid that is too tight (for example, 6x9 6 inches on the screen, app icons can become microscopic, making navigation without a stylus extremely uncomfortable.
Also on this menu, you should pay attention to the option to zoom in, which allows you to zoom in on your entire desktop, making your icons and text bigger without changing the number of icons, which is a useful feature for people with visual impairment that works better than simply resizing the font in your system.
- 📱 4x6 — Best for big screens and people with big fingers.
- 📱 5x6 — Standard Balancing Between Capacity and Convenience.
- 📱 6x9 — Tablet mode, allowing you to fit the maximum of applications on one screen.
- 📱 Increase – Global interface scaling without losing elements.
Managing widgets and application folders
Xiaomi shell widgets have undergone significant changes, especially with the advent of HyperOS. Now they are not just static pictures, but interactive elements that allow you to control music, check the weather or see the schedule of meetings without opening the applications themselves. You can add a widget through the same editing menu by selecting the widgets item.
The system offers two types of widgets: classic Android and branded MIUI/HyperOS widgets. The latter are characterized by a deeper design, support for dark theme and animation. For example, the Notes widget allows you to quickly write down a thought, and the Control widget gives access to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switches directly from the desktop.
App folders are also fine-tuned, so you can not just add icons, but also resize the folder to display more apps without opening. In addition, the folder settings often offer a recommendation feature that dynamically changes the contents of the folder depending on the time of day and your usage habits.
- 🌤 Weather – Shows Temperature and Forecast for the Day with Beautiful Animation.
- 🎵 Music – Playback management and list of recent tracks.
- 📅 Calendar – displaying events for a month or a week.
- 🔋 Battery – Control of the device charge and connected accessories.
Change theme, icons and system fonts
Visuals are what Xiaomi loves, and the Themes app is a central hub for changing the look and feel, and you can download pre-made packages that change everything from system app icons to notification sounds and unlock animations. To access thousands of free themes, you often need to change region in your phone settings to India or Indonesia.
If you don't want to change the theme completely, you can limit yourself to icons. Settings → Wallpaper and personalization → Icons have a choice of dozens of styles. Some of them make all icons round, others square, others retain the original design, but add a color substrate.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party topics | Complete interface replacement | High (changes system files UI) |
| Just icons. | Replacement of application graphics | Low (visual layer only) |
| Fonts | Changing text style | Medium (requires UI reset) |
| Sound effects | Systemic sounds | Low (audio files) |
The fonts are worth special attention. There is a huge selection of characters available in the theme store. Installing a custom typeface can dramatically change the perception of information, but be careful: some decorative fonts are not easy to read in small size or do not support Cyrillic, turning the text into a set of squares.
Setting up the control panel and notification curtains
In modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS, the control panel is divided into two parts: notifications on the left and switches on the right. However, many users prefer the classic style of Android, where everything is in the same list. You can change this behavior from the Settings menu → Notifications and status bar → Notification styles.
Choosing between Style 1 (divided) and Style 2 (classic) is a matter of taste, but it affects ergonomics. The split style is convenient on large screens, as it prevents notifications from accidentally closing when trying to turn on a flashlight.
⚠️ Attention: When you switch the notification style, the brightness slider may change location. In the split style, it is often hidden in the control panel, and in the classic one can be accessed by swiping on the status bar.
You can also set up frame rates and internet speeds in the status bar in this section, and for gamers who own models with 120Hz or 144Hz screens, the option of displaying the current refresh rate will be useful, which helps to monitor the system’s performance in games.
- 🔔 Style 1 - Notifications on the left, switches on the right (modern).
- 🔔 Style 2 – All items in a single list (classic Android).
- 📶 Network Speed – displaying the current download speed in real time.
- 💡 Brightness – the ability to adjust the backlight directly from the curtain.
Transition animation and interface effects
Smoothness of a smartphone is not only a matter of processor power, but also of animation settings. In the Settings menu → Advanced Settings → Animation (the path may vary depending on the software version) you can choose the speed of transitions between windows. Standard Average value provides a balance between speed and visual pleasantness.
But experienced users often choose the Fast option, which reduces the time to open apps and click through menus, creating the illusion of higher performance on the device. AMOLED-screens such as Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi Note 13 Pro+, Quick animations look particularly spectacular due to the instantaneous response of the matrix.
And the Dark Theme is also worth mentioning, and it's set up to not just invert colors, but also set up a turn-on schedule, so you can set up the dark mode automatically when the sun sets, which reduces eye strain and saves battery life. OLED-display.
Navigation gestures and one finger control
Modern smartphones have largely abandoned physical or on-screen navigation buttons in favor of gestures. Xiaomi gesture settings allow you to control your phone with one hand. Settings menu → Additional settings → System navigation can be chosen between Buttons and Full-screen gestures.
When using gestures, it is important to adjust the sensitivity of the edges of the screen so that swipes do not conflict with game actions or scrolling through the feed on social networks. App Launch is also available, when a long click on the icon causes a contextual quick action menu.
For users who often use the phone horizontally (watch videos, games), it is useful to adjust the screen turn lock, it can be put into the widget "Manage" in the notification curtain for quick access, so that the screen does not turn over when you lie on your side.
- 🖐 Swipe from the bottom - return to the main screen.
- 🖐 Swipe left/right – switch back (analogue of the Back button).
- 🖐 Swipe and pause – Opening the multitasking menu.
- 🖐 Double tap – turn on / off the screen (if supported).
⚠️ Attention: When switching from buttons to gestures, the addictive period can take from 2 to 5 days. At this time, random returns to the menu are possible.