How to open a menu on a Xiaomi phone: from basic settings to hidden features

Have you just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone or faced the need to change the settings on your Redmi or POCO, but can’t find the menu you want? Don’t worry — MIUI is functional, but sometimes confusing for beginners. In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to open the menu, from standard settings to hidden engineering modes that the manufacturer does not advertise.

It is important to understand that on Xiaomi smartphones there are several types of menu: basic MIUI settings (available to all users), advanced developer settings (hidden by default), engineering menu (for diagnostics and testing),

Recovery menu for emergency situations.

Each one opens differently, and we will look at each option in detail.

If you’re looking for a specific model — like the Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or POCO F5 — don’t worry: the instructions are universal for all devices on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS (new firmware 2026).

1. How to open the main settings menu on Xiaomi

The easiest way is to access standard MIUI settings, where you can change wallpaper, adjust sound, connect to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and manage accounts and apps.

There are three ways to open the main menu:

• 📱 Through the notification bar: swipe your finger from top to bottom to open the curtain, then tap the icon ⚙️"Settings" in the upper right corner.
• 🔍 Through Search: Swipe down the main screen, type the word “settings” in the search bar, and select the Settings app).
• 📂 Through the app menu: find the Settings shortcut (the gear icon) in the list of all apps.

If you have a POCO shell with a POCO Launcher, the path may be slightly different: sometimes the settings icon is hidden in the Tools folder on the home screen. Also, on some models (for example, the POCO X5 Pro), you can use a navigation gesture: swipe from the bottom edge of the screen up and hold your finger for 1 second, a menu with quick access to the settings will open.

2. How to turn on the developer menu (Debug Mode)

The developer menu is a hidden partition that allows you to activate debugging over USB, change interface animations, enable modes for testing and even unlock some of the limitations of MIUI. By default, it is disabled, but you can turn it on in 30 seconds.

Instructions for all Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO models:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version (or HyperOS version on new devices).
3. Slap it 7 times in a row and a notification will appear “You became a developer!”.
4. Return to the main settings menu – now there will be a new section for developers.

If you have Xiaomi with HyperOS (2026), the path may be slightly different: Settings → About Phone → Device Information → HyperOS version.

Some models (such as Xiaomi 14 Ultra) may require a password or graphical key to be confirmed.

Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)

Make sure the phone doesn’t overheat.

Remember the password from your Mi Account (may be required)

Turn it off. VPN (Sometimes it blocks access to the settings)-->

Attention! Don't change the settings in the developer menu unless you're sure they're there. For example, activating the "Do Not Turn Off" option will cause the battery to run out quickly, and turning on the device. GPU-acceleration may cause overheating.

3. How to enter the engineering menu (Engineer Mode)

The engineering menu is a service section that is used to test hardware components like cameras, displays, batteries, sensors and communication modules, and it's useful if you want to:

• 📡 Check the strength of the signal network (dBm).
• 🔋 Find out the real wear of the battery (not the one that shows) MIUI).
• 📱 Diagnose the touchscreen on broken pixels.
• 🎤 Check the microphone and speakers.

To open the engineering menu on Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO, follow the following steps:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code: ##4636###.
3. Select Phone Information or Testing (depending on the model).

On new HyperOS (2026) devices, the code may not work, so try alternatives:

• #36446337## - for testing hardware components.
• ##232338## - Check-up MAC-wifi addresses.
• #06### - IMEI display (works on all models)

⚠️ Attention! Don't change the settings in the engineering menu unless you understand their purpose. For example, resetting the modem settings (Radio Band) can lead to loss of the network, and calibrating the sensors - to incorrect screen operation.

4. How to log into the Recovery menu (Recovery Mode)

Recovery Mode is an emergency mode that is used to reset the phone to factory settings, install firmware through fastboot, or restore the system after a crash, and you can log in even if the phone doesn't turn on.

How to log in to Recovery on Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:

In the Recovery menu, you will see the following options (in English or Chinese):

• 🔄 Reboot - Reboot the phone.
• 🗑️ Wipe Data – reset to factory settings (deletes all data!).
• 📦 Apply update – installing firmware with SD-card ADB.
• 🔧 Advanced – additional settings (for example, cleaning the cache).

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If the phone doesn’t respond to buttons when you log in to Recovery, try plugging it into charging for 5 minutes – sometimes a dead battery blocks access to the menu.

⚠️ Attention! The Wipe Data option completely deletes all data from the phone, including photos, contacts and apps. If you haven't backed up, it won't be possible to recover the information. SD-map SIM-map.

5. How to open the hidden MIUI menu (additional settings)

In addition to standard settings, MIUI has hidden menus that allow you to fine-tune the interface, optimize performance or enable experimental functions, and can be accessed through secret codes or special actions.

The most useful hidden menus and codes for Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:

• 📶 Network test: ##4636## → Phone information (shows network type, signal strength, roaming).
• 🔋 Battery diagnostics: ##44336## (represents the real battery capacity in mAh).
• 🎨 Color Rendering Settings: ##36245## (for calibration) AMOLED-display).
• 📡 Information on SIM-map: ##4636## → Information on SIM-map (shows) IMSI, phone number, registration status of the network).
• 🔍 Logs and reports: ##284## (Approximation and Light Sensor Test).

On new HyperOS devices, some codes may not work. CIT (built-in tester MIUI), which can be found through a search in settings or along the way: Settings → Special facilities → Equipment test.

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Code #06# (IMEI) and #4636##* (phone information) are available on all Xiaomi models, including the latest ones (2026).

6.How to open the menu on a locked Xiaomi phone

If you've forgotten your pattern lock or password and your phone is locked, there are several ways to access the menu without completely resetting it, and it's important that these methods only work if you've previously enabled your Mi Account or USB debugging.

Method 1: Through Mi Account (if the phone is tied)

1. On the lock screen, click Forgot your password.
2. Enter the username and password from your Xiaomi account.
3. Confirm the unlock via SMS or email.

Method 2: ADB (if USB debugging is enabled)

1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. Open the command line and type in: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key or for newer versions of Android: adb shell rm /data/system/locksettings.db
3. Restart the phone and the lock will be reset.

Method 3: Through Safe Mode (if the lock is installed by a third-party application)

1. On the lock screen, hold the Power button until the turn off menu appears.
2. Slip and hold Turn off - you will be prompted to switch to Safe Mode.
3. In Safe Mode, remove the app that sets the lock.

⚠️ If the Find Device function is activated on the phone, an attempt to reset via Recovery can lead to the blocking of the Mi Account. In this case, unlocking is possible only through the official Xiaomi service with the provision of a purchase check.

7. Frequent problems and solutions

Sometimes people find that the menu doesn't open or the phone doesn't behave properly, and let's look at some of the most common situations and how to address them.

If neither of these methods worked, it may be that the phone has custom firmware installed (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), in which case the paths to the menu may differ. For example, the custom firmware sometimes uses the combination Power + Volume up + Volume down to log into Recovery.

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If the phone doesn’t respond to buttons when you log in, try holding them longer (up to 15 seconds) or plugging in a charger – sometimes low battery power blocks access to service modes.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions