How to Use Xiaomi Phone: The Complete Guide

Modern smartphones of the Chinese brand Xiaomi have gained huge popularity due to the high price-performance ratio, as well as the rich functionality of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS. However, for users who first encountered the ecosystem of this company, the interface can seem overloaded and unusual. Understanding the basic principles of the system allows not only to use the device comfortably daily, but also to reveal its hidden potential, which often goes unnoticed.

Unlike the “pure” Android you’ll find on Google Pixel or Motorola devices, Xiaomi’s software offers deep customization capabilities and many additional tools to manage the system. Proper initial setup plays a key role in the stability of the gadget and its autonomy. Ignoring some basic steps when you first turn on can lead to excessive battery consumption or intrusive advertising in system applications.

This guide covers all the stages of familiarity with the device, from unpacking and initial activation to advanced security settings and performance optimization. We will discuss how to effectively manage memory, adjust notifications and use specific control gestures that make interaction with the smartphone more convenient.

Initial activation and account setting

The process of familiarizing yourself with a new device begins immediately after it is turned on. When you first start up, the system will suggest choosing an interface language and connecting to a Wi-Fi network. It is important to use a stable connection, since it requires the Internet to activate some system components and check for security updates. If you miss this step or choose a mobile network with an unstable signal, the initial setup process can be delayed or end in error.

The next critical step is to sign in to Mi Account or create a new one, and many newcomers ignore this step as unnecessary, but Xiaomi’s account is the foundation of the brand ecosystem, through which contacts, photos, notes and even the location of a lost device are synchronized, without linking the account, Find Device and Mi Cloud storage will be unavailable, which creates risks of losing important data.

⚠️ Note: When creating a password for Mi Account, be sure to use complex character combinations and save a backup email or phone number.Recovering access to a blocked account without this data may be impossible, which will lead to a complete lock of the smartphone (Mi Lock).

Once you log in, the system will offer you to set up biometric protection, and modern models support face unlock and a fingerprint scanner built into the screen or side button. ID Xiaomi works fast enough, but for maximum security, it is recommended to combine it with a pattern lock or PIN-This is especially true if you plan to use a mobile bank or store sensitive data.

While these settings are usually automatically pulled up from the network, in some regions or when using custom firmware, manual time zone adjustment may be required. Incorrect time can cause errors in the operation of security certificates, which will stop opening websites or working some applications of banks.

MIUI interface and navigation

The MIUI shell and its successor HyperOS differ significantly from standard Android in terms of menu logic and management. One of the first questions that users face is the lack of a default application menu. All installed programs are located directly on desktops, like iOS. However, this is easy to change: just go to the settings, find the Desktop section and switch to Classic, so that a separate button with a list of all applications appears.

Navigation management is another important topic. The new models have gesture control enabled by default, which frees the bottom of the screen from the buttons. Swipe returns from the bottom up to the main screen, swipe from the bottom up with a delay opens the menu of running applications, and swipe to the left or right of the edge of the screen performs the function “Back”. For those who are accustomed to the buttons, in the Settings menu → Additional settings → Full-screen mode can return the classic bar with three buttons.

• 📱 Swipe three fingers down – takes a screenshot of the screen (the function can be changed in the settings).
• 🔍 Swipe down the empty space on the desktop – opens up global search and widget menu.
• 📂 Double-click on folder – opens all applications inside the folder with one touch.

The Control Panel deserves special attention. Unlike pure Android, where the notification curtain and switches are in the same place, in MIUI they are often separated. The swipe on the bottom left opens the notifications, and the swipe on the right is the brightness control center, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This separation can be turned off in the settings, returning the usual behavior of the curtain if such distribution seems inconvenient.

Also worth mentioning are widgets, which have become interactive in recent firmware versions, and have new dimensions, and to add a widget, you need to pinch the blank space on the screen and select the appropriate menu item, and widgets allow you to display useful information on the desktop, such as currency rates, weather, steps, or quick switches, without opening the apps themselves.

Notification management and security

Xiaomi’s notification system has its own characteristics related to aggressive battery optimization. Users often complain that messages from instant messengers are late or not coming at all. This is because the system tries to “sleep” background processes to save energy.

Go to the battery settings, find the desired application (for example, Telegram or WhatsApp), and select No Limits mode. It is also recommended to fix the application in memory: open the menu of running applications, press the card of the desired program and press the lock, which will prevent it from unloading from RAM during cleaning.

The built-in antivirus and memory cleaner deserve special attention. The Security icon is a system application that scans the device for threats and removes debris. Although third-party antiviruses are not necessary, periodic running of the built-in scanner is useful. However, do not abuse the memory cleaner function, since constant cache unloading can, on the contrary, increase the battery consumption for rebooting data.

⚠️ Note: Do not give applications from unknown sources full permissions to access contacts and SMS In the privacy settings, you can restrict access to geolocation by allowing location to be determined only "When using the application».

To increase privacy, MIUI has implemented a “Second Space” feature that creates a separate profile on the phone with its apps, passwords and files, accessed by a different fingerprint or password, ideal for separating work and personal life or for handing the phone to children without the risk of accessing your personal data.

Camera and gallery work

Xiaomi's smartphone camera offers many modes that go beyond just pressing the down button. The basic Photo mode automatically picks up the settings, but for better results, it's worth experimenting with Pro mode. Here you can manually set ISO, shutter speed and white balance. Manual settings allow you to take better pictures in complex lighting conditions, where automation can go wrong.

The gallery has a powerful built-in editor that not only crops and filters, but also removes objects, adjusts perspectives, and even creates collages. The AI algorithms built into the gallery can automatically sort photos by people, places, and objects, making it easier to find the right shot in a huge library.

Don't ignore Documents mode in the camera app. It automatically recognizes text, aligns the document plane, removes glare and shadows, making the scanned copy clear and readable. The saved files can be sent to PDF or printed out, making the smartphone a great tool for office work.

• 🌙 Night mode – takes several pictures with different exposure and glues them together for a bright photo without noise.
• 🎥 Regime. 8K — available in flagships, allows you to shoot ultra-high resolution video (requires a lot of space).
• 📄 Document Mode – automatically straightens and cleans the text images.

For mobile photography enthusiasts, Portrait Mode will be interesting, blurring the background to simulate the effect of expensive optics. Portrait settings can change the degree of blur and even lighting (studio, contour, monochrome). The quality of portrait photography depends on the distance to the object and the lighting, so for best results, it is recommended to use good light.

Optimizing battery and performance

Autonomy is one of Xiaomi’s biggest bargaining chips, but it requires a smart approach: the battery settings have Balanced, Economy and Performance modes. For everyday use, a balanced mode that dynamically allocates resources is best suited. The performance mode should only be included in games or heavy tasks, since it greatly speeds up the discharge and heating of the case.

Memory Extension allows you to use part of the internal storage as RAM. This can be useful for models with a small amount of RAM (4-6 GB), but for flagships with 12 GB or more, this feature is better to turn off, so as not to wear out flash memory without real need.

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Enable Dark Theme not only in the interface, but also in third-party applications (if supported). AMOLED-This really saves battery life because the black pixels don’t glow.

Watch the temperature of the device. If the phone overheats, the system will automatically limit the brightness of the screen and the frequency of the processor. To avoid this, do not use the phone while fast charging for games or video shooting. It is also recommended to remove the case if it is dense and does not remove heat well, especially in summer.

⚠️ Warning: Don't use unoriginal chargers of questionable quality. Xiaomi's (Quick Charge, Power Delivery) fast charging requires precise voltage matching, and cheap power supplies can damage the charge controller or battery itself.

To extend battery life, you have Optimized Charging in your settings, and your smartphone remembers your sleep patterns and charges up to 80 percent fast, and the remaining 20 percent slowly by the time you wake up, which reduces battery wear and tear when you connect to the grid for a long time at night.

Useful Hidden Functions and Advice

There are a lot of features that are hidden in MIUI that are not mentioned in the manual, and one of the most useful is the Floating Windows, which is that you swipe from the edge of the screen and you can run apps in a floating window, and you can watch YouTube videos while you're texting in the messenger or taking notes, and not all apps have floating window support, but you can expand the list of supported ones in the settings.

Another interesting feature is Quick Notes, which, if the screen is off, just knock on it twice (the feature should be enabled in the feature settings) to open the notebook instantly, is the perfect way to quickly record a thought or phone number that has come to mind without unlocking the phone completely and without running a heavy app.

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Many Xiaomi models feature an infrared port at the top end. Through the Mi Remote app, the phone becomes a universal remote for TV, air conditioning and other household appliances, even if it does not support a smart home.

Keep in mind the Cast feature: If you have a Miracast or Chromecast TV, you can display your smartphone screen on a large display, which is convenient for viewing photos, videos or presentations. In some cases, both devices may need to be on the same Wi-Fi network for stable operation.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning regular system updates. Xiaomi often releases security patches and improvements for its devices. You can manually check for updates through Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. Before installing major updates, it’s always recommended to back up important data, although the process usually goes without losing information.