How to use Xiaomi phone: instructions from the first turn on to hidden features

Xiaomi smartphones have gained popularity due to a combination of powerful features, modern design and affordable price. However, their MIUI brand shell has unique features that can confuse beginners. This article will help you understand everything from basic setup to hidden features that will make using the phone as comfortable as possible.

Not only will we look at obvious features like screen customization or Wi-Fi connectivity, but we’ll also look at lesser-known features like how to optimize battery life, adjust control gestures, use smart home features, and even fix typical bugs. We’ll focus on the differences between Redmi, POCO, and Xiaomi’s flagship 13/14 series — where the settings are the same and where they require a customized approach.

If you have just unpacked the new Xiaomi or want to explore the capabilities of your device in more depth - this guide will be your guide. All recommendations are checked on the current versions of MIUI 14/15 and adapted to Russian realities (including work with domestic services).

First Installing and Basic Setup

When you first turn on a Xiaomi smartphone, the system offers to go through the initial setup wizard, which takes 5-7 minutes and includes key steps:

• 🌐 Language selection (Russian available, but some system notifications may be duplicated in English)
• 📶 Connection to Wi-Fi or mobile network (on models for Russia, frequencies are supported by default) LTE Band 20 and VoLTE)
• 🔐 Setting up the screen lock (we recommend using a fingerprint) + pattern lock for balance of security and convenience)
• 📱 Transfer data from your previous phone (via Mi Mover or Mi Cloud)

At the stage of setting up a Mi Account, many users are faced with a dilemma: register or skip. Without linking to a Xiaomi account, you will lose access to the cloud backup, device search when lost and some functions of the smart home, but you can avoid collecting location data. The alternative is to use a local account (available in Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Local).

After completing the setup wizard, pay attention to:

• 🔄 Update: Go to Settings → The phone. → System update. Even if the phone is new, security patches are often available.
• 📦 Remove unnecessary apps: Xiaomi preinstalled Mi Video, Mi Music and others that can be deactivated via Settings → Annexes → Application management.

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If the phone is hot after setting up, give it to him. 12-24 It's normal behavior for new devices to index files. MIUI.

Navigation by MIUI: gestures and buttons

The MIUI shell offers three navigation options that can be switched to Settings → Display → Full-screen mode:

For maximum convenience, we recommend choosing MIUI gestures with additional settings:

1. Turn on touch sensitivity on the sides (allows you to swipe back from any edge of the screen).
2. Activate Quick Switching Between Apps – Double Swipe from the bottom up will open up multitasking.
3. In the models with AMOLED-On screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro) turn Always on screen to display time and notifications.

Hidden possibility: if you hold the power button for 3 seconds, you will see a shutdown menu with the option Emergency mode, in which the phone turns off all background processes, leaving only calls and SMS - useful for low battery power.

Optimizing battery and performance

One of the biggest problems Xiaomi users have seen is fast battery drain, which is due to aggressive MIUI optimization, which sometimes works against you.

• 🔋 Turn off Automatic Battery Optimization in Settings → Battery → Battery settings: This feature often kills the background processes of the desired applications.
• ⚡ Enable Performance Mode in Settings → Special facilities → Performance mode (available on flagships).
• 🌙 Activate the Dark Theme and install AMOLED-black background - this reduces energy consumption 15-20%.

For advanced users: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times), the developer menu will open.

• Do not turn off the screen while charging (useful for navigation)
• Background process without restrictions for critical applications
• GPU-Acceleration for gaming (but it will cut battery life)

An important nuance: on budget models (Redmi 10A, POCO M5), it is better not to activate the performance mode - this can cause overheating.

For battery calibration (if the phone suddenly turns off at 15-20% charge):

Discharge the phone before automatically shutting down|Connect the original RAM and charge 8+ hours|Turn on the phone and wait. 100% charge|Repeat the cycle 2-3 once-->

Working with memory and files

MIUI has features in storage management that are important to understand:

⚠️ Note: Do not use the Mi File Explorer file manager to move applications to the SD-model MIUI 12+. This can cause crashes. Instead, use Settings. → Annexes → Application management → [select the application] → Warehouse → Change.

To make room:

1. Delete the app cache through Settings → Storage → Clean (but don’t clear the Google Play Services cache – this could disrupt Google’s services).
2. Transfer photos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud (on Russian firmware Mi Cloud may work unstable - check before use).
3. Turn off automatic media download in messengers: Settings [applications] → Storage → Autoload media.

Hidden feature: Settings → Special features → Traffic savings can enable data compression for all applications, which will reduce Internet consumption by 30-40%, but can worsen the quality of images on social networks.

Communication and Networks: Setup of Mobile Internet and Wi-Fi

Communication problems are one of the most common complaints Xiaomi owners have, and here’s how to fix them:

For a stable mobile internet:

• 📡 Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [yours SIM] → Network type and select Only LTE (if 5G needless).
• 🔄 Turn on Automatic Network Selection, but Turn off Roaming Optimization – it often knocks down the connection.
• 📶 If the signal is weak, activate Signal Amplification in the same menu (available on Qualcomm Snapdragon models).

For Wi-Fi:

• 🌐 If Wi-Fi is connected but the internet is not working, change it. DNS at 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 in network settings.
• 🔒 On public networks, turn on VPN (You can use free Cloudflare WARP).
• 📊 For gamers: activate Low Lag Mode in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally.

A specific problem with Redmi Note 11/12 models: when connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi, the Internet can disappear. The solution is to manually set the width of the 20 MHz channel in the router settings.

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On models for Russia (marked RU in the title), some LTE frequencies are disabled by default. To activate them, enter the command ##4636## → Phone Information → Set Network Type → Select LTE only in the engineering menu.

Camera: Hidden functions and professional modes

Xiaomi’s Camera app hides many features that aren’t obvious at first glance, such as the flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, 14 Pro) have Leica Authentic mode, which mimics the color reproduction of Leica’s legendary lenses.

How to activate hidden functions:

1. Enable Professional Mode (swipe sideways in the camera app) for manual ISO setting, shutter speed and white balance.
2. Activate Double Volume Press in Camera Settings → Quick Keys for instant camera start.
3. On models with 108 MP main camera (Redmi Note 12 Pro+), turn on 108 MP mode in the settings for maximum resolution.

For the video:

• 🎥 Use Document Mode to scan text – it automatically straightens perspective.
• 🌃 In night shots, turn on Night Mode 2.0 and use a tripod - shutter speed can reach 30 seconds.
• 🔍 For macro photography on Xiaomi 13 Ultra, bring the lens closer to the object on 1-3 Wait for the automatic switch to macro mode.

Important tip: after updating MIUI, reset the camera settings to factory settings (Camera Settings → Restore Default Settings).This eliminates focus and white balance bugs.

Removing typical errors and failures

Even new Xiaomi smartphones can cause errors, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

If the phone is stuck on the MI logo:

1. Hold the power button for 10+ seconds for forced reboot.
2. If it doesn’t work, go to Recovery (power button + volume up) and select Wipe Cache Partition.
3. The last option is Factory Reset – but it will delete all the data.

⚠️ Note: On models with Mi Account lock (for example, when buying from hand), a factory reset may lock the phone. → Accounts. → Mi Account before resetting.

To diagnose hardware problems, use a test of equipment:

1. Enter the dialer ##6484##.
2. Select the Manual Test and check all the components.
3. Pay attention to the points Touch Panel Test (sensor) and Receiver Test (speaker).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions