How to change the control panel Xiaomi: setting up the interface MIUI

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the desire to personalize their device immediately after purchase. The standard appearance of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS may seem familiar, but not always convenient for daily use. The concept of “control panel” in the Xiaomi ecosystem can be interpreted in different ways: it is the top curtain with fast switches, and the bottom navigation bar with buttons, and even the desktop.

Changing these elements allows you to significantly improve the ergonomics of the gadget and make interaction with it more intuitive. Unlike many other manufacturers, the Chinese giant provides users with ample opportunities for customization without the need to obtain root rights. You can change the appearance of the buttons, their location, and the functionality of pop-ups.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways to transform the interface, including the standard system tools, the hidden capabilities of the developer menu and third-party utilities for deep modification, and this guide will help you adapt your smartphone to your own management habits.

Types of control panels in the shell of MIUI

Before you make any changes, you need to clearly define which interface element you want to modify. In user terminology, "panel" is often understood as three different components of the system, and confusion arises because they all control different aspects of the device.

The first is the Quick Settings, which is called from top to bottom by swipe, and contains brightness sliders, Wi-Fi switches, Bluetooth and flashlights. The second is the Navigation Bar, which is located at the bottom of the screen, which allows you to go back, go to the desktop or open running applications. The third option is the Notification Control Panel, which in the new versions of the shell was separated from the control center.

Understanding these differences is critical, as the settings for each item are in different sections of the menu. If you try to change the navigation buttons through the notification menu, the result will be zero.

⚠️ Warning: Changing system fonts or setting unofficial themes may cause text to be displayed incorrectly in some applications. Always have the option to reset the theme settings to standard ones.

Setting up the lower navigation bar

The most frequent request from users is to change the buttons at the bottom of the screen, many of them switch from other brands and are used to a certain order of the Back, Home and Menu buttons. In MIUI, this option is easily changed through standard system settings without installing additional software.

You first need to go to the Settings menu and find the Additional section. In some firmware versions, this item may be called Advanced Settings. Then you need to select the Full-screen Mode tab, and this is where the key switches that are responsible for the bottom control panel are hidden.

In the menu that opens, you'll see two main options: button use or gesture control. If you select buttons, the button order will be active below. By clicking on it, you can choose between the classic Android schema (Back button on the left) and the iOS/MIUI schema (Back button on the right).

Choosing the right layout affects muscle memory. If you use your smartphone with one hand often, placing the back button from the thumb-friendly edge can dramatically speed up your work, and the system remembers the choice instantly and applies it to all running applications.

Customization of the upper curtain and control center

The top panel, or "curtain," has undergone significant changes in the latest versions of MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS. Now it is divided into two zones: on the left are notifications, and on the right is a control center with sliders and switches. This separation can be configured, although the possibilities here are limited compared to navigation.

To change the look or order of items, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar. Control Center is available here, which allows you to switch to the old curtain style if the new one seems uncomfortable. The old style combines notifications and switches in one tape, which is common for users of older versions of Android.

You can also set up status bar icons in this section, hide or show the charge indicators of individual Mi True Wireless Earbuds devices, 5G signal strength, real-time Internet speed and other system icons, which helps clear the top line of visual noise.

For a deeper setup, for example, changing the transparency of the background or the color of icons, you will need to use themes.The built-in Themes app allows you to download third-party designs that completely replace the graphic style of the control panel, making it semi-transparent or neon.

Using themes to change the interface

Xiaomi Theme Store is a powerful tool that is often underestimated, and it can change not only wallpaper, but also system icons, fonts, sounds and, most importantly, control panel design, and thousands of creators create designs that radically change the appearance of the shell.

To find the right theme, open the Themes app and go to Profiles or search tags.Look for themes marked "Control Center" or "Status Bar." Before installing, be sure to review the screenshots in the theme gallery to make sure the control panel design is right for you.

After applying the theme, the system may require a reboot or simply apply changes on the fly.

For users who want uniqueness, it is possible to create their own theme using the MIUI Theme Editor tool on PC, which allows you to draw your own buttons and backgrounds for the control panel, but this method requires graphic design skills and an understanding of the structure of XML files.

Additional features through the developer menu

For advanced users who lack standard settings, there is a hidden developer menu that contains options that affect animations, window behavior, and some aspects of the interface that can indirectly affect the perception of the control panel.

To activate this mode, go to Settings → About phone and 7 times quickly click on the version number MIUI. After the message “You became a developer” in the settings menu will appear a new section Additional → For developers.

Here it is worth paying attention to the following parameters:

• 📱 Interface Scale: allows you to resize controls, making them larger or smaller.
• ⏱️ Windows animation: Accelerating animation makes switching between panels sharper and faster.
• 🖥️ Free window mode: includes additional multitasking features useful when working with floating windows.

Be careful when changing the settings in this section. Incorrectly setting the DPI scale can make the interface unreadable, and you will have to reset the settings through Recovery to return to the original values.

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Before you change the values in the developer menu, write down the original numbers on paper or take a screenshot, which will save time if you need to return everything as it was.

Third-party applications for panel replacement

If the system isn't powerful enough, Google Play Store apps come to the rescue, and they allow you to create a custom control panel that overlaps the standard one, but you have to consider that these programs consume more battery life.

One popular solution is iOS 15's Control Center app, or its equivalents, which emulates the iPhone interface on Android devices. Once installed and granted the necessary permissions (access to use on top of other applications), a swipe on top will call up a new, more functional panel.

Another class of programs are launchers like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. Although they primarily change the desktop, many have their own widgets and plugins to manage quick settings that can be placed anywhere on the screen.

⚠️ Warning: Installing third-party launchers and control panels may conflict with system gestures MIUI. In case of problems, try turning off “Advanced Protection” in your phone’s security settings.

Using third-party software is especially important for older smartphone models that have not received upgrades to newer versions of MIUI with a modern control center, which allows you to visually refresh the device without flashing.

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Third-party applications give maximum flexibility, but can reduce the autonomy and stability of the system compared to the usual means.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)