How to Change Notification Curtain on Xiaomi

Modern Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI shell or a new HyperOS provide users with a wide range of options for customizing the interface. One of the most commonly used areas of the screen is the notification panel, popularly called the “curtain.” This is where we control brightness, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and see incoming messages. However, the standard appearance may seem boring or not functional enough for advanced users who want to personalize every movement of their finger on the screen.

Changing the design of this area is a process that can range from simple theme change to complex system engineering. Device owners often wonder if it can be made more convenient or visually different from stock. The answer lies in the flexibility of the Android system and the specific features that Xiaomi engineers left for enthusiasts. It is important to understand that deep changes require caution, as they affect the system files of the interface.

In this article, we will explore all the ways to transform the notification panel, learn about legal methods through theme settings, third-party launchers and specialized applications, and explore the nuances of working with superuser rights for those who are willing to go beyond the standard restrictions. Personalization of a smartphone begins with the details that you see most often.

Built-in customization capabilities in MIUI and HyperOS

Before you resort to installing third-party software, it is worth exploring the arsenal that the operating system itself provides. Xiaomi shells have historically had a powerful theme engine that allows you to change not only icons, but also system controls. In recent versions of HyperOS, developers have paid special attention to the visual component of the control panel, adding new styles of switches.

To access the basic changes, you need to go to the Themes app. Here, in the profile or settings section, options for changing the system style are often hidden. However, a deeper setup is available through the design menu. The user can choose a preset style that will change the appearance of volume sliders, quick settings buttons and the background of the curtain. This is the safest way to ensure stable operation of the device.

It's worth noting that the functionality of the built-in tools is limited by the design idea of the company. You can't move the buttons to an arbitrary place or change the transparency of the background to an absolute value without using additional tools. However, for most users, the capabilities of a standard designer of themes are quite enough to refresh the appearance of the gadget.

• 🎨 Selection of ready-made design styles through the official application Themes.
• ⚙️ Setting the font size and elements in the screen and brightness menu.
• 🔔 Flexible management of notification groupings from different applications.

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Official themes are the only way to change the curtain without the risk of losing warranty or getting system errors.

⚠️ Warning: When installing themes from unverified sources in Themes, the system interface may go off and some system fonts may become unreadable. Always check the author's rating of the topic.

Using third-party apps to replace the panel

If you think the standard tools are limited, Google Play Store apps that are designed to replace the notification dashboard come to the rescue, and the way they work is to create a layer on top of the system interface that intercepts the swipe from above and displays its own, more functional dashboard, and one of the leaders in this niche is the Material Notification Shade app.

Once you install an app, you'll need to give it a number of special permissions. Android will require permission to display over other windows, access to notifications, and in some cases, special features. This is necessary so that the app can read incoming messages correctly and block the standard curtain when swiping. The setup process can take 10-15 minutes, but the result is worth it.

These programs allow you to completely ignore the design of MIUI. You get access to hundreds of settings: changing the number of columns, background transparency, blur (blur-effect), custom watches and weather widgets right in the curtain. Moreover, many of them support the creation of profiles that can automatically switch depending on the time of day or the application running.

It is important to consider the impact of such solutions on autonomy: constantly rendering a complex interface on top of the system consumes battery power faster than a standard curtain. In addition, on devices with aggressive power saving Xiaomi application can periodically be unloaded from memory, requiring manual settings of autostart.

Installation of custom panels through Root-rights

For users who are not afraid of the word "rooting", there are truly limitless possibilities: the presence of rights SuperSU or Magisk allows you to modify the system file SystemUI.apk, which is responsible for rendering the interface, this is the aerobatics of modification, allowing you to implement functions in the system that are not available even in paid applications.

The main tool here is the Xposed Framework module (or its modern counterparts like LSPosed), and once you install this framework, you get access to a lot of modules that change the behavior of the system, for example, modules like GravityBox (if your version of Android is supported) or specific modules for MIUI allow you to change the position of the clock, hide unnecessary icons, change the colors of the status bar and much more at the code level.

adb shell pm grant packageName android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

The process of obtaining rights requires unlocking the Bootloader bootloader, which is officially possible through the Mi Unlock app. It is worth remembering that unlocking the bootloader resets all data from the phone and can cancel the warranty if it is still valid.

• 🔓 Full control over system interface files.
• 🛠 Ability to implement functions from other versions of Android.
• 🚫 Risk of turning a device into a “brick” if edited incorrectly.

⚠️ Attention: Any error in editing system files through Root can lead to a cyclic bootloop. Always have a saved copy of stock firmware and know how to use it.

Configuring controls and widgets

Regardless of the method of changing the curtain, the key is to adjust the contents correctly. The notification panel is a working tool, and it is ergonomically usable by the smartphone. In standard Xiaomi settings, you can edit a set of quick switches.

You just need to extend the curtain to the end and press the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots), and you can drag the most commonly used functions (flashlight, screenshot, flight mode) to the top for quick access. Less important toggles are better removed to the second page or hidden altogether, so as not to clutter the space.

Special attention should be paid to widgets. With newer versions of HyperOS, widgets are more interactive. You can add a weather widget, pedometer or music control directly to the notification area, making it an information panel. The right grouping allows you to reduce the number of swipes you need to perform tasks.

Comparison of standard and modified curtains

So that you can weigh the pros and cons before you start the experiments, we've created a comparison table that will help you understand whether the game is worth the candle in your particular case.

As you can see from the table, the standard solution benefits in stability and energy efficiency, but if you really need specific functionality, like displaying the CPU temperature right in the curtain or custom transparent sliders, then trade-offs are inevitable. The choice depends on the priorities: reliability or uniqueness.

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If you decide to use a third-party curtain, be sure to add it to the power saving exception list (“No Limits”), otherwise it will constantly fly out and you will not be able to swipe it.

Frequent problems and ways to solve them

Users can face a number of common problems during the setup process, the most common being application conflict, and if you have multiple programs that claim to manage notifications, the system can behave in an unpredictable way: the curtain may not appear, slow down, or partially display.

Another problem is with system updates. OTA-update MIUI or HyperOS third-party applications may lose their rights or stop displaying correctly due to changes in the system interface code, in such cases, often requiring reinstallation of the replacement application or waiting for an update from its developer.

Also worth mentioning is the problem with banging or camera cutouts. Some custom curtains don't know how to properly bypass the screen cutout by blocking the camera or leaving black bars. In the settings of such applications, always look for "Screencut Accounting" or "Notch settings" to adjust the display of the top panel.

⚠️ Note: After a major Android update (e.g., version 12 to version 13), older Root modules may cause the system to be incapacitated.

Questions and Answers (FAQ)