Xiaomi’s transparent app menu: 5 working ways for MIUI 12–15

Why you need transparency on the menu on Xiaomi

The transparent app menu on Xiaomi smartphones is not just an aesthetic solution, but a way to optimize the visual experience of the interface. When the icon panel becomes translucent, the background wallpaper is not “cut” by a sharp border, creating the effect of screen integrity. This is especially true for devices with AMOLED-displays where black pixels are turned off completely, increasing contrast.

In the MIUI shell (versions 12-15), the menu transparency feature is hidden in the depth of settings or requires activation through a developer, while on different models – from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra – the paths of inclusion may differ. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including those that work without root rights.

Important: Menu transparency does not affect performance, but can slightly increase battery consumption on devices with a high-performance menu. OLED-It's because of the active lighting of the pixels under the icons. LCD-The difference between the displays will be minimal.

Method 1: through standard MIUI settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use built-in shell options, which is suitable for most devices on MIUI 13/14/15, but may not be available on older versions (e.g. MIUI 12 for Redmi 9A).

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Display.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Screen Style section (on some models – Colors and Wallpaper»).
• 🎨 Select Transparency or Transparency Effects.
• 🔄 Activate the App Transparent Menu slider (may be called Taskbar Transparency).

If you don't have an option, your model doesn't support it at the software level, so move on to the following.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Poco) X3 Pro, Redmi Note 10 after update to MIUI 14 transparency feature may be missing.This is due to shell optimizations for new Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

Method 2: Activation through Developer Mode

If standard settings aren’t enough, you can enable hidden options through developer mode, which works on 80% of Xiaomi devices, including models with MediaTek Helio and Snapdragon.

Steps:

1. Activate the Developer Mode: 🔧 Go to Settings. → The phone. 🔨 7 times press on "Version" MIUI» (You will be notified that you have become a developer!).

For developers

force_dark

miui_force_transparency

"Transparency of system windows"

🔄 Turn it on and restart the device.

This method does not require superuser rights, but it can reset after the system update. ADB-teams (described below).

Method 3: Use ADB-Teams (for experienced teams)

If previous methods have failed, Android Debug Bridge (ADB) will come to the rescue, allowing you to change system settings without root access, and is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including the Black Shark 5 Pro and Poco F5.

Step-by-step:

1. 🖥️ Install. ADB-PC drivers.
2. 📱 On your smartphone, activate the debugging by USB (Settings → For developers).
3. 🔌 Connect the device to your computer and execute in the terminal: adb shell settings put global miui_transparent_app_drawer 1
4. 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.

To return the standard menu, use the command:

adb shell settings put global miui_transparent_app_drawer 0

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If the command does not apply, check if debugging over USB is enabled in the developer settings. Some devices (Xiaomi 13T) require additional PC permission confirmation.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause interface failures. Before experimenting, back up your data through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 4: Custom launchers with transparency support

If systems aren't the right way, third-party launchers are the alternative, and they not only add transparency, but they also offer additional features like gestures, themes, adaptive icons.

Top.-3 launcher for Xiaomi:

How to set up transparency in Nova Launcher:

• 📲 Install a launcher from Google Play.
• 🔧 Go to the Nova Settings → Appearance.
• 🎨 Select the Transparency of the appbar and set the value (recommended 30-50% for readability and aesthetics balance).
• 🔄 Save the settings and apply as default launcher.

Method 5: Edit system files (root only)

For root-right users, the most flexible method is manual editing of system files, which allows you to adjust the transparency not only of the menu, but also of the notification panel, the navigation buttons.

Instructions:

1. 🛠️ Install a root-enabled file manager (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. 📁 Cross the path: /system/vendor/overlay/ or (for new versions) MIUI): /product/overlay/
3. 🔍 Find the file. FrameworkResOverlay.apk or MiuiSystemUIOverlay.apk.
4. 📝 Open it in a text editor (for example, MT Manager) and find the rows with parameters: miui_app_drawer_transparency or config_appDrawerBackgroundAlpha
5. 🔢 Change the value from 1.0 (opaque) to 0.3–0.7 (30–70% transparency).
6. 🔄 Save the file, set the rights 644 (r-w-r)--r--) and reboot the device.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to bootloop ( looped reboot).Before changes, create a full backup through TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery.

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Editing of systems APK-File is the most powerful, but also the riskiest method, only use it if other methods have failed and you have experience with root.

Problems and Solutions: Why Transparency Is Not Applied

Even with the right actions, the transparency of the menu may not work, so let's look at the typical causes and ways to address them.

Frequent errors and fixes:

• 🚫 Function not available in the settings: 🔄 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (check in Settings) → Updating the system). 📱 Make sure your model supports transparency (see list of compatible devices below).
• 🚫 ADB-team is not working: 🔌 Reconnect. USB-Cable (use the original from Xiaomi). 🔄 Enter the adb device command to check the connection. 🔧 In the developer settings, turn on debugging by USB (security).
• 🚫 Launcher resets settings: 📲 Update the launcher to the latest version. 🔒 In the launcher settings, disable Reset when rebooting.

List of Xiaomi models with confirmed menu transparency support (based on MIUI 14/15):

• 📱 Xiaomi 13/13 Pro/13 Ultra
• 📱 Xiaomi 12/12 Pro/12S Ultra
• 📱 Redmi Note 12 Pro+/11 Pro+/10 Pro
• 📱 Poco F5/F4/F3
• 📱 Black Shark 5/5 Pro

On devices with a MediaTek Dimensity processor (e.g. Redmi Note 12 5G), transparency can be unstable due to the features of MIUI optimization for chipsets.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions