Many users who are switching from iOS to Android or just want to refresh their device interface often think about how to make recent applications like on the iPhone on Xiaomi. the standard shell MIUI or HyperOS offers a familiar look for the Android community, but the visual component and logic of the menu “Recent” in iOS are significantly different. Apple has implemented a system of cards with background blur and characteristic animation, which many seem more smooth and aesthetic.
Fortunately, the Android ecosystem, and Xiaomi devices in particular, allows you to customize the system quite deeply without the need to obtain superuser rights. You can implement iOS functionality in two main ways: using the built-in features of the theme design and gesture control, or installing a third-party launcher that completely copies the behavior of the Apple system.
It's worth noting that 100% copying of the system's behavior is not possible, because it's different operating systems with different architectures, but visual similarity and similar control algorithms are very easy to achieve. Below we'll go through all the ways you can transform your interface in detail.
Use of built-in MIUI and HyperOS themes
The easiest and safest way to change the look of recent apps is to use the standard Themes app. Xiaomi’s official store has thousands of designs, many of which are designed specifically to mimic the iOS interface. You don’t need to be a tech person to use this method.
To start, open the standard Themes app on your smartphone. In the search box, type in "iOS 16", "iOS 17", "iPhone style" or "Recent iOS apps." Pay attention to the theme ranking and the number of downloads to choose a quality product. Once you install the theme, the system will suggest using all components or selecting individual elements.
It's important to note that not all themes change the multitasking screen, some only affect icons and wallpaper, so before installing, read the description carefully and see the screenshots in the preview gallery. The visual style of cards often changes in complex themes.
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Before applying a new theme, take a screenshot of the current desktop configuration so that if you are unhappy with the result, you can quickly return everything back through the theme menu.
After applying the theme, reboot the device. This is a must, because some system resources responsible for animating the task switching can be cached. If the menu remains the same after rebooting, then the chosen theme does not support modifying that particular interface element, and it is worth trying another option.
Set up full-screen gesture management
One of the key features of the iPhone is the lack of physical or on-screen navigation buttons and the control of gestures only. Xiaomi also has gesture control by default, but its behavior can be optimized for greater similarity with iOS.
Go to your device settings and find the navigation section. Depending on the firmware version, the path may differ: usually it's Settings → Additional settings → System navigation or Settings → Desktop → Navigation System. Here you need to select Full-screen control (gestures) mode.
- 🔹 Swipe from bottom up – returns to the desktop, similar to the behavior of the iPhone.
- 🔹 Swipe from the bottom with a pause – opens the menu of recent applications, which completely copies the logic of Apple.
- 🔹 Swipe on the left or right – switches apps to provide fast navigation.
In the same menu, you can often adjust the sensitivity of gestures and hide the prompts (strips at the bottom of the screen). For maximum similarity with the iPhone, it is recommended to turn off the display bar-indicator, if the theme does not overlap it yourself, this will make the interface cleaner and more minimalist.
☑️ Setting up navigation
It’s worth considering that on some Xiaomi budget models with entry-level Snapdragon processors, the switch animation may be less smooth than on the original Apple devices.It’s a hardware limitation and system optimization that’s hard to get around software methods.
Installation of third-party launchers for full imitation
If built-in tools are not enough, third-party launchers come to the rescue, special applications that completely replace the standard desktop shell and task menu. To simulate iOS, solutions such as Launcher iOS 17, Control Center iOS or their counterparts from the Google Play Store are best suited.
Once you install such a launcher, you will need to give it a number of permissions. Xiaomi’s system is quite strict on applications that replace system components, so be prepared for a series of pop-ups. You will need to allow access to control the home screen, access to contacts (for widgets), and permission to display on top of other windows.
⚠️ Warning: Third-party launchers may consume more RAM than standard shell MIUI. On devices with 4GB of RAM or less, this can lead to more frequent unloading of background applications from memory.
Special attention should be paid to setting up the menu of recent applications inside the launcher itself. Most iOS-like shells have a separate settings section where you can choose the style of display cards: "Tile", "List" or "Cover Flow." For similarity with iPhone, choose the option with a vertical list of cards and a blurred background.
Hiding navigation buttons and system elements
To create the illusion of using the iPhone, you need to remove all the visual markers of the Android system. Even with gestures on, some applications or after updating the system, standard controls can appear, and removing them is an important step in customization.
Modern versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14+ have the ability to hide the camera notch and control the status bar display through special themes or Advanced Options settings. However, to hide system buttons if they suddenly appear, make sure that the optional → Full-screen mode for all applications is a “Hide the Notch” or “Stretch the full screen” switch.
Also worth noting is the control panel, which is called by a swipe from the top right corner in iOS, while in Android it is often from the top center or left corner. Some launchers allow you to reassign these zones, but you can't change the curtain call zone with Xiaomi's standard tools. You have to get used to new mechanics or use launchers with your own control center.
| Interface element | Xiaomi’s Standard Behavior | Behavior on iOS (target) | Modification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu of recent | Horizontal list | Vertical card stack | Theme or Lowncher |
| Navigation | 3 buttons or gestures | Just gestures. | System settings |
| Control panel | Swipe top down. | Swipe right top. | Launcher/Habit |
| Closure of annexes | Cross or swipe up | Swipe up the card | Gesture management |
Keep in mind that completely hiding system elements can make it difficult to use your phone in the early days.Muscle memory takes time to rewire, especially if you've been using buttons for a long time.
Customize animations through the developer menu
One of the things about the iPhone is that animations are smooth. In Android, and in MIUI in particular, animations are also present, but their default speeds can be higher, which creates a sense of "twitchiness." To make the interface more like iOS, you can slow down the transition animations.
You need to activate the developer menu. Go to Settings. → About the phone and quickly press 7 times on the item "Version" MIUI" (or "Version". OS"). You'll get a notification that you've become a developer. Then go back to the main settings menu, go to the Extra. → For developers.
In the list that opens, look for a section that's related to drawing. You're interested in three things:
- 🚀 Windows animation – responsible for opening and closing applications.
- 🚀 Transition animation – affects switching between screens and task menus.
- 🚀 Duration of animation – total time multiplier.
By default, all these values are set to "1x." To simulate the smoothness of iOS, it is recommended to change the value to 1.5x or even 2x. This will make the interface movements more tractive and weighty, which is visually very close to the behavior of the iPhone. It is not recommended to put values above 2x, since the phone will begin to seem slow.
The Risks of a Developer Menu
Limitations and compatibility of Android versions
It’s important to understand that the depth of third-party launcher integration depends on the Android version and the MIUI shell itself. On older versions (Android 10-11), launchers had more access to the system menu of recent apps. However, in modern versions of Android (12, 13, 14), Google has increased security and application isolation.
This means that a third-party launcher can change the appearance of the desktop, but when you press the “Recent” button, the system can still show the standard MIUI menu, ignoring the style of the launcher.This is a system restriction that cannot be circumvented without root rights or the use of special modules (for example, through LSPosed), which is not recommended for ordinary users due to the risk of loss of warranty and stability.
⚠️ Note: Attempts to obtain root rights or unlock the bootloader for deep modification of the system can lead to a reset of the guarantee and inability to use banking applications (Google Pay, Mir Pay) without complex manipulations.
But even standard methods can achieve very high similarities, and the combination of a high-quality theme, fine-tuned gestures, and a redesigned scale of animation creates a sense of using a completely different device, and the key is that it's a holistic approach: changing only the icons will not work, you need to harmonize all the interface elements.