How to fold applications on Xiaomi: hiding and floating windows

Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI or HyperOS shells have powerful multitasking functionality. Users often face the need to temporarily remove an active application from the screen without closing it completely, which allows you to save the state of the program and quickly return to it at any time, which is especially important for games or navigation.

There are several methods for doing this, each of which depends on the version of the operating system and the type of application used. Standard navigation offers basic solutions, but system settings hide more advanced window management tools. Understanding these mechanisms greatly improves the comfort of using the device.

In this article, we will discuss how to fold applications on Xiaomi using both standard gestures and hidden system functions. You will learn how to turn running programs into floating windows, which will allow you to simultaneously chat in the messenger and watch videos.

Basic navigation and window management

The easiest way to get the app out of sight is to use a standard home button or gesture. In classic three-button navigation at the bottom of the screen, just press the central round button, which will instantly return you to your desktop, leaving the running program hanging in RAM.

If you prefer gesture control, things change a little bit, and in this mode, you swipe from the bottom up in the center of the screen, but there's a big caveat: moving too much or too long can lead to the app being shut down completely instead of folding it, and you have to find a middle ground in the speed of your finger.

⚠️ Warning: If you fold a heavy app or game, the system may unload it from memory after a while to save resources.

For those who are used to buttons, there is an opportunity to switch to the classic navigation style. This is done through the Settings menu → Additional settings → System navigation. Choosing the Buttons option will bring back the usual window management interface.

It's important to distinguish folding from closing. When folding, it stays active in the background, consuming minimal energy, and closing completely stops the program from running, and the next time it starts, it will reopen, which takes longer.

Floating window function and side panel

One of the most useful features of MIUI is the ability to run applications in floating mode, which is ideal for those who want to fold an application, but leave it visible and accessible on top of other windows, and you can implement this through a special sidebar.

To activate the function, go to Settings → Additional settings → Floating windows. The sidebar display should be enabled here. Then, when swiping from the edge of the screen, a menu with frequently used applications that can be run in a miniature format will appear.

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For quick access to floating windows, add the desired applications to the favorites list in the sidebar settings.

There is also an alternative way to put the app in floating window mode: Open the menu of running apps (recent tasks); click on the app icon on the top or swipe down the window preview; in the menu that appears, select an icon resembling a two-bar square or a floating window icon.

The floating window can be moved around the screen, resized, rolled into a narrow strip on the side or turned on the whole screen, giving you incredible flexibility in managing the workspace of a Xiaomi smartphone.

• 📱 Dragging the window over the upper edge allows you to change its position.
• 🔺 Swipe down the bottom of the window rolls it into a floating icon.
• ⬜ Stretching corners changes the size of the active window.
• ❌ The cross in the corner completely closes the mini-app.

Hiding Games Through Game Turbo

Special attention should be paid to the question of how to fold games on Xiaomi. For gamers, the company has developed a special module Game Turbo, which not only optimizes performance, but also allows you to hide the game from prying eyes with one touch.

When you start a game, you need to swipe from the top corner of the screen (left or right, depending on the settings) to call the accelerator menu. This menu contains a Hide button. When you press it, the game instantly folds, and the screen displays an image of a calculator, voice recorder or other system application.

To get back into the game, just click on the floating icon or re-activate the accelerator menu, which is extremely useful if you need to quickly respond to a message or show the screen to someone else without interrupting the gameplay completely.

It's worth noting that Game Turbo functionality may be called "Game Tools" in some firmware versions, but the logic remains the same, only the visual design changes, and the camouflage setting is only available for applications added to the game list.

Split screen for simultaneous operation

Another way to fold an application while keeping it active is to use split-screen mode, in which case the two apps are running simultaneously, occupying the top and bottom of the display, which is not exactly folding in the classical sense, but solves the problem of multitasking.

You can activate mode through the recent app menu, hold your finger on the preview of the desired window, or click on the split icon at the top of the card. Once you select the first app, the system will prompt you to run the second, and both windows will remain active and responsive.

The split screen is convenient for copying text from the browser into notes or watching videos while chatting, but it is worth remembering that in this mode, both applications consume CPU and battery resources more actively than in the folded state.

To exit split-screen mode, you just drag the dividing line completely up or down, or press the Home button. One of the applications will close, and the second will turn on the full screen.

Comparison of window management methods

To better navigate the way controls are handled, it is useful to compare their key features, and different use cases require different approaches: somewhere you need to completely hide the process, and somewhere you need to leave it in plain sight in a reduced format.

The table below compares the main methods of working with windows on Xiaomi smartphones:

The choice of the specific method depends on your current tasks. For background download files, it is enough to simply fold the application. For comfortable communication while working with documents, a floating window is better.

Memory optimization and background processes

MIUI-based Android aggressively manages RAM, and if you fold an app and it restarts after a while when it opens, it's forced to shut it down to free up resources, which is often the case on models with 4GB of RAM or less.

To lock an important application into memory and prevent it from closing, you can use the "Clock" function. Open a list of recent applications, press the desired window with your finger and click on the lock icon. Now, when you clear the memory with the "Cross" button or swipe, this application will not be closed.

⚠️ Attention: Abuse of the app lock function in memory can lead to a quick battery drain and slow down your smartphone. Use this option only for really important programs.

It’s also worth checking your energy saving settings. For some applications, you can set “No Limits” mode in the Settings menu → Apps → All Apps → [Select App] → Battery. This will allow the program to run in the background without restrictions.

Understanding how the system allocates resources will help you manage your tasks more efficiently, and you shouldn’t have dozens of heavy applications in your memory unless you need them right now.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Properly configuring background processes and using a memory lock will prevent important applications from being unexpectedly shut down.