Xiaomi smartphones based on the company shell MIUI They offer a unique combination of Android flexibility and exclusive features from the manufacturer. 20-30% The power of your devices, without even knowing the hidden controls, will help you understand not only the basic settings, but also the advanced control techniques of Redmi, POCO or flagships of the Xiaomi series 13/14.
We will consider alternative navigation methods (including gestures). MIUI 14/15), Optimizing performance through hidden menus, managing multitasking, and even little-known button combinations for emergencies. IR-blaster, NFC and MediaTek/Snapdragon — These nuances often cause confusion among beginners.
1. the main methods of navigation in MIUI
Shell MIUI It offers three basic controls: classic buttons, Xiaomi gestures and Android gestures (in the style of Pixel), which depend on the habits of the user and the model of the smartphone. POCO F5 With 120Hz screen gestures work smoother than on the budget Redmi 12C 60 Hz.
To change the way you navigate:
- Go to Settings → Display → Navigation panel
- Choose one of the options: buttons, gestures MIUI Or Android Gestures
- For gestures. MIUI Configure the sensitivity of swipes in Additional settings
Among the gestures MIUI useful:
- 👉 Swipe from the bottom edge to the left – return to the previous screen (analogue of the button “Back")
- 👆 Swipe up with pause – opening a list of recently used applications
- 🔄 Swipe from the corner diagonally – call Google Assistant (configured separately)
- ⏸️ Double tap on the back – quick start of the camera or other application (Double tap function)
On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Ultra) gestures are consumed on 12-15% It's less power than static buttons, and it's because of the way Always-On Display works and the adaptive refresh rate.
2. Hidden button combinations and gestures for power users
The manufacturer doesn't advertise some keyboard shortcuts that can help in unusual situations, and here are the most useful ones:
| Combination | Action. | Applicable to models |
|---|---|---|
| Loudness up + Food (3 sec) | Screenshot of the screen (alternative to gesture) | All models on MIUI 12+ |
| Loudness down + Nutrition (5 seconds) | Forced reset (when getting stuck) | All models except POCO M-series |
| Double press power | Quick camera start (configured) | Models with hardware camera button |
| Triple press of Menu (in games) | Activation of Game Turbo | Redmi Note and POCO X-series |
On devices with infrared port (IR-Power for 8 seconds puts the phone in remote mode. This works even with the battery discharged (if the remaining charge is left over). >5%).
How to turn on the developer mode for additional gestures
On models with Snapdragon chipset 8 Gen 2 (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) Hidden mode "Ultra Performance Mode" is available, which unlocks additional 10% productivity CPU/GPU. Activated through the command ##4636## → "Battery information" → top-right.
3.Managing Multitasking and Memory
One of the key elements MIUI — It's aggressively controlling background processes, and on the one hand, it saves battery power, and on the other, it can shut down applications, and setting up that balance requires understanding a few parameters:
Main instruments:
- 🔄 Auto-cleaning RAM — In Settings → Annexes → Cleanup RAM You can set up automatic cleaning when blocking the screen
- 📱 Fixing apps – swipe down on the icon in multitasking fixes the app in memory
- ⚡ Performance mode - in Settings → Battery → Select “Performance” for games
- 🔒 Prohibit optimization – for critical applications (e.g. messengers) disable optimization in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start
On devices with 8/12 GB RAM (e.g., RAM, POCO F5 Pro) it is recommended to deactivate the extension function RAM (It uses the storage space as virtual memory, and tests show that it only gives performance gains on models with a virtual memory. 4/6 GB RAM.
☑️ Optimizing Multitasking
⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi with MediaTek Helio (e.g. Redmi 12), forced shutdown of system processes via adb can overheat the chipset.Use the adb shell am kill command only for custom applications.
4. Energy and battery management
The food management system in MIUI It has some unique features. First, it's Adaptive Charge, which limits charging to 80 percent to keep the battery in capacity. Second, it's Power Modes that dynamically change the CPU clock speed.
How to set the optimal balance:
- Activate Adaptive Charge in Settings → Battery → Battery settings
- For games, use Performance mode, for normal use – Balanced
- Turn off Device Search on Google Services if you don’t use Find My Device
- Set up a sleep schedule to Digital Well-Being to automatically switch to energy saving mode at night
On models with support for fast charging 120W+ (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra recommended:
- 🔌 Use the original cable and power supply (non-original can limit power to the power supply) 65W)
- 🌡️ Do not use your phone while charging at temperatures above 30°C
- ⏳ Charge up to 80% for everyday use, up to 100% for long journeys
💡
To check the actual charging speed, enter the code in the engineering menu ##4636## → "Battery information" → "Charge level and Charging current. Normal values for 120W: 6000-6500 ma 5-9 V.
5. Network and connection management
Xiaomi offers unique networking tools that are not available in pure Android. For example, Dual Connect allows you to use Wi-Fi and mobile data simultaneously to increase download speeds.
How to set up the network as efficiently as possible:
- 📶 Priority SIM-maps: B Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Priority Data Select the Main Map for Data Transfer
- 🔗 Dual Connection: Activate in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Double connection (required) MIUI 13+)
- 📡 5G-Modes: To save charge, turn off SA/NSA In Settings → SIM-map → The preferred type of network is if 5G needless
- 🔒 VPN-routing: C Settings → Additionally. → Special facilities → Routing VPN You can choose which applications you use. VPN
On devices with NFC (For example, Xiaomi 13 Lite) has a hidden Card Emulation feature that allows you to emulate transport cards without installing additional applications:
Settings → Connected devices → NFC → Additional settings → Emulation of the map⚠️ Note: Redmi with MediaTek Dimensity chipset (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) can work simultaneously or 5G, Or Wi-Fi 6 at maximum speed. That's the hardware platform limitation.
6 Permit and security management
MIUI It's known for its strict permission controls, which sometimes lead to conflicts with applications, such as AutoRun and Notifications Display are disabled by default for new applications, this protects against flashlight software, but can interfere with messengers.
Key security settings:
| Function | Where to set up | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-launching applications | Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autorun | Include for instant messengers and banking applications |
| Display of notifications | Settings → Notifications → Notifications Management | Disconnect for unnecessary games and services |
| Access to location | Settings → Privacy → Permits → Location | Use the "Only during use" mode. |
| Protection from surveillance | Settings → Confidentiality → Special access → Access to the exchange buffer | Disable for all applications except browser |
For advanced users, the Private Mode (similar to Samsung Secure Folder) feature is available, which creates an isolated space with individual applications and files.
Settings → Privacy → Private modeOn devices with MIUI 14 Global has an undocumented ability to block system applications via adb. For example, the adb shell pm hide com.miui.analytics team will disable analytics collection, which will increase battery life on the system. 8-12%.
7. Camera and multimedia control
Xiaomi’s Camera app contains dozens of hidden features, from professional modes to AI-For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with the Leica sensor, unique color profiles are available that are not activated by default.
How to unlock the camera's potential:
- 📸 Professional Mode: Keep your finger on the camera screen for 2 seconds for a quick transition to manual settings
- 🎥 Double video: In camera settings, activate Double recording for simultaneous shooting with the main and front camera
- 🌃 Night Mode: On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ Hold the 3-second down button to activate the Ultra Night Mode
- 🔍 Hidden filters: In Portrait Mode, swipe left/right to access additional effects (e.g. Leica Authentic)
For the video, it is recommended:
- 🎬 Use the permit 1080p@60fps Better balance the quality and size of the file
- 🎤 Connect an external microphone through USB-C pure-sound
- 📱 Activate Ultra High Quality Video in Camera Settings (available on flagships)
💡
On models with optical zoom (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), use a physical approximation instead of a digital one – this retains detail even at 5x zoom.
8 Advanced settings through the engineering menu
Engineering menu (#4636###) and ADB-commands open access to hidden system parameters, which is useful for fine-tuning the network, battery and performance, but requires caution.
Safe commands for optimization:
Increased Sensor Sensitivity (for games)
adb shell settings put system pointer_location 1
Disabling animations to speed up the interface
adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 0.5
adb shell settings put global transition_animation_scale 0.5
adb shell settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.5
1440p enabled for YouTube videos (root required)
adb shell setprop debug.youtube.override_resolution 1440You can use the engineering menu to:
- 📶 Check the real speed of mobile Internet (Installation Network)
- 🔋 See detailed statistics of battery discharge by component
- 📡 Set Network Priority 2G/3G/4G/5G manually
- 🔊 Check the performance of speakers and microphones (Audio tab)
⚠️ Note: Changing Band Selection settings in the engineering menu may cause network loss on MediaTek devices. → SIM-map → Resetting network settings.