How to change the notification curtain in Xiaomi: styles, widgets and settings

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the desire to personalize the interface of the device to their tastes. the standard appearance of a MIUI system or the new HyperOS can seem too simple or familiar, so the question of how to change the design and functionality of the notification panel remains extremely relevant.

Unfortunately, Xiaomi’s built-in features do not provide for radical changes in the appearance of the curtain, such as changing the background color to an arbitrary one or moving the brightness sliders to another place without third-party software. However, there are a number of effective methods to transform this element of the interface beyond recognition. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods, from standard theme settings to advanced customization through system applications.

It's important to understand that the depth of change depends on the version of the operating system and the region your smartphone is released for. Global firmware versions are often limited compared to Chinese ones, but even in them you can find hidden options for tuning. Let's look at the basic tools that will help you make the control panel unique.

Standard design settings in MIUI and HyperOS

The first step to changing the look should always be the standard tools of the system. In the latest versions of the shells from Xiaomi, developers have introduced the ability to switch between different styles of displaying controls, which does not give complete freedom of creativity, but allows you to choose the more appropriate option from the proposed designers of the company.

To access the basic settings, you need to go to the Settings menu → The screen is always on and the lock screen or use the Themes app. Here you can change fonts, icons and the overall color gamut, which indirectly affects the appearance of the drop-down menu. Some system themes completely redraw the graphical elements of the interface, including volume sliders and quick action tiles.

⚠️ Attention: Installing themes from unverified sources can lead to unstable system operation or the appearance of banner ads in the system menu.

It is worth noting that the HyperOS shell features a new Control Panel design that can be activated forcefully if it is not enabled by default. In some regions, you just need to change the region in the settings Additional → Region to “India” or “China”, which will apply a new style of curtain with large round buttons.

Using the Themes app to change style

The most effective legal way to dramatically change the appearance of the notification curtain is to use third-party themes in the official Xiaomi store. Many designers create complex packages that replace system images, including the background of the notification panel, switch icons and adjustment sliders.

To find the right design, open the Themes app and search for keywords such as “Control Center,” “Notification Style,” or “UI.” Once the theme is loaded, the system will prompt you to apply it. Note that some themes may only change some elements, so carefully study the screenshots in the description before installing.

• 🎨 Full replacement: Some themes change the background of the curtain to a gradient, blurred image or solid color.
• 🔘 Toggles icons: Changes the shape and color of the buttons Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and flashlight.
• 🔊 Sliders: The design of brightness and sound regulators can also be updated.

If you don't change the control panel after you use the theme, try clearing the theme cache and restarting the device. Sometimes it takes time for the system to use all the graphics resources. Also make sure that the theme settings tick "Apply to system interfaces."

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Before applying a new theme, take a screenshot of the current screen settings so that you can quickly return to your usual look if the new design turns out to be uncomfortable.

Customization through the application "Safety"

Xiaomi’s built-in security app hides a few useful features for customizing the interface that are often overlooked. While it doesn’t allow you to draw new buttons, it can also customize the behavior of the curtain and some of its elements, which will greatly improve the user experience.

In the Memory Booster or In-app Settings section, you can find options that affect the display of notifications and quick settings. For example, it often adjusts the priority of displaying certain applications in the curtain or configures the memory cleanup with a single touch, which adds a functional button to the top of the interface.

And new versions of MIUI also allow you to edit the order of the quick tile, so if you put your finger on the area with the switches in the curtain open, you can drag and drop them, remove them, or add new ones to the list of things that are available, and you can bring to the forefront the features that you use most.

⚠️ Warning: Do not remove system services from the autoboot or quick settings list unless you are sure of their purpose.This can cause alarm clocks or instant messenger notifications to malfunction.

Also in the Security app, you can set up "Pocket Mode," which affects the screen's response to touch when the smartphone is in the bag. While this doesn't change the visual style, it's a critical setting to prevent accidental curtain activations.

Advanced Setup with GetApps and Third-Party Launchers

For those who don’t have the standard features, the GetApps app store (Mi Store) offers specialized utilities for deep interface modification. One of the most popular tools is the Control Center app (or its analogues like Quick Settings), which completely replaces the system curtain with a custom one.

These applications require special permissions, including access over other windows and access to special features (Accessibility), and once installed, you can change the transparency of the background, font size, the number of columns with tiles, and even add widgets that are not in the stock firmware, such as displaying the charge of each earphone separately.

An alternative route is to install a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. Although they primarily change the desktop, many have their own notification management plugins and a quick access panel that can duplicate or extend the functionality of the standard curtain.

Using third-party applications to replace system elements always carries risks; they can conflict with Xiaomi system updates, causing lags or interface crashes, and it is recommended to use such tools only on devices with sufficient RAM.

Configure the content and behavior of notifications

Changing the look is only half the task; it is equally important to adjust what information is displayed in the curtain. Xiaomi has a flexible notification management system that allows you to hide sensitive data or, conversely, display important information on a locked screen.

Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification management. Here you can set a display format for each application: show content, hide it or completely disable notifications, which helps keep the curtain clean and eliminates visual noise.

• 🔒 Confidentiality: Hide text messages in the curtain, leaving only the name of the sender.
• 🔔 Sound and vibration: Set up custom settings for different types of notifications.
• 📉 Turning Off: Enable the grouping of notifications from one application so that they do not occupy the entire height of the curtain.

Also in the Status Line section, you can configure Internet speed, signal strength, and battery charge as a percentage, and these little details make the top panel of the device much more informative without having to unlock the phone every time.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system notifications (e.g. from Security or Downloads) may cause you to miss important virus alerts or complete file downloads.

For users who want complete silence, there is a Do Not Disturb mode, which is also in this menu, and can be set to automatically turn on on a schedule or when in a certain place, which will automatically clear the curtain of all distractions.

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Competent configuration of notification filters is more important than visual change of the topic, as it directly affects the productivity and speed of access to important information.

Solution: The curtain does not open or glitch

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the notification curtain stops responding to swipes, opens with a delay or displays incorrectly, most often due to overflow of the system interface cache or conflict of recently installed themes.

First, try restarting your smartphone. If the problem persists, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, search the System Interface (or System UI) list and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with Clear Data, as this can reset the settings for the location of icons on your desktop.

If you have recently installed third-party themes or customization apps, try to remove them. Often, it is the modified resources that cause instability in the operation of system controls. Once you remove third-party software, be sure to restart the device.

In rare cases, the problem may be to damage system files after a failed update, which can help reset to factory settings, but before that, be sure to back up important data in the cloud Xiaomi Cloud or on your computer.

Details and nuances of working with the control panel

Finally, we should mention hidden gestures and features that make working with the curtain even more convenient. For example, in some versions of MIUI, a long press on the switch icon (for example, Wi-Fi) immediately opens the settings menu of this module, bypassing the main settings screen.

It also allows you to adjust the brightness of your screen not only with a slider, but also with an up-and-down swipe, which sometimes works faster, and knowing these little details makes you feel confident in the Xiaomi ecosystem.

Experiment with settings, but always keep the ability to quickly return to the original state.