Modern smartphone interfaces like MIUI are packed with visuals that are designed to make interactions with the device smoother and more enjoyable. However, owners of budget models like the Xiaomi Redmi 9 often face the desire to optimize the performance of the gadget. Turning on or turning off animations is one of the most effective ways to influence the subjective sense of speed of the Android operating system.
By default, the system hides the advanced visual effects settings from the average user by placing them in a hidden developer menu, so that novices accidentally knock down important system settings. However, these features are open to anyone who is willing to perform several sequential actions in the settings menu. The right configuration allows you to find a balance between the beauty of the interface and its responsiveness.
In this article, we will discuss in detail where the hidden levers of graphics control are located, how to activate the developer mode and what parameters are better to choose for Redmi 9. You will learn how to manage the system response time and understand how to make using a smartphone more comfortable without installing third-party software.
Why to control animations on Redmi 9
Visual effects management is not just a way to play around with settings, it’s a real optimization tool. The Redmi 9 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G80 processor, which, despite its reliability, is not a flagship solution. When MIUI draws complex transitions between windows, it consumes the processing resources of the processor and graphics accelerator.
By changing the animation settings, you can achieve the following results:
- 🚀 Accelerating application opening – reducing the waiting time for the program interface.
- ⚡ Reduced input delays – faster response to screen taps and swipes.
- 🔋 Saving battery life – less load on GPU Reduces energy consumption.
Many users mistakenly believe that turning off the graphics completely will make the phone as fast as possible. However, in Android animations perform an important function of masking the download. If you remove them completely, the interface becomes “twitched”, and sharp jumps between menus can be disorienting. The optimal solution for Redmi 9 is not to completely shut down, but to reduce the duration of the effects to 0.5x or 0.2x from the original value.
⚠️ Warning: Completely disabling animations (meaning “No animation”) can lead to visual artifacts in some applications where interface elements simply disappear or appear instantly without a smooth transition.
Activation of the developer mode
Before you make changes to system settings, you need to get the appropriate permissions. In the MIUI shell installed on Redmi 9, the developer menu is hidden by default. This is a standard security measure by Google and Xiaomi, which prevents inexperienced users from accidentally breaking the system.
The activation process takes less than a minute and is performed as follows:
- Open the Settings app on the main screen.
- Go to the About Phone section, which is usually at the top of the list.
- Find the MIUI version string and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row.
- After a few clicks, a pop-up notification will appear that you have become a developer.
If your device has a screen lock password installed or PIN-The code, the system can request it to be entered to confirm actions, it's a normal data protection procedure, and after you successfully complete the steps in the settings menu, a new item will appear that will give access to hidden functions.
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If the click counter is reset, try not to press too fast, but rhythmically, sometimes you need to pause after the 5th click.
Search and login to the Developer Menu
Once the hidden mode is activated, the new section does not appear on the main settings screen, but is integrated into the Advanced Settings subsection, which often causes confusion among users who start looking for it in the shared list.
To get to the right place on Redmi 9, follow the instructions:
- 📱 Return to the main Settings menu.
- 📂 Select Additional Settings (or Advanced Settings).
- ⚙️ In the list that opens, scroll down to the end and find For Developers.
There are over a hundred different options inside this section, relating to USB debugging, networking, and of course graphics. The interface may seem overloaded with technical terms, but we're only interested in a small fraction of them.
⚠️ Note: Do not change the settings in Logistics or Network unless you understand their purpose.This can lead to unstable operation of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth modules.
Setting up the scale of animation and transitions
In the developer menu, we're interested in three key parameters that directly affect the visual perception of interface speed, and they're responsible for the different types of motions on the Redmi 9 screen.
Find the following items in the list (usually located in the Drawing block):
- 🎞️ Windows animation – the speed of opening and closing applications.
- 🔄 Transition animation – the speed of switching between desktops and menus.
- ⏳ Duration of animation – total time allocated by the system to render the effects.
By default, all three values are set to 1x (or "Normal"). This is a standard value conceived by engineers to demonstrate smoothness. To speed up the Redmi 9, it is recommended to change these values. Click on each point and select 0.5x. If you want the highest possible speed and you are not confused by sudden transitions, you can choose 0.2x.
☑️ Checking the animation settings
Additional graphics parameters in MIUI
In addition to the standard Android settings, there may be additional options in the MIUI shell that affect graphics performance. They are not always available on all versions of the firmware, but they are worth checking out for owners of Redmi 9.
In the same developer menu, pay attention to the following options:
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| GPU acceleration | Included. | Uses a GPU to render 2D elements |
| Shut down. HW-layer | Off. | Using GPUs for composites can increase battery consumption |
| Background processes | No more than 2-3. | Limits the number of active applications in memory |
| Simulation of anomalies | No anomalies. | Must be off for stable operation |
| 4x MSAA | Off. | Improves graphics in games, but strongly warms the phone |
| Show touch | Off. | Displays white circles at the pressing point (necessary for screencasts) |
Parameter Acceleration GPU (Force GPU rendering) causes the phone to use a graphics chip to render the interface, which can make scrolling lists more smooth, but on budget devices, this sometimes leads to the opposite effect - increased heat. If after turning on this option, Redmi 9 began to warm up to simple, return the value to the original state.
What is 4x MSAA?
Resetting settings and troubleshooting problems
If the interface has become unstable after changing the parameters, black screens appear when switching or applications stop opening, you need to reset.
To return to factory values:
- In the Developer Menu, scroll the list to the top.
- Find the switch at the very beginning of the list (usually it is active because you are inside the menu).
- Turn it off and then turn it back on to reboot the settings.
- Or manually return the animation values to 1x.
A normal device reboot can also help: Press and hold the power button, then select Reboot, which will clear the graphics subsystem's temporary cache and apply the new settings correctly. In the rare cases when the interface is hanging dead, it helps to boot in safe mode to diagnose third-party applications.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use Factory Reset in the main menu of the phone just to change the animations. This will delete all your data. Use the reset only inside the developer menu.
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Optimal 0.5x animation setting allows you to speed up Redmi 9 without losing the visual appeal of the interface and the emergence of artifacts.