Xiaomi special features: a full guide to hidden features for comfortable use

Have you ever walked into Xiaomi’s settings and stumbled across the “Special Features” section? Many users walk past it, believing that these features are only for people with disabilities. But in fact, there are tools that can make it easier for anyone to interact with the device, from speeding up navigation to protecting their eyesight to even automating routine activities.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what special features in firmware are. MIUI, What features are available here on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, And you'll learn how to customize your phone to suit your needs. Increase text for easy reading, enable voice control, configure gestures for quick access, or even hide sensitive information from prying eyes with Screen Reading without displaying content. We’ll also tell you what settings to turn on right now, even if you’ve never used this section.

What is Xiaomi’s “Special Features” and Why You Need Them

Special features (or Universal Access) in English MIUI) — It's a set of tools that adapt the interface of a smartphone to the individual needs of the user, and it was originally designed for people with visual, hearing or motor impairments, but today it's useful for everyone:

• 👁️ For vision: enlargement of font, inversion of colors, blue light filter, voice accompaniment of actions.
• 👂 For hearing: subtitles, visual alerts, amplification of sound in headphones.
• ✋ For motor skills: gesture control, auto-complete text, simplified interaction with the screen.
• 🔒 For security: hiding notifications, blocking random clicks, protection from surveillance through the screen.

It’s important to understand that these settings don’t impair smartphone performance, they work at the system level and are optimized even for Redmi’s budget models. Moreover, some features (like Smart Assistant or Gestures) can speed up your phone by reducing the number of unnecessary clicks.

Where to find “Special Features” on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO

The path to the section depends on the version MIUI And the model of the device, but the overall pattern is the same:

1. Open “Settings” (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).
2. Scroll down and select “Special Features” (in some versions – “More» → «Special opportunities»).
3. The screen will open a list of categories: “Sight”, “Hearing”, “Interaction”, etc.

On devices with MIUI 14+ (For example, Xiaomi 13 or POCO F5) This section can be called Universal Access or Accessibility. If you don't find it, search the settings (lamp in the upper right corner) and type in "special access».

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On some models (like the Redmi Note 12), the section is duplicated in quick settings. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and click on the icon of the person in the mug (if any).

If you have an older version of the firmware (for example, MIUI 12), the path may be different: Settings → System system → Additionally. → Special facilities.

Top.-5 The most useful features in the “Special features” Xiaomi

We've selected five tools that everyone can use, whether you have a disability or not, that save time, save vision and make smartphone use more comfortable.

1. Increase text and screen scaling

If you find it difficult to read small print in messages or browser, turn on “Text enlargement”:

1. Go to Special Opportunities → Vision. → Size of text.
2. Move the slider to the right to increase the font to a comfortable size.
3. To zoom in the entire screen, activate “Increase” in the same section and use triple tap.

This feature is useful not only for the elderly, but also for those who often use the phone in the sun or in transport.

2. Blue light filter and dark theme

The blue light from the screen tires the eyes and disturbs sleep. MIUI There are two tools for protection:

• 🌙 «Dark theme (Settings) → Screen. → Dark theme – inverts colors in all apps.
• 🔵 «Blue Light Filter (Special Opportunities) → Vision. → Blue light filter – reduces harmful radiation.

We recommend that you include an automatic filter schedule: from 21:00 to 7:00, when the eyes are most vulnerable.

3. Voice control and screen reading

TalkBack (or Screen Reading) voices everything from clicks to notifications, which is essential for blind users, but can be useful in other situations:

• 🎧 Listening to articles or messages with headphones when hands are busy.
• 🚗 Controlling the phone while driving (coupled with a voice assistant).
• 🔍 Quickly search for information without reading small text.

To include: Special Opportunities → Vision. → TalkBack.

4.Gestural and quick action

In the “Interaction” section, gestures that speed up work with a smartphone are hidden:

• ✌️ «Double tap to wake up" - turn on to unlock the screen without the power button.
• 👆 «Rise to wake up – the phone activates when you hold it in your hand.
• 🔄 «Screenshot gesture – swipe three fingers down to take a screenshot.

These features save time and extend the life of physical buttons that wear out over time.

5. Notification concealment and confidential treatment

If you often show your phone to colleagues or friends but don’t want them to see personal notifications, turn on:

• 🔐 «Hiding Confidential Content (Special Opportunities) → Confidentiality → Hide notifications).
• 👀 «Screen Reading without Display" - voices the text but does not show it on the screen (useful for reading messages on public transport).

These settings do not block notifications completely, but simply hide their content from prying eyes.

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Special Features works even on a locked screen, for example, you can set up a gesture to trigger a camera or flashlight without unlocking your phone.

How to set up "Special opportunities" for your needs: step-by-step instructions

To optimize your Xiaomi smartphone for your tasks, follow this algorithm:

Let’s look at the Xiaomi 14 C example. MIUI 15:

1. Prioritize. If you have vision problems, start with "Vision." If you use your phone in noisy places, "Hearing." If you use your phone often, "Engagement" is the best way to speed things up.
2. Set up some basic parameters, like for vision protection: Special features. → Vision. → Blue light filter → Turn on + Set up a schedule for easy management: Special. opportunities → Interaction → Gestures → Insert "Double touch to wake up"
3. Try calling, opening the messenger, or taking a photo with new settings, and if something is in the way, go back and adjust.
4. Keep the profile. MIUI You can create multiple settings profiles (e.g., Home, Work, Night) and switch between them in one click.

If the phone is slower after the changes, check if several features are in conflict, for example, using TalkBack and Text Enhancement at the same time can slow down the interface on weak devices (for example, Redmi). 9A).

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In the models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) the inclusion of a dark theme not only saves eyes, but also saves battery power by 5-10%.

Hidden features of “Special Opportunities” that few people know about

In addition to the standard tools, the MIUI There are non-obvious functions that are not advertised, but can be useful:

One of the most undocumented features is “One-touch mode” (Special Opportunities). → Interaction → It allows you to control the phone with one hand, bringing all the interface elements to one side of the screen. This is convenient for devices with large displays (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra or other devices). POCO F6 Pro).

Another hidden feature is Automatic Screen Rotation in the Face. If you're tired of manually blocking the screen rotation, turn this option on Special Options. → Now the phone will be focused on the position of your head, not the gyroscope.

Frequent Problems and How to Solve Them

When setting up Special Opportunities, users encounter common errors, and here's how to avoid them:

⚠️ Warning: If the screen stops responding to presses after TalkBack is turned on, don't panic. This feature changes the way you interact: instead of just one touch, you need to use double tapping or two-finger gestures. To turn it off, press two fingers on the screen for 3 seconds, then swipe down with two fingers and press “Switch off».

Other common problems:

• 🔊 «Blue Light Filter Doesn't Work in Some Apps → This is a restriction of the apps themselves (e.g. Netflix or YouTube block the overlay of filters). Solution: use a system dark theme.
• 📱 «Gestures don't work» → Check if they conflict with app launch gestures (like Nova Launcher.
• 🔋 «Text augmentation trims interface elements → Scale down in the settings or enable the option to “Ignore the scale in some applications».

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 11) after the update MIUI Special Opportunities settings are reset. Before updating, take screenshots of current settings or sync them with your Mi Account.

If after changing the settings, the phone began to slow down, try:

1. Disable unnecessary functions (for example, “UI animation” in the “Vision” section).
2. Clear the system cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points. → Clear the cache.
3. Reset the device.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions about Xiaomi’s special features