MIUI 12: What is it and what kind of phones Xiaomi supports

In the mobile world, the release of a new version of the operating system is always a landmark event, and for owners of Xiaomi devices, this moment was the advent of MIUI 12. This is not just another update with a bug fix, but a fundamental revision of the visual language and internal logic of the interface. Users who are first time encountering this version often wonder: what exactly has changed and how this will affect daily use of the gadget?

The company's developers have been betting on visuals and data privacy. MIUI 12 has introduced a new animation system, a redesigned control center and, perhaps most importantly, a detailed map of app access to personal data. If you own a smartphone from this brand, it is impossible to ignore the changes in this version, since they affect almost all aspects of interaction with the device.

In this article, we will go into detail what the number 12 in the firmware name is, what models are supported, and whether it is worth upgrading if your device is not new, and understanding the structure of this system will help you customize your phone to your needs as efficiently as possible.

Concept and visual style of the new shell

The first thing that catches your eye when you turn on a device with MIUI 12 is a redesigned approach. Xiaomi engineers have introduced the concept of a “live” interface, where animations are smoother and controls are more responsive. A key change has been the animation system, which now responds not only to touch, but also to the gyroscope, creating the effect of depth and dynamics when tilting the smartphone.

Special attention has been paid to the lock screen and the design of the watch, and time can now be displayed in huge numbers, overlapping parts of the image, or be styled as a minimalist typeface. Super Wallpaper became the hallmark of this version, offering interactive backgrounds of Earth and Mars, which change the angle depending on the position of the phone in space.

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Use the Super Wallpaper feature with caution on older models, as they may consume more battery power due to the constant operation of the gyroscope and rendering of the graphics.

And it's important to note that the visual changes didn't just affect the home screen, the settings menu, the notification panel, and even standard apps like Calendar and Weather, which have a new, more airy design, making it less eye-wasting to work with the interface.

Control center and notification panel

One of the most talked-about innovations was the separation of the notification panel and the control center. In previous versions of MIUI, all elements were on the same list, which often led to confusion. In MIUI 12, the swipe on the left only opens notifications, and the swipe on the right only opens management tools.

The control center now looks like a set of large, handy cards, where you can quickly switch Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb mode, and control music playback, and the size of the tiles has become larger, making it easier to hit with a finger, especially on large screens.

• 🔘 Separate slider of brightness and volume with tactile recoil.
• 🎵 Extended widget of music player with album cover.
• 🌐 Quick access to smart home management right from the curtain.

This separation allows you to find the right functions faster, but users who are used to the old system may need time to adapt to the muscle memory work correctly.

Security and protection of data privacy

In the digital age, privacy is a hot topic, and MIUI 12 offers powerful tools for control, including Privacy Protection, which monitors in real time which applications request access to geolocation, microphone or camera.

If an application tries to access your data in the background, the system will notify you and suggest that you restrict the rights, and you can give the applications not a real geolocation, but an approximate one, which is often enough for delivery services or taxis to work.

⚠️ Attention: After updating to MIUI 12 carefully check the permissions for previously installed applications.The system may have reset some permissions for security purposes, and your favorite messengers or navigators may require re-authorization.

There is also a feature called Device Mask, which hides your IMEI and other identifying information from applications that collect telemetry, making the user’s digital footprint less visible to advertising algorithms.

New features for comfortable use

Beyond security, Xiaomi has introduced a number of ergonomics-enhancing features, One Hand Mode is smarter: you can now activate screen shrinkage not only by swiping, but also by tapping on the bottom of the display (the "Down Screen" gesture), which is especially convenient for owners of phablets with a diagonal of more than 6.5 inches.

Another useful innovation was the floating sidebar, which is a vertical bar that is called by a swipe from the edge of the screen, and you can add commonly used apps to it, and they will open in a floating window on top of the current task, and this is the implementation of a full multitasking mode.

• 📱 The ability to run up to 9 apps in floating windows at the same time.
• 📝 The “Long Page Screenshot” feature with automatic scrolling.
• 🎥 Recording a screen with sound from a microphone and system at the same time.

Implementing these functions requires certain processor resources, so on budget models, the operation of floating windows can be limited.

Compatibility: List of supported devices

Upgrading to MIUI 12 is not just for flagships, but also mid-range and even entry-level devices, but the functionality can vary: some heavy visuals are only available on the powerful Snapdragon 700 and 800 series processors.

The table below shows the main series of smartphones that are guaranteed to receive the update:

Owners of devices released before 2018 may not have received the update officially, and in such cases enthusiasts often resort to installing custom firmware, but this requires unlocking the bootloader.

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Having an update for your model does not guarantee full functionality identity with flagships. hardware limitations of the processor can cut off heavy animations.

Update process and possible problems

The process of migrating to MIUI 12 is standard for the Xiaomi ecosystem. However, given the scale of changes in the system code, it is recommended to back up data before installation. Upgrade weight can reach 3-4 GB, so having a stable Wi-Fi connection is critical.

Once installed, the system optimizes the applications, which can take 5 to 15 minutes, during which time the phone can heat up — a normal process of cache reassembly.

Among the common problems users note is the rapid discharge of the battery in the first days after the update, due to the work of the background processes of indexing files and adapting the system to the user's habits, usually after 3-5 days, autonomy returns to normal.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to warm up or freeze for more than a day after the upgrade, try resetting to the factory settings (Hard Reset.

Comparison with competitors and final opinion

At the time of its release, MIUI 12 was one of the leaders in terms of customization, and unlike pure Android, it offers a huge arsenal of settings out of the box. Competitors like the Samsung One UI or Realme UI are also evolving, but Xiaomi’s approach to detailing interface settings remains unique.

It's more mature and visually pleasing, angular shapes gone, smoothness has come, but the abundance of features can scare off conservative users who prefer minimalism.

So MIUI 12 is a big step forward for the company, and it's turned a utility tool into a personalized space, and even if you don't take advantage of all the new features, the overall level of comfort and safety will increase.