Buying a new smartphone from Xiaomi always causes a pleasant excitement, but immediately after turning on the device, users often face aggressive pre-installed advertising and excessive amounts of junk software. This is the company’s standard practice to reduce the cost of the final cost of the gadget, but it requires immediate intervention from the owner. If you do not conduct an initial setup, you risk experiencing rapid battery discharge, overheating and constant pop-ups in system applications.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the critical steps that will turn your Mi or Redmi into a handy tool, not a source of annoyance. You’ll learn how to secure your personal data, check the display for broken pixels, and adjust the CPU to maximize battery life.
⚠️ Note: Do not sign in to your primary Google or Mi Account until you remove suspicious apps and set up privacy settings to avoid syncing redundant data.
Initial inspection and completeness check
Before you start the software setup, you need to physically verify the health of the smartphone. In the box with the Xiaomi device usually contains the gadget itself, the charger, the cable and the protective case (depending on the model). Carefully inspect the case for chips, scratches and backlashes of the buttons, as it will be extremely difficult to return the goods with mechanical damage after activation.
Special attention should be paid to the screen. Turn on the device and set maximum brightness to check the uniformity of the backlight and the absence of lights at the edges. For a deeper diagnosis, you can use the built-in engineering menu by entering a special code in the "bell ringer".
##6484##This code opens the CIT (Customer Information Test) menu, where you can run touchscreen, proximity, vibration and color sensors, and go through the basic tests to rule out factory defects.
- 🔍 Check the availability of all accessories stated in the specification in the delivery kit.
- 🖥️ Swipe your finger across the screen when the display is off to identify the “dead zones” of the touchscreen.
- 🔋 Make sure the charger matches the declared fast charging power.
If you find defects at this stage, do not rush to set up the system. it is better to exchange the device in the store in the first days after purchase, until the return deadline expires.
⚠️ If you find broken pixels (black or colored dots), immediately make a photo or video recording of the defect - this will be your main proof when returning.
After successfully passing the tests, you can switch to network connection and system updates, since there are often bugs on stock firmware that are fixed in newer versions of MIUI or HyperOS.
Mi Account and Data Security
Creating or signing in to Mi Account is a must-have for Xiaomi’s ecosystem, which allows you to use Find Device, sync contacts, notes and gallery, and access cloud storage. Without an account anchor, some system features, such as finding a lost phone, will be unavailable.
When registering, be sure to enable two-factor authentication, this will protect your profile from being hacked even in the event of a password leak. PIN-a code or pattern lock, and set up unlocking by fingerprint or face.
☑️ Primary security setting
Don’t ignore the privacy section in the settings, where you can turn off sending diagnostic data to your company’s servers if you’re worried about privacy, and read the permissions that system applications request when they first run.
Removing Advertising and Unnecessary Applications
The most painful topic for new owners is advertising in system applications, which, fortunately, in modern versions of the shell, can be almost completely disabled manually, and the main source of pop-ups is MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is the first step to making it comfortable.
To start, go to settings, look for passwords and security, and select Authorization and Registration, and then turn off the Receive References slider, and then the system will ask you to wait 10 seconds before turning off, which is the standard procedure to keep you.
Next, you need to go through the built-in applications and remove advertising in each of them separately:
- 🎵 Music: Settings → About the programme → Show promotional recommendations (off).
- 🎥 Video: Profile → Settings → About the programme → Showing ads (off).
- 📁 Conductor: Settings → About the programme → Advertising recommendations (off).
- 🧹 Cleaning: Settings → Receive recommendations (off).
After disabling advertising in specific applications, it is recommended to remove or disable unnecessary software that often comes with the bundle (games, marketplaces, news aggregators) This will free up space in memory and reduce the load on RAM.
How to remove system applications without Root?
Do not remove apps you are not sure about, especially those related to Google or Xiaomi system services.
Optimizing the battery and screen
Modern. AMOLED-Xiaomi smartphone screens have excellent color reproduction, but by default the settings may be suboptimal. Go to Screen and select a color scheme that is comfortable for your eyes. Often the default is "saturated", which can distort the colors in apps.
To save charge, turn on Dark Theme and set up automatic switching on a schedule. It's also worth checking the screen refresh rate. If you have a 90Hz or 120Hz model, make sure you select Default or Maximum mode to keep the interface running smoothly.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency of update | Maximum / 120 Hz | Smoothness of the interface |
| Screen resolution | By default (FHD+) | Clarity and energy consumption |
| DC Dimming | On (at low brightness) | Reducing the burden on the eyes |
| Animation. | Included. | Visual responsiveness |
In Battery, activate background optimization for rarely used applications, which will prevent them from running in the background and save charge. For instant messengers and navigators, on the contrary, select No Limits mode so that notifications arrive on time.
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Turn on the “Increased Touch” feature in game mode if you play shooters often – this will increase the sensitivity of the screen to touch.
Configuring notifications and interface
MIUI offers a variety of customization options that you can customize right away. Start with the control panel: in newer versions, it is divided into a notification center and a control center (with brightness sliders and a flashlight).
Notification management is important. Android 13 and above, and the latest versions of MIUI, have aggressive filtering. Go to notification settings and check which apps take priority. Often system notifications about updates or ads are flagged as important, which creates visual noise.
You should also adjust your navigation gestures. Handling gestures (swipes from the edges of the screen) is more convenient on larger screens than using the three buttons at the bottom. Try both options and choose the one that feels more natural to you.
Don't forget to set up "Quick Commands" or "Shortcuts," like double tapping on a switched-off screen to turn on a flashlight or running the camera on a volume button, which make everyday use much faster.
Advanced capabilities and hidden functions
Many users don't know that there's hidden potential in their smartphone, like the Security app, which has a powerful antivirus and cleaner that works better than third-party ones, and run a check on a regular basis, but don't install additional cleaners from the Play Market.
The second lock screen (Glance), a feature that shows news and pictures on a locked screen, often annoys users, and can be turned off in the settings "Always on screen and lock screen" → "Wallpaper carousel", which will free up the processor and battery resources.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install third-party launchers immediately after purchase. MIUI, lag-producing.
Another useful feature is Second Space, which allows you to create an isolated environment in your phone, as if you have two different smartphones, which is perfect for separating work and personal life, or for handing the phone to your children without the risk that they will get to your personal photos and correspondence.
Developer mode is available for advanced users, and you need to quickly click on MIUI Version 7 times in the About Phone section to activate it, and you can find animation speed and background limit settings, but you only need to change them when you understand the consequences.
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The correct initial setup takes 15-20 minutes, but eliminates 90% of the problems with advertising and autonomy in the future.