Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to access system features that are hidden from the eyes of the average owner. The MIUI shell or the new HyperOS provides many tools for diagnosis and fine-tuning, but getting to them is not always easy. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to open the application menu on Xiaomi, from standard settings to secret engineering codes.
Knowing these pathways is not just for curiosity, but for real-world problems with your device, like when you need to check battery status, calibrate your sensor, or activate USB debugging to transfer data, and the system menu is the key to having complete control over your gadget.
We're going to look at secure login methods that don't require rooting or flashing, but remember that there are always risks involved in tampering with deep system settings. Be careful when you change parameters that you don't know what they are.
Standard menu of all applications
The most obvious, but often ignored by beginners, way is to use the standard interface correctly. On Xiaomi devices, the default mode can be turned on “No Desktop” where all installed programs are displayed immediately on the home screen. To move to the classic look with a separate menu button, you need to go to the settings.
Open Settings → Desktop → Desktop Mode and select Classic. Then, on the bottom navigation bar, a button with dots or squares will appear, clicking on which opens the full list of applications, which is the basic access layer that provides navigation through user software.
You can use Search for faster access, swipe down the desktop to call the search bar, and start typing the name of the system application you want, often faster than looking for an icon in the back of the folders.
- 📱 Click on the menu icon(s) in the dock bar to view all programs.
- 🔍 Use Global Search to Instantly Launch System Utilities.
- ⚙️ Switch the desktop mode in the settings if the menu button is missing.
⚠️ Note: Removing system shortcuts with long pressing can hide access to important functions, and they can only be restored by resetting the launcher settings or re-activating in the application menu.
CIT's Hidden Testing Menu
One of the most useful hidden features in Xiaomi smartphones is the CIT (Customer Integration Test) menu, which is designed for engineers in the factory, but is also available to ordinary users for deep hardware diagnostics, where you can check the operation of each module of the phone, from the vibrator to the proximity sensor.
To open this section, you don't have to go into complicated settings. You just have to open the standard phone app and type in a special one. USSD-Once you enter the last digit, the menu will open automatically, without having to press the call button.
Inside, you'll see a list of all the components of the device with their status, and if you have a component labeled "Fail," it's a direct indication to call the service center, and there's calibration tools available that can help if you have a sensor that's not working properly or if the accelerator is not working properly.
##6484##This code is universal for most models, including the Redmi Note and Poco F series, but on some global firmware versions, the entry may be blocked by the carrier or region.
- 🛠️ Checking the operability of the display and touch screen.
- 🔊 Test speakers, microphone and headphone jack.
- 📡 Diagnostics of communication modules GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
☑️ Diagnosis in CIT
What if the code doesn't work?
Engineering menu through settings
If the codes don't work or you need access to more specific logs, you can use the hidden menu in the settings, often called Advanced Settings or simply Engineering Menu, depending on the version of MIUI, and it's the settings that affect the behavior of the radio module and the network.
The path to this section may be different. Try to follow the Settings path. → The phone. → Kernel version. Rapid multiple pressing (nearly) 5-7 (on) “Kornel version” or “Version” MIUI» Can activate hidden developer mode or run a test application.
In some cases, activation of the MIUI version option is required to add additional options to the Developer Menu, a key point for those planning to connect the phone to a computer for debugging.
| Action. | The way is on the menu | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Developer activation | About the phone → Taps according to MIUI | The “Developers” menu is now available. |
| Iron test | Caller → Code ##6484## | Launching the CIT menu |
| Info on the net | Settings → About the phone → SIM-cards | Detailed signal statistics |
⚠️ Warning: Changes in the parameters in the engineering menu (especially those related to frequencies) LTE) This can cause communication loss. Write down the baseline values before making changes.
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Multiple clicks on the firmware version are a standard mechanism for activating hidden functions in Xiaomi’s Android shells.
Menu for developers and debugging
For advanced phone management, app installation via ADB, or PC screencasting, you need to activate the developer mode. This menu is hidden by default for security purposes so that an inexperienced user does not accidentally disrupt the system.
The activation process is simple: go to Settings → On the phone and press quickly 7-10 once MIUI» (or "Version" OS» You will feel the vibration and see a pop-up notification saying, “You became a developer».
After that, a new option, "Developers" will appear in the "Additional" or "Extended Settings" section, and there are critical options: interface scale, background process limit, and, most importantly, USB debugging.
Enabling debugging allows the computer to give commands to the phone, which is necessary to unlock the bootloader, install custom recavators or restore the system after a failed firmware. Without this step, many of Xiaomi's modification tools will not work.
- 🔓 Unlocking the bootloader requires activation of this menu.
- 💻 Debugging by USB You need to work with the file system through the PC.
- ⚡ Customize animation speed to speed up the interface.
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In the developer menu, find the item “Do not turn off the screen” and turn it on if you use the phone as a navigator or information board so that the screen does not go out while charging.
Use Activity Launcher for hidden partitions
Sometimes, standard methods are impossible to find the right submenu, as Xiaomi developers hide them deep in the structure of Android. For such cases, there is a third-party application Activity Launcher that allows you to open any hidden activity of the system.
This app scans installed packages and lists all the activities available, including those that don’t have an icon on the desktop, and it can be used to access the GPS Testing, Battery Calibration, or Usage Statistics menus, which are usually hidden.
You don't need superuser rights to work with the app. Just download it. APK-Be careful that some activities are triggered and may cause the system process to be forced to close if they are not designed to interact directly.
This is a unique way to get to the functionality that is not even described in the official documentation, for example, you can find hidden menu testing cameras or specific display settings that are not available in the usual settings.
Search activity: com.miui.calibration⚠️ Warning: Do not try to open activities related to Google system services or critical Android processes unless you are sure of their purpose.
Frequent questions and access issues
Even following the instructions, users may encounter difficulties; different versions of firmware (Global, China, EEA) have different menu structure, and Xiaomi antivirus protections can block the launch of unknown launchers or activity.
If the menu doesn't open by code, make sure you type it in the Phone app, not in contact searches or instant messengers, and check if you have a third-party call that can intercept character input.
If you have trouble accessing the developer’s settings after you update your system, try clearing the Settings cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Settings → Memory → Clear.