If you have one Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO smartphone with MIUI 12, you probably don’t know the full potential of this Android-based operating system. It offers indeed exclusive functions and many customization possibilities, which, however, are not always positioned in plain sight.
MIUI 12, the Xiaomi software
MIUI is a customized version of Android initially developed by Xiaomi but then also adopted by the parallel brands (Redmi and Poco). The first MIUI was born in 2010 and, based on Android 2.1, offered a lean and unattractive operating system. Since then, the software has come a long way and the one that is currently installed is MIUI 12, a release that leaves ample freedom to the user.
Customize the Always-on Display
The appearance of the always-on display can be changed by following the path Settings> Always-on display and Lock screen> Always-on display. Here you can choose a theme, change the style of the clock, add a text, image, or animation. Some Xiaomi smartphones also allow you to show an animated effect when a notification is received, such as a colored glow or bright particles.
Listen to videos with the screen off
Few people know, but MIUI allows you to turn off the display while leaving video playback active. This trick allows you to bypass YouTube restrictions, but it can also come in handy with other streaming services. Just follow this path: Settings> Special Features> Video Tools> Manage Video Apps. Select the applications you are interested in and open an example. A semi-transparent marker on the left side of the display, scrolling with your finger will open a small menu with options dedicated to video streaming. From here you can activate the listening mode.
Manage home automation from the notifications menu
With the release of MIUI 12 the “Control Center”, which divides notifications and quick settings into two different screens. If you want to use it, you can follow the guide: Control Center: how to activate it on Xiaomi (and not only). The new layout is optional but allows you to access an additional function, namely the home automation management from the quick settings screen. Just pull down the toggle curtain to control connected smart devices.
Change the theme and icons of MIUI 12
In 2020 Xiaomi reintroduced the“Themes” application in their smartphones distributed in Europe. This tool allows you to apply a new look to the MIUI graphic interface, changing the status bar, icons, messages, number pad, animation and startup sound, font, and more. obviously, there are also predefined themes, which can even be combined. Not enough for you? Check out the alternative Android launchers.
Improve gaming performance
Finally, if you love video games you have to experience the Turbo Video Game mode. You can find it in the settings menu, under “Turbo video games”. In this section you will find one long series of settings applicable to games, to improve your videogame sessions. For example, you can increase the contrast, turn off the automatic brightness, improve the sound, and much more. It is also possible to activate a “Game Assistant”, which is a side menu for quick application launching, memory cleaning, and capturing screenshots and videos.
