Schedule Dark Mode Automatically
Switching dark mode on and off every day by hand gets tedious, especially when you only want it active at night. Xiaomi phones can handle this automatically, but the scheduler sits right next to the regular dark mode switch and is easy to miss. Without setting a start and end time, the display keeps whatever theme you last picked instead of changing on its own.
Turn HDR On or Off in Camera
Photos taken against bright light or in high-contrast scenes sometimes look overprocessed, flat, or slightly blurred on Xiaomi phones. This happens when HDR (High Dynamic Range) automatically merges several exposures into one shot, which also slows down capture for moving subjects.
Delete Photos or Videos from Gallery
Storage on your Xiaomi phone fills up fast once photos and videos pile up in the Gallery app. Many users don't realize they can select several items at once instead of deleting them one by one. This guide covers the exact steps to clear out unwanted media quickly.
Change the Time Zone Manually
If your Xiaomi phone keeps switching its time zone whenever you travel or connect to a different carrier network, automatic time zone detection is the cause. This network-based setting overrides any manual change you make until you turn it off. Once you know where that toggle sits, you can lock in a fixed time zone yourself.
Quick Ball Shortcuts and Behavior Settings
If the floating Quick ball only opens one fixed app or keeps popping up during video playback, its behavior settings are still on default. MIUI lets you change the trigger gesture, auto-hide rules and screen position, but these options sit outside the shortcut list and get overlooked easily.
Change Press-and-Hold Shutter Button Function
On Xiaomi phones, holding down the shutter button in the Camera app usually triggers a burst shot instead of a single photo. If you actually want continuous autofocus or a locked focus point for a tricky shot, that burst behavior gets in the way. MIUI lets you swap this hold action to Focus or Record video instead.
Set Up a Proxy Server for Wi-Fi
If your network admin or workplace requires traffic to run through a specific server, a plain Wi-Fi connection on your Xiaomi phone will not route it correctly. Without a configured proxy hostname and port, apps either fail to connect or bypass the required server entirely. This affects browsing, app updates and anything that depends on that network policy.
Clear the Whole Call History
When missed, dialed, and received calls pile up on your Xiaomi phone, scrolling through the list to find one number gets tedious fast. Deleting entries one at a time barely makes a dent if you actually want a clean call log. MIUI offers a single action that wipes the entire history at once, and once it's gone, it's gone for good.
Filter Contacts by Account
If your contact list mixes phone numbers, WhatsApp entries, and other synced accounts, finding the right person gets messy fast. MIUI keeps every synced account in one long list by default, which makes Calls and Messages harder to scan. A built-in filter lets you narrow that view down to only the account you actually need.
Turn Bluetooth On or Off
If a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or car kit will not pair with your Xiaomi phone, Bluetooth is often still switched off or was never fully enabled after a restart. The Quick Settings toggle can also drift out of sync with the actual radio state, which leaves paired devices unable to reconnect until you check the setting directly.
Change SIM Card Name
Two SIM cards from the same carrier look identical on your Xiaomi phone, so it is easy to grab the wrong one for a call or a mobile data session. MIUI shows a generic carrier label for each slot by default, which does not tell you which SIM is your personal number and which one is for work or travel. Giving each SIM card its own name in the phone settings clears up that confusion for good.
Remove a Keyboard Language
Too many keyboard languages clutter the language switcher and slow down cycling to the one you actually type in. On Xiaomi phones, unused layouts stay listed under keyboard management until you remove them manually, even if you only tried them once.
Vibration in Silent Mode: Turn On or Off
When you switch a Xiaomi phone to Silent, it still buzzes for every incoming call or message by default. If you want the device completely quiet without any buzzing on the table, you need a separate toggle beyond the ringer switch itself.
Set Monthly Data Usage Limit
If your Xiaomi phone still enforces the data limit from an old tariff, warnings or automatic data cut-offs can trigger at the wrong point in your billing cycle. The Monthly data limit value under Data usage does not update itself when your plan changes or your provider raises your allowance. You have to adjust it manually to match the new tariff.
Turn Data Roaming On or Off
If your Xiaomi phone connects to a foreign network, no data moves until data roaming is switched on. Once active, you get internet access abroad, but your carrier may bill extra for it. Xiaomi does not offer a simple on/off toggle here - it gives you three distinct roaming states, and picking the wrong one either blocks data or leaves roaming running when you do not want it.
Change Time Format
If your Xiaomi phone shows time in a format you did not choose, MIUI is likely following your system language setting automatically. This means the clock can jump between 12-hour and 24-hour display whenever you change language or region. You can lock the format manually so it stays consistent no matter what language MIUI is set to.
Change the Always-on Display Clock Style
If the Always-on display on your Xiaomi phone only shows a plain digital number and you want something more analog or more detailed, the clock style is buried a few taps deep in the display settings. Many users never notice the option because it sits inside a submenu, not on the main Always-on display toggle screen. Picking the wrong style can also affect how much info fits on the lock screen and how visible the clock stays in daylight.
Disable Automatic Video and Image Downloads in Mi Browser
If your mobile data disappears fast while browsing on your Xiaomi phone, Mi Browser might be pre-loading videos and images before you even tap them. This automatic download feature speeds up page loading but quietly eats into your data plan. Turning it off puts you back in control of what actually gets downloaded.
Create a Folder on the Home Screen
If your home screen is cluttered with dozens of app icons, grouping them into folders keeps things organized. On MIUI, folders are created by dragging one app icon onto another, the same drag-and-drop gesture you might know from a PC desktop or other Android phones. You need at least two apps ready to combine before a folder actually appears.
Turn Off App Lock
If Xiaomi's App lock keeps asking for a PIN, pattern or fingerprint before certain apps open, and some apps seem to have vanished from your app drawer, the lock feature is still active in the background. Turning it off releases every protected app at once and brings previously hidden apps back into view.
SMS Delivery Reports Setting
Not sure if a text message actually reached the other person? Xiaomi phones can show a status report for every SMS you send, but the switch for it sits deep inside the Messages app and is easy to overlook. With the setting off you get no confirmation at all, even when the message went through without issues.
Change Webpage Text Size in Mi Browser
If text on websites looks too small to read comfortably or too large and forces constant scrolling in Mi Browser, the webpage display size is set to the wrong level. Xiaomi phones offer five separate font sizes for browsing, independent from the system font size in your general settings. Switching to a different level fixes cramped or oversized text on every site you visit.
Add a Home Screen Page
Running out of room for app icons on your Xiaomi home screen is a common problem once you install more than a handful of apps. Instead of stacking icons into folders, you can create a completely new home screen page and spread your apps across it. This works with a simple drag gesture and does not require any extra settings menu.
Turn Glide Typing On or Off
If typing feels slow because you tap every single letter, Glide typing lets you swipe across the keys instead of lifting your finger. On some Xiaomi phones this swipe input stays off by default, or it keeps running even though you prefer classic tapping. Auto-correction and word suggestions are separate settings and keep working either way.