Set Up Fingerprint Unlock
Setting up fingerprint unlock on a Xiaomi phone only works if you already have a Pattern, PIN, or Password configured, and MIUI asks for it before it lets you enroll a finger. If you cannot remember that unlock code, the fingerprint menu will not let you proceed at all. Many users also get confused about how many fingerprints they can add and what each one can be used for.
Quick Settings Panel Access
If toggles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the flashlight seem to be missing from your quick settings, you probably have not fully expanded the panel yet. On Xiaomi phones, the complete quick settings grid sits behind a second swipe-down gesture, which is easy to miss. Without knowing this, you end up searching the full settings menu for functions that should be a single tap away.
Manage App Permissions
If you tapped Deny when an app first asked for camera or contacts access, that app stays locked out until you change the setting yourself. MIUI does not repeat the prompt later, so features like document scanning or contact sync can quietly stop working. The permission is not deleted, it just needs to be switched back on in the app settings.
Set the Default Media Volume Level
Videos, music, and games on your Xiaomi phone start way too loud or too quiet, and pressing the Volume buttons only helps once something is already playing. That happens because Media volume runs on its own channel, separate from ringtone and notification levels in MIUI.
Turn Screenshot Sound On or Off
Every time you capture a screenshot on a Xiaomi phone, a short chime plays to confirm the capture went through. If that sound feels too loud in meetings or you simply want an audible confirmation back, the setting sits separately from your general ringtone volume and needs its own toggle.
How to Turn on/off Airplane mode
If your Xiaomi phone suddenly stops receiving calls, texts, or mobile data, Airplane mode is often the reason. Turning it on shuts down the mobile network, mobile data, WLAN, and Bluetooth at the same time. On some Xiaomi phones you can still switch WLAN or Bluetooth back on manually while Airplane mode stays active, which causes confusion when connectivity only half works.
Block Calls from Unknown Numbers
When a caller shows up as Unknown or Private, your Xiaomi phone has no caller ID to check against a blocklist entry. Instead of rejecting these calls by hand every single time, you can have the Phone app reject them automatically before they ring through.
Turn On/Off Proximity Sensor During Calls
If your Xiaomi screen stays lit while it is pressed against your ear during a call, you can end up muting yourself, switching to speaker, or hanging up by accident. This usually happens when the proximity sensor is switched off, so the display keeps reacting to touch instead of going dark near your face. A quick check in the call settings tells you whether the sensor is active.
Hide or Show the Notch
If icons or app content get cut off by the camera cutout on your Xiaomi phone, the Notch display setting is likely still set to show full-screen content behind it. Some apps stretch their layout right into the cutout area, hiding status bar icons or clipping off parts of the interface. MIUI lets you switch between covering the Notch with a black bar or letting content run around it.
Turn On/Off Long-press for Symbols
If numbers, accents or special characters only appear after holding down a key on your Xiaomi keyboard, Long-press for symbols is doing its job in the background. When this setting is off, those hidden symbols stay invisible and you cannot access them at all through a long press. The delay before a symbol gets inserted can also feel too short or too long, depending on how you type.
Turn MIUI Optimization On or Off
If your Xiaomi phone feels sluggish after enabling developer options, or certain apps crash or render oddly, the 'Turn on MIUI optimization' toggle inside developer options might be the cause. This setting controls how MIUI's custom interface layer interacts with the underlying Android rendering engine. Switching it off can fix app compatibility problems but also changes how some system apps look and behave.
Mount SD Card
If you tapped Eject SD card or safely removed the card from your Xiaomi phone, the storage disappears from your file manager and apps stop saving to it. MIUI keeps the card unmounted until you tell it to reconnect, even after a reboot in some cases. Photos, downloads, and app data meant for the card get redirected to internal storage instead.
Filter Call History
When your Xiaomi call log fills up with dozens of entries, finding a specific missed or outgoing call turns into scrolling work. The Phone app on MIUI stores every call in one long list without separating calls by type or SIM card by default. A built-in filter option sorts the log so you only see the calls that matter.
Set Up a VPN Connection
If a website, streaming service, or company network blocks your current connection, a VPN reroutes your traffic through an encrypted server and hides your real location. Without one, your provider and any public Wi-Fi you join can log everything you send. MIUI does not create VPN profiles on its own, so you need a working server address and login details ready before you connect.
App Lock Timing
If App lock keeps asking for your PIN every time you switch briefly between apps, the delay is probably set too tight. Xiaomi lets you choose whether protected apps lock the instant the screen turns off, right after you leave the app, or after a short grace period. Picking the wrong option means either constant re-entry or apps staying unlocked longer than you want.
Set Up Automatic Cache Clearing
Cache files pile up quietly in the background and can eat into your storage or slow down apps over time. Xiaomi phones running MIUI include a setting that clears this cache on its own once the screen locks, but it is off or set to a schedule you may not want. Adjusting the timing decides how often your device cleans up automatically without you doing it by hand.
Turn Game Turbo On or Off
When you mirror your Xiaomi's screen to a monitor or TV, gaming performance can drop noticeably if Game Turbo stays inactive. This mode reroutes system resources, speeds up data transmission and blocks distracting features like notifications during matches. If it stays on by default, though, it can also interrupt calls or messages you actually want to see.
Show or Hide Carrier Name on Lock Screen
If your Xiaomi lock screen shows the SIM carrier name under the clock, a MIUI status bar setting is behind it. Some people want that text gone for a cleaner lock screen or extra privacy, while others lose it after a reset and want it back. Either way, the toggle sits in one specific settings screen and is easy to miss.
Turn On or Off Dual 4G
If your second SIM card keeps dropping to 3G or 2G while the first stays on 4G, your phone is likely limiting the fast connection to a single slot. Xiaomi lets you decide whether both SIM cards can use 4G at the same time, but this option only shows up on models that support it in hardware.
Turn On/Off App Drawer
If every installed app sits directly on your Xiaomi home screens instead of in a separate overview, MIUI's app drawer setting is turned off. Switching between 'Classic' and 'With App drawer' changes whether a swipe on an empty area opens a full app list or just adds more home screen pages.
Set a Custom Notification Sound
If you pick a full song as your Xiaomi notification tone, only the first few seconds usually play before the sound gets cut off or overlaps with the next alert. MIUI lets you use almost any audio file stored on your phone as a notification sound, no matter which folder it sits in, but long tracks feel out of place for a quick alert. Trimming the file first keeps notifications short and easy to recognize.
Turn Call Barring On or Off
If your Xiaomi phone keeps racking up charges while roaming abroad, or you need to stop all incoming or outgoing calls for a while, call barring is the setting responsible. Unlike silencing a contact or using Do Not Disturb, call barring blocks calls at the network level and requires a password to change. Getting the wrong option enabled can also cut off calls you actually want, like international or roaming numbers.
Turn On, Off or Auto Camera Flash
If your Xiaomi camera fires the flash in bright rooms or refuses to light up a dark shot, the flash mode is set wrong. The camera app lets you force the flash on, force it off, or leave the decision to the automatic sensor. Getting this wrong ruins both photos and video clips shot in low light.
Turn Off Screen Lock
Want to skip entering a pattern, PIN, or password every time you wake your Xiaomi phone? Removing the screen lock only asks for your current unlock method once, but afterward the device stays open to anyone who picks it up. That trade-off matters if the phone holds banking apps, messages, or saved logins.