Disable Navigation Bar Per App
Accidentally tapping the Back or Recents button during a full-screen game or video can pull you out of the app at the worst moment. On Xiaomi phones the on-screen navigation bar stays active by default even in apps that do not need it. MIUI lets you set this behavior per app instead of turning it off system-wide.
Sort Contacts by First or Last Name
If your Xiaomi contact list feels out of order, it usually comes down to whether the Contacts app is sorting entries by first name or last name. This becomes a real problem when you are searching for someone by their surname but the list is alphabetized by given name instead. The rule that controls this sits in one setting inside the Contacts app.
Turn On/Off Traffic Mode
If a background download eats up bandwidth while you are streaming or on a video call, your Xiaomi phone might be sharing the connection equally between all apps. Traffic mode in the Wi-Fi assistant lets you decide whether the app you are actively using gets priority over background traffic. Without it enabled, downloads and updates can slow down whatever you are doing in the foreground.
Turn Notification Badges On or Off Per App
A red dot keeps sitting above an app icon even after you have opened every message inside it. On Xiaomi phones this badge is a separate switch from the notification itself, so muting an app does not always remove the counter. If the dot never clears, or shows up for an app you barely use, the badge toggle for that specific app is still turned on.
Turn an Alarm On or Off
Alarms you already set on your Xiaomi phone stay stored even after you switch them off, but the toggle in the Clock app is easy to miss. If an alarm keeps ringing when you do not need it, or stays silent when you want it active, the switch next to the entry is probably in the wrong position. This affects your wake-up routine and any reminders you set up in MIUI.
Set Pop-up Window Action Timeout
If a pop-up window or temporary app alert disappears before you can tap a button, or lingers on screen far longer than needed, the accessibility timeout is set too short or too long for how you use your phone. This value decides how much reaction time you get on prompts that show up briefly and then close on their own. MIUI lets you adjust this timing instead of leaving it on the default.
Document Scanner Shortcut: Enable or Disable
If the camera keeps popping up a scan icon every time you point it at a sheet of paper or a presentation slide, the Document scanner suggestion is active. Some people find this shortcut useful for quickly digitizing paperwork, others just want the extra button gone from the viewfinder.
Wi-Fi Assistant: Select Best Networks Automatically
If your Xiaomi phone keeps switching away from a weak Wi-Fi network without asking, Wi-Fi assistant is likely doing that for you. Once every nearby network drops in signal, it can also fall back to mobile data on its own, which can use up your data plan faster than expected. This automatic switching can also cause interruptions during video calls or downloads.
Sound and Vibration for Calendar Reminders
If birthday or appointment reminders in the Calendar app stay silent, or if they buzz and ring when you would rather have them quiet, the notification settings for that app are usually the cause. On Xiaomi phones this is controlled separately from the general system sound, so a muted phone does not automatically mean the calendar stays quiet too. Checking the dedicated Calendar notification options clears up most missed or unwanted reminder alerts.
Turn On/Off Wi-Fi Calling
Weak signal at home, underground, or in a concrete building often causes dropped calls on a Xiaomi phone, even when Wi-Fi shows full bars. Wi-Fi calling routes voice calls through your wireless network instead of the mobile network, but only works if your carrier actually supports it. If the toggle is missing from your SIM settings, an unsupported plan or outdated carrier profile is usually the reason.
Turn Off User Experience Program
If usage statistics keep syncing quietly in the background on your Xiaomi phone, the User Experience Program is likely still active. This service sends anonymous usage data from your device to Xiaomi to help refine products and features. Since it is not possible to verify exactly what data leaves your device, disabling this option is the safer choice.
Add Games or Apps to Game Turbo Manually
When a freshly installed game does not show up in Game Turbo, the automatic detection has missed it. This also happens with non-gaming apps you want to run under Game Turbo performance settings. Manually adding the app closes that gap without waiting for a system scan.
Format an SD Card
A newly inserted SD card sometimes won't work correctly in a Xiaomi phone, or you want to wipe an old card before reusing it. Formatting clears the card and lets MIUI set up the folder structure it needs to store photos, videos and app data properly. Once you confirm the format, every file on the card is gone for good.
Change Device Name
If your Xiaomi phone still shows up under its model number when you scan for Bluetooth devices or connect to a hotspot, that is the default device name at work. It makes picking your phone out of a list of nearby devices harder, especially if you own more than one Xiaomi device. MIUI lets you replace that generic label with a name you actually recognize.
Unhide an Album in Gallery
If a photo album you hid earlier is missing from Gallery, it is not deleted - it just sits in a separate hidden section. Xiaomi keeps hidden albums out of the main view until you unhide them again, and each album needs to be restored on its own.
Enlarge the Mouse Pointer
When you plug a USB mouse or similar pointing accessory into a Xiaomi phone, the on-screen pointer often stays tiny and hard to track. Large mouse pointer is a dedicated Accessibility option built for exactly this situation, especially useful for anyone with limited vision. Without enabling it, you end up guessing where the cursor sits on a crowded screen.
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.
Pocket Mode in the Camera App
If your phone's camera keeps opening or snapping photos while it's still in your pocket, stray touches on the screen are usually the cause. Pocket mode locks the touchscreen once the sensor detects the phone is stored away, blocking accidental swipes and taps. When the camera reacts to pocket movement or the screen stays unresponsive after you pull the phone out, this setting is worth checking.
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.
Show or Hide the Emoji Switch Key
If you type a lot of emojis, switching between the language globe and the emoji picker can slow you down on the MIUI keyboard. The globe icon and the emoji key share the same spot, so only one of them shows on the keyboard row at a time. Turning on the emoji switch key swaps that icon while quick language switching still works by holding the space bar.
Change Alarm Tone
If your Xiaomi alarm keeps ringing with the same generic tone or the Nature alarm sound never changes, the ringtone categories in the Clock app are likely the reason. Some categories, like Nature alarm, only rotate through different sounds when the phone has an active internet connection. Without that connection, the alarm falls back to a stored default tone instead of downloading a new one.
Allow Gallery Access to SD Card
If Gallery on your Xiaomi phone refuses to save new photos or won't let you delete files on the SD card, it usually means storage access was never granted. Android blocks apps from writing to external storage until you confirm the permission for that specific card. Until you approve it, Gallery can only display existing files but not create, move or remove anything on the card.
Turn On/Off Gesture Confirmation
Swiping back or closing an app by accident during a full-screen game or a video can throw you straight out of the action. On Xiaomi phones with full-screen gesture control, this usually happens because gesture confirmation is turned off, so a single swipe is enough to trigger the action. Turning it on forces you to swipe twice before the gesture actually executes.
Turn Emergency Alerts On or Off
If your Xiaomi phone keeps buzzing with Amber Alerts or severe weather warnings you never signed up for, the Emergency alerts feature is likely still active in the background. Some people want the opposite and need extreme threat notifications, vibration and voice alerts to actually get through. Either way, the switch sits in a security menu that is easy to overlook.