Turn Read in Background On or Off for Select to Speak
When Select to Speak keeps talking after you leave an app, the Read in background option is doing its job, but not everyone wants that. Xiaomi flags this feature as experimental, so it can behave inconsistently between MIUI versions and sometimes keeps narrating text you no longer need read aloud. Knowing where the toggle sits helps you decide whether the trade-off is worth it.
Mark All Messages as Read
When unread badges pile up across several conversations in the Messages app, tapping into each thread just to clear the counter gets tedious fast. On MIUI there is a faster way to clear every unread marker at once, without opening every single chat.
Turn On Automatic Backup for Storage and Data
If you only remember to back up your Xiaomi phone after something breaks or gets lost, relying on manual backups is the real problem. MIUI can schedule backups on its own, but the default days, time, and data selection may not match how you actually use your phone. Getting the schedule wrong means backups either pile up unnecessarily or miss the files you actually care about.
Quick Settings Panel Guide
Missing toggles in the Quick Settings panel force you to dig through the full settings app for basic switches like Flashlight, Hotspot or Battery saver. On Xiaomi phones, MIUI splits the panel across two swipe-down layers, so some tiles stay hidden until you swipe down again. Reordering or removing tiles you rarely use is simple once you find the edit mode.
Schedule Battery Saver Automatically
Turning Battery saver on and off by hand every night gets old fast, and it's easy to forget before you go to sleep. If you leave it running into the morning, background apps and notifications stay throttled longer than you need. MIUI lets you set fixed start and end times so the mode switches itself.
Enable Developer Options
On Xiaomi phones the Developer options menu stays hidden by default, so options like USB debugging or animation speed are nowhere to be found in Settings. MIUI locks this menu on purpose because most entries are meant for app testing, not daily use. A short tap sequence on one system value unlocks the hidden menu.
Set a Custom Timer Ringtone
If the timer on your Xiaomi phone keeps playing the same generic tone, you probably want something you actually notice - or one you can tune down for lighter naps. MIUI lets you swap the timer sound for a pre-installed ringtone or your own .mp3 file, but the option sits several taps deep inside the Clock app and is easy to miss. Picking the wrong file type can also mean silence instead of a sound.
Turn On/Off Dial Pad Tones
Every digit you tap on the Xiaomi phone app's dial pad triggers a short beep, and that tone lives in a settings menu that has nothing to do with the calling app itself. In quiet places or shared rooms, that repeated clicking sound gets annoying fast, especially if you dial full numbers manually. Other users want the opposite problem solved: the tone stopped playing and they miss the tactile feedback while typing a number.
Set Snooze Time and Repetition
If your Xiaomi alarm keeps snoozing for too long or not often enough, the default snooze interval and repeat count are likely not adjusted to your needs. MIUI lets you fine-tune both values, but the option sits several menus deep in the alarm settings.
Change Alarm Volume
If the alarm on your Xiaomi phone barely wakes you up or does not go off loud enough, the alarm volume is set too low system-wide. This one setting controls every alarm you create, and it stays the same even after the snooze function kicks in.
Make a Phone Call
When two SIM cards are active on your Xiaomi phone, tapping the call button can leave you unsure which line actually dials. The Phone app splits the green call button into two halves, one per SIM, and tapping the wrong side sends the call out on the wrong number or tariff. This mix-up gets worse if the SIM slots have not been renamed, since both halves look nearly identical.
Clear Mi Browser Cache and History
If Mi Browser keeps loading outdated versions of pages or autofill suggests search terms you deleted weeks ago, leftover cache and history data is usually the reason. Stored cookies and site data from various websites pile up over time and can also cause login loops or slow page loading on Xiaomi phones. You can clear everything at once or pick individual categories like cache, history, or cookies.
Adjust TalkBack Advanced Settings
Once TalkBack is active on a Xiaomi phone, the whole touchscreen behaves differently and simple taps stop opening apps directly. Many users get stuck because the default gestures feel slow or accidentally trigger the wrong action. Xiaomi phones offer several TalkBack options like Single-tap activation, touch gestures, keyboard shortcuts and custom labels to fix this.
Forward an SMS Message
Need to pass on an address, code, or phone number from a text without retyping it? On Xiaomi phones you can forward the original SMS straight from the Messages app instead of copying the content by hand. This saves time and avoids typos in important details.
Connect Manually to a Hidden Wi-Fi Network
If your Xiaomi phone does not list a wireless network under available connections, the router is likely broadcasting with a hidden SSID or sitting outside the usual scan range. In that case MIUI needs the exact network name and password entered by hand instead of picking the network from a list. Typing the SSID wrong or missing the correct security type is the most common reason the manual entry still fails.
Share a Webpage from Mi Browser
Copying a website address by hand often cuts off part of the link or drops tracking parameters that break the page. Mi Browser can send the page straight to WhatsApp, Gmail or Messages, but the share option sits inside the profile menu instead of the main toolbar. Many people end up scrolling through icons before finding the right one.
Turn Mobile Data On or Off
When your Xiaomi phone shows no internet outside Wi-Fi, mobile data is usually switched off or was toggled off by accident after a network change. This also blocks messaging apps and background sync, since they rely on the cellular connection once Wi-Fi drops. A wrong or missing APN can cause the same symptom even when mobile data itself is enabled.
Notification Animation for Always On Display
When a message arrives with the screen off, some Xiaomi phones flash a full animation instead of the usual quiet Always On Display glow. If that effect feels too subtle, too flashy, or drains more battery than expected, the animation style itself is the setting to check, not the notification permissions.
Set Default SIM for Mobile Data
If your Xiaomi phone keeps using the wrong SIM for mobile data, downloads and browsing can suddenly stop working on the plan you actually pay for. With two active SIM cards, MIUI needs one clear default data connection, otherwise apps may quietly try to load data through the wrong carrier. Picking a fixed data SIM stops that back and forth.
View Device Certification Info
If you need your Xiaomi phone's FCC ID, model number, or other certification details for a return, insurance claim, or customs check, they are not printed on the box or shown in a quick settings toggle. This information sits inside a dedicated certification screen that most users never open on their own.
Taking a Photo with the Camera App
Snapping a basic photo on a Xiaomi phone rarely causes trouble, but once you enable a color filter, lock focus manually, or switch away from the default Photo mode, the shutter button can seem to do nothing. Knowing which mode and settings are active before you tap the shutter prevents blurry or oddly filtered shots.
Turn On/Off Camera Quick Launch
Missing a fast-moving shot because unlocking your Xiaomi phone takes too long costs you the moment every time. Camera Quick Launch lets you jump straight into the camera app from the lock screen instead of swiping through your PIN or pattern first. When the option is off, a double press of the volume down button does nothing and you lose those extra seconds.
Set Up Parental Controls
If your kid keeps bypassing screen time limits or stumbling into age-inappropriate content on their Xiaomi phone, the built-in restrictions were probably never turned on. Xiaomi bundles this protection inside Digital Wellbeing & parental controls, but the setup wizard sits a few taps deep in the settings menu. Without running it once, none of the content filters or usage limits actually apply.
Connect to a Wi-Fi Network
If your Xiaomi phone shows no internet access or keeps prompting for a network password, the device usually just is not linked to any Wi-Fi yet. Mobile data alone will not give you access to a home or office network, and an inactive Wi-Fi radio hides every nearby network from the list. Once Wi-Fi is switched on, both private networks with a password and open public hotspots become selectable.