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.
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.
Adjust Screen Timeout Duration
If your Xiaomi display turns off after a few seconds or stays lit far longer than you expect, the sleep timer is set to the wrong value. This setting decides how long the screen stays active before it locks, and it has a direct effect on battery drain and how often you have to unlock the phone.
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.
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.
Auto-answer for Incoming Calls
If calls on your Xiaomi phone connect themselves before you even touch the screen, Auto-answer is likely switched on in the background. This MIUI feature can pick up every call after a set delay, or only when a Bluetooth headset is connected. Missing that toggle means you lose the chance to reject a call while it is still ringing.
Change Preferred Network Type
If your phone shows no or barely any 4G/LTE signal in certain spots, calls drop and data stalls even though older 3G or 2G networks are still available nearby. The Preferred network type setting decides which mobile network your SIM tries first, and the wrong choice can leave you stuck searching for a signal instead of connecting to one that actually works.
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.
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.
Notch Display per App
If one app stretches its content behind the notch while another leaves a black bar around it, the per-app notch setting is likely mismatched with that app's layout. This shows up mostly in games or video apps that were not built with a notch in mind. The fix depends on a setting Xiaomi lets you configure separately for each installed app.
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.
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.
Change Default Dialer App
If you install a new phone or call app on your Xiaomi device, calls may still open in the standard MIUI Dialer instead of your preferred app. This happens because MIUI keeps its own dialer set as default until you switch it manually in the app settings. Third-party dialer apps from the Play Store only take over once you assign them as default there.
Allow Calls During Do Not Disturb
If Do Not Disturb mode is silencing calls you actually want to receive, a call filter is deciding who gets through and who gets blocked. Xiaomi phones let you choose between allowing calls from anyone, only contacts, only starred contacts, or nobody at all while the mode is active. Missed calls from family or work contacts usually trace back to this exact setting being set too strictly.
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.
Hide and Show Apps on the Home Screen
If an app keeps showing up on your home screen even though you do not want it visible, MIUI can hide it completely as long as App lock is turned on. Without App lock active, the option to hide apps simply does not appear in the menu. Once hidden, an app only reappears after you unlock it with your password or pattern.
Set Up Screen Lock with Pattern, PIN or Password
If your Xiaomi phone still opens with a swipe, anyone who picks it up can read your messages, open apps or change settings. Without an active screen lock, accidental taps in your pocket can also trigger calls or purchases. Setting up a Pattern, PIN or Password closes that gap and keeps the phone usable only for you.
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 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.
Switch Contact Name Order (First/Last Name)
If your Xiaomi contact list always shows the first name before the last name, finding people gets harder when you organize contacts by family name or your workplace expects last-name-first lists. This affects how names appear in Contacts, the call log, and message threads alike. MIUI lets you flip that order without editing a single contact.
Change Keyboard Theme (Language & Input)
If the Gboard keyboard on your Xiaomi phone still shows the default gray background, the theme setting has never been switched. This only changes the visual layout - colors, gradients or picture backgrounds - and has no effect on autocorrect or typing speed. The key borders can also be turned on or off separately from the overall theme.
Show or Hide Lock Screen Notification Content
If your Xiaomi phone shows full message text on the lock screen, anyone picking up the phone can read private notifications before it is even unlocked. If content stays hidden instead, you only see that something arrived without knowing what it says or who sent it. This behavior is controlled by a single notification format setting in MIUI, separate from each app's own notification permissions.
Bedtime Mode: Turn On or Off
If your Xiaomi phone keeps buzzing with notifications late at night or the screen stays distractingly bright while you try to fall asleep, Bedtime mode is probably not set up yet. This feature is supposed to mute the device and dim the colors automatically, but only if you pick the right trigger - a fixed schedule or charging at night. Choosing the wrong option is the usual reason it never kicks in when you actually need it.
Change Home or Lock Screen Theme
If your Home screen, Lock screen, and app icons suddenly look inconsistent after switching themes, MIUI applied only part of the new theme's assets. This happens when a saved theme only covers some elements, like Lock screen and System, but skips Icons. Picking the wrong theme ('Classic' vs 'Limitless') or a corrupted download can also leave icons untouched while wallpapers change.