Table of contents:
- Remove advertising on MIUI 10 and MIUI 11
- Configure shortcuts to be faster in MIUI
- Install and configure a theme for MIUI 10 or MIUI 11
- Uninstall pre-installed apps on Xiaomi
- Configure function to find your mobile if it is lost or stolen
- Control notifications
- Establish data plan in Xiaomi
- Hide apps and sensitive content
If you are about to buy a new Xiaomi, or you already have one, save this article among your favorites, which will save you a lot of time and headaches.
Xiaomi has been able to excellently enhance the hardware of the device with the experience provided by MIIU. However, not all users know its features and how to configure them to personalize their device.
To make your task easier, we created a checklist of things you should do to optimize your device and adapt it to your needs.
Table of Contents
Remove advertising in MIUI 10 and MIUI 11
Configure shortcuts to be faster in MIUI
Install a theme to customize the appearance
Uninstall pre-installed applications in Xiaomi
Function to find your mobile if it is lost or stolen
Control where and how notifications appear
Set plan of data in Xiaomi
Hide what you do not want anyone to see on your mobile
Remove advertising on MIUI 10 and MIUI 11
Xiaomi has a whole ecosystem of ads and advertising on its devices. They are not invasive, but they tend to appear more frequently than users would like.
But it is not final, you can disable it whenever you want:
- Remove personalized ad recommendations
To disable this option you need to go to Passwords and security >> Privacy >> Advertising services >> Personalized ad recommendations
- Remove advertising in Xiaomi applications
These recommendations appear when we use apps like Downloads, Music, Cleaner… and most of the system applications. If you want to delete them, you just have to open the app, go to Settings and uncheck the option "Show recommended content"
In the case of Xiaomi's default browser, the dynamics are different. To remove the advertising banners, open the browser, look for Settings (the gear wheel) >> Privacy and security >> Custom services and uncheck this option.
- Remove ad notifications
Some users want to be more radical and eliminate any possibility of receiving recommendations and ads on Xiaomi, so they choose to go to Settings >> Passwords and security >> Authorization and revocation >> msa and revoke the permissions.
Configure shortcuts to be faster in MIUI
Xiaomi devices have many options to customize according to the needs of the users. So take a few minutes to take a look at the options you use the most and configure shortcuts, as they save you a lot of time later.
- Set gestures and buttons as shortcuts (1)
For this, go to Settings >> Additional settings >> Button shortcuts. This section will allow you to customize the gestures that will be used to activate different functions. For example, take a screenshot by sliding three fingers across the screen
- Configure shortcuts
The shortcuts appear in MIUI 10 and MIUI 11 when you slide your finger to the right, and if you know how to use it, it will save you a lot of time. It allows you to add popular functions of installed apps to shortcuts. For example, if you use Instagram a lot you can add the option "Create stories" in direct access, or if you use the calculator to see the currency exchange then add the "Currency" function. Saves you a lot of clicks.
To customize this section just go to Shortcuts, open the menu and choose Edit, as you see in the image. It allows you to add up to 8 shortcuts.
- Configure Quick Settings
Scrolling down quick settings can also save you in some situations, for example if you need to access the flashlight from the lock screen.
But you may find options that you don't use frequently and prefer to prioritize others. To do this, scroll the entire Settings bar and choose Edit so that you can rearrange the elements. In this way, you can leave those shortcuts that are essential to you at first glance.
Install and configure a theme for MIUI 10 or MIUI 11
Do you want to give your mobile phone a personalized touch ? One simple way is by applying a theme that reflects the colors, icons, and textures that you like.
It's very simple, just select the Themes application, or go to Settings >> Themes. You will see different categories and recommendations for you to explore different options. If you like one, you apply it and that's it.
And if you are in a region where the theme store is disabled, as in Spain, don't worry. You can apply the solution we mentioned in a previous article to install and configure themes in MIUI 11.
Uninstall pre-installed apps on Xiaomi
Any Android device comes with a series of pre-installed applications, and Xiaomi is no exception. This can be a headache for users as these apps cannot be removed.
On the one hand, we have the applications that Xiaomi installs on the device depending on the region, for example, in Spain you may find applications such as Netflix or Amazon Shopping. They are apps that not all users use, and therefore, they do not want it on their devices.
In that case, you just have to uninstall them one by one manually or use applications like UnApp, which allows you to uninstall all the apps at once.
Once you install it and open it, you will see a list of all your applications, choose what you want to uninstall and that's it.
But this method does not work for system or factory applications. To do this, you will have to apply some tricks as we explained in detail in a previous article on how to uninstall MIU factory apps without root.
Configure function to find your mobile if it is lost or stolen
One of the worst nightmares of having a mobile (apart from scratching the screen) is losing it in a theft or carelessness.
Xiaomi gives you help in these situations, but you must configure it in advance. To do this, go to Settings >> MI account >> Services >> Xiaomi Cloud >> Find my device. Just select Activate Locate Device to start the process.
It is important that you read each instruction carefully so that you do not have problems and can finish the process successfully. Also note that it requires multiple permissions for the feature to work.
Control notifications
One of the most frustrating aspects of having a new mobile is having to configure notifications so that they do not become a headache. Although each application allows you to customize notifications, MIUI also allows you to keep them under control. Let's review the main settings from Settings >> Notifications:
- Lock screen notifications (1)
Go to Notifications >> Lock screen notifications. From here you can set the notifications that are allowed on the lock screen. You will see a list of applications, you just have to select those allowed for this action
- Hide notification content
From this section you can also indicate if you want the content of the notifications to be shown or kept hidden. For example, you want me to notify you on the lock screen that you have a WhatsApp message, but you don't want any curious to see who sent it or what it is about. Just choose Format (as you see in the picture)
- Notification bar icons
Don't you want the icons of some applications to appear in the notification bar? This can be fixed. Just go to Notifications >> Notification icons and choose the icons of which apps are allowed.
Establish data plan in Xiaomi
If you are going to use your mobile with mobile data, one of the MIUI functions can help you: Establish data plan.
This will help you not to spend more than you had planned and avoid bad times. To configure this option you just have to go to Settings >> SIM cards and mobile networks >> Set data plan.
You will find a series of options to set a data limit and configure alerts on the device when it has reached a certain% of use. You can change this setting as many times as you want.
Hide apps and sensitive content
If you share your mobile or are afraid that a curious person will take your mobile without permission, you can configure some MIU options that allow you to protect sensitive content.
- Put passwords to important applications
If you have applications that you want to keep private or that have sensitive data, you can choose to add a security bonus. To do this, go to Settings >> Applications >> Application lock.
You will see a list of installed applications, just choose the ones you want to protect. Then you will have to establish a password, pattern or fingerprint to unlock it every time you want to access them.
One detail to keep in mind is that this option does not hide the application, but if someone wants to open it, they will see that it is blocked and will need an extra password to view the content.
- Hide the apps
If you want the applications to be invisible to others then you have to enable the function that allows you to hide the icons on the home screen. Go to Settings >> Applications >> Application lock, and choose the second column "Applications".
Following the same dynamic above, you will see all the apps installed so that you can choose the ones you plan to hide. Once you do this, the apps will be hidden. How to access these applications? Following the instructions you see in the following images.
- Create a private space
Another solution to protect your sensitive content is to create a private space to securely store the apps and photos that you want to hide from the view of others.
For this there is the option of "Second space", you will find it in Settings >> Special functions. You choose "Second space" and indicate the way you want to access. Once the process is finished, you will see that your second space opens for you to configure and customize it as you wish. You can install new applications, take photos and save content, and they will only be kept in this space.
Illustrative image of the Xiaomi Redmi 8.