Introduction
Xiaomi’s proprietary MIUI software program matured fairly a bit over time and we are able to confidently say that the final couple of generations do not have that burdened Chinese language really feel. And we’re not implying that Chinese language software program is dangerous. It is simply usually tailor-made towards a very completely different market and person base.
MIUI 14 does not really feel like that in any respect. It brings a ton of customization choices to cater to anybody’s wants. And on the identical time, it feels clear, easy and usable.
Nonetheless, the newest iteration provides no measurable adjustments over the past MIUI 13 technology, not less than concerning the internationally-available model. The brand new model is generally about under-the-hood adjustments and optimizations. Nonetheless, there’s quite a bit to cowl on this feature-rich MIUI atmosphere, so proceed studying to see if it is down your alley earlier than you seize a Xiaomi smartphone.
Android 13
Xiaomi’s MIUI is barely influenced by new Android variations, which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, Xiaomi can distribute its newest Android pores and skin and options to most of its smartphones – together with the low-end ones. And by doing so, the corporate positive aspects a great fame for conserving its smartphones updated with the newest options.
However on the opposite, some Android-intrinsic options do not make it MIUI. For example, we’re but to see notification historical past from Android 12, and even the MIUI 14 + Android 13 combo does not immediate you to allow or disable notifications on newly put in apps. And people are simply among the lacking options that come to thoughts. There are numerous extra functionalities that Xiaomi selected to skip in its updates.
We additionally did not discover any vital distinction between Xiaomi smartphones working MIUI 14 + Android 12 and MIUI 14 + Android 13, suggesting that the Android model beneath MIUI does not matter all that a lot. Characteristic disparity stems principally from {hardware} limitations and smartphone tiers inside Xiaomi’s portfolio.
MIUI 14
What’s new?
Xiaomi says MIUI 14 re-built from the bottom up. It makes use of a brand new system structure on the Android Kernel degree with CPU, GPU and reminiscence useful resource scheduling. The firmware measurement has been decreased together with general reminiscence utilization. The tip result’s an alleged 60% smoother operation measured on a Xiaomi 12S Extremely.
There’s additionally computerized compression for apps which can be hardly ever used, and now you can uninstall all apps apart from eight core system apps. That is an enormous step in direction of de-bloating its MIUI software program because it ships with fairly a little bit of pre-installed apps.
When Xiaomi introduced MIUI 14 alongside the Xiaomi 13 sequence, the corporate outlined a slew of latest options (except for the system optimizations above), however little did we all know that lots of them will not make it to the worldwide model of the ROM.
The Giant folders characteristic is among the many few user-facing options that has made it to the abroad version MIUI. And even then, there are variations within the implementations. We have seen MIUI 14 telephones that supply each Giant and XXL folder variants, whereas others have solely Giant folders.
Giant folders
Coincidentally, we had loads of time to spend with the Xiaomi 12S Extremely however with ported World model of the official Chinese language MIUI 14 + Android 13 ROM. We discovered many variations in addition to options we’ve not seen earlier than. One stood out specifically – App administration.
Below the Handle apps sub-menu, we discovered App conduct log. It tracks every app’s motion within the background and retains a log in chronological order. It could possibly even let you know if a sure app began one other app or when an app tries to launch within the background. We have been capable of repair some app-related points because of this log and we’re disillusioned that this characteristic hasn’t made its technique to the worldwide model of MIUI.
App conduct within the Chinese language model of the ROM
Within the telephones offered exterior of China, you additionally will not see the brand new widgets with varied styles and sizes, there are not any Tamagotchi-inspired flowers and pets that may reside on your property display screen, and we additionally did not discover the duplicated file merger.
The worldwide model skips of MIUI 14 additionally skips the brand new toggle within the Management middle that allows you to handle Xiaomi equipment and wearables.
Navigation, UI and customization
UI navigation is enterprise as common. You do have the choice for software program buttons as an alternative of gesture-based navigation, however who’s nonetheless utilizing that? Nonetheless, we discovered three distinctive issues to MIUI’s navigation gestures. First off, you’ll be able to conceal the navigation capsule on the backside, however you’ll be able to nonetheless swipe left and proper the underside edge to rapidly swap between apps. That is normally not attainable for those who conceal the capsule on different Android skins and even on vanilla Android.
Secondly, the again gesture solely works for those who swipe from the underside half of the sides. It’s because Xiaomi did not wish to intervene with some pull-out menus in some apps. When you swipe the higher half of the left/proper edge, you’ll pull out the specified menu as an alternative of going again.
Gesture navigation
And thirdly, there’s granular management over palm rejection. There are two normal presets and one which lets you regulate the world, which will not react to touches across the edges of the show. It is helpful totally on telephones with curved aspect edges.
UI-wise, not a lot has modified coming from MIUI 13. The system makes use of its personal iconography for the primary Settings menu and the general look is acquainted.
All system menus have a constant, flat, streamlined and simplistic design, with many of the interactable content material moved to the underside half of the display screen for simpler attain. It’s miles from Samsung’s One UI one-handed design and even Oppo/OnePlus/Realme’s ColorOS/OxygenOS/Realme UI, the place you may have just about every thing inside your thumb’s attain.
Normal settings
The app drawer is one cool exception. It has the search bar proper on the backside of the show, and the outcomes are neatly organized proper above the search bar.
App drawer
Talking of the app drawer, you’ll be able to go for a easy Dwelling display screen format, however you would be lacking the classes, the simple app search and the customizable scroller. That is by far among the best and most well-organized app drawers we have used on Android.
The latest apps menu is one other facet of MIUI that is completely different from telephones from different makes. BIt shows your opened apps in a vertically scrollable listing of tiles. You additionally get the choice to vary the format to the extra widespread horizontal, carousel-style association.
Latest apps
The latest apps menu can also be house to a few helpful shortcuts like Deep clear or Floating home windows. The latter lets you open just a few apps in floating home windows for simpler multitasking. We’ll discuss that intimately a bit later.
The notification shade additionally has two variations. MIUI 14 boots with the so-called Management Centre by default, which mimics Apple’s iOS Management Middle. Swiping down on the proper half of the display screen opens up the Management Centre with solely fast toggles and two sliders for display screen brightness and sound. The Wi-Fi and Cellular information toggles are fastened and can’t be modified/changed. The remaining, you’ll be able to re-arrange to your liking.
Normal notification shade and Management centre
Swiping down on the left half of the show opens up the notification shade with the acquainted card-style notifications.
You may swap between the notification shade and the Management Centre with left/proper swipes. Which means you’ll be able to’t dismiss notification playing cards by swiping left, which is the primary situation we have now with this implementation. In any other case, we see the potential and why some customers would go for the brand new Management Centre fashion. It provides you a lot bigger management toggles. We will not fairly perceive why the cellular information toggle is the one one which turns inexperienced when on whereas all others are blue of their lively state.
Customization-wise, there’s a lot to undergo. Xiaomi’s Themes ecosystem has been lively for a few years, so there are loads of inventive neighborhood members with tons of of themes.
Themes
The system Themes app lets you change not solely your wallpaper but in addition your font, icons, ringtones and AoD fashion.
For the extra premium Xiaomis, you’ll be able to go for the so-called Tremendous wallpapers. They’re neat animations of the Earth, Saturn, Mars, geometry shapes and the snowy peaks of Mount Siguniang. They apply to your lock display screen, house display screen and AoD.
Tremendous wallpapers
Talking of the All the time-on Show, MIUI has one of many largest collection of AoD kinds and presets. You may even create one from scratch with a picture of your selecting. However functionality-wise, it provides the usual choices like scheduling or when to show off routinely.
AoD Choices
Notifications
Like most different issues, Xiaomi helps you to customise your notifications and the way they seem. You may select which apps to seem on the lock display screen (you might wish to conceal apps delivering delicate data on the lock display screen), disable everlasting notifications, floating and notification badges on per app foundation. You will be fairly versatile with the way in which apps notify you.
Notification choices
There’s even an choice to swipe up on a floating notification to snooze upcoming ones within the subsequent minute or till you lock the gadget. This operate is sort of helpful when a sure messaging app is spamming you with notifications when you are utilizing the telephone for different stuff.
The notification playing cards within the notification shade have two stylings to select from. There’s the MIUI fashion and the default Android one. The Android ones use less complicated icon kinds and group notifications from a single app inside one card. The MIUI notifications are considerably extra compact and use the unique app icons. And when you develop notifications coming from one app, every notification will get its personal card.
Notifcation playing cards fashion: Android default • Android default • MIUI • MIUI
What we wish to see in future MIUI releases is the power to regulate sounds for calls and notifications individually. That is attainable on a number of different Android overlays however not in MIUI.
Sadly, one of many largest points we had with MIUI, irrespective of the model of the software program, is the notification reliability. It seems that the system is approach too overzealous with conserving background apps in examine, and notifications would both arrive late or they will not arrive in any respect. And there does not appear to be a sample both. Some apps are killed within the background, whereas others should not.
Notification points workaround
There’s a workaround, but it surely’s not good. You may whitelist sure apps from MIUI’s administration and permit them to autostart. This could alleviate among the notification points however will not repair them solely. We have seen this being a factor on a couple of MIUI variations and on a couple of telephone. So maintain that in thoughts.
Sensible and extra options
Though not distinctive in any approach, MIUI provides multi-tasking through the Floating home windows operate. Both by opening up the latest apps menu and tapping on Floating home windows, or by pulling out the so-called Sidebar, you’ll be able to open sure apps (nearly all of them in our expertise) in small, interactive home windows. You may divulge heart’s contents to two apps in Floating home windows and a 3rd app in full-screen. You too can dock a few of them on the proper aspect of the display screen. Performing the house gesture will reduce the apps however will not shut them.
Sidebar and floating home windows
One other technique to open up an app in a minimized window is to faucet and swipe down on a floating notification card. This may open up the app in query in a Floating window mode.
The Sidebar turns into a Video toolbox as soon as the system detects a video participant. In fact, the toolbox works within the YouTube app and supplies a number of helpful shortcuts. Arguably probably the most helpful characteristic, nevertheless, is the background playback. Any YouTube video will proceed enjoying even when the telephone is locked.
Video toolbox
Usually, this can be a characteristic obtainable solely to YouTube Premium subscribers, so MIUI’s Video toolbox is actually saving you cash.
Below the Further settings sub-menu, MIUI holds its gesture shortcuts, which most different Android iterations have. You may arrange a three-finger swipe gesture for screenshots and a three-finger tap-and-hold for a partial screenshot.
Sure Xiaomi telephones, principally the premium ones, have a further tap-on-the-back gesture. You may assign a double-tap or triple-tap operate, however irrespective of the telephone, we really feel just like the tapping gesture on the again is essentially unreliable. It hardly ever prompts until you’re very assertive along with your faucets.
Further settings and Gesture shortcuts
Final however not least, MIUI 14 provides improved textual content recognition through the default Gallery. You may open up a photograph or screenshot, faucet on the three-dotted icon and select Acknowledge textual content. It should extract all of the textual content from the picture and dump it on a notepad-like window so you’ll be able to copy and paste no matter you discover helpful. This is not obtainable on sure low-powered Xiaomis, although.
MIUI’s textual content recognition vs. Google Lens
Alternatively, you’ll be able to at all times depend on Google’s Lens. The Gallery and the default Digicam app present deep integration with Google Lens, which is significantly extra superior and handy than the default one from Xiaomi, because it acknowledges emails, telephone numbers, pictures and so on. and supplies extra immediately actionable decisions.
Privateness and safety
Despite the fact that Xiaomi did not implement most of the Android-intrinsic options from the final couple of releases, it did get round to incorporating privacy-related options such because the Privateness dashboard, per app permissions and the standing indicator within the top-left nook of the display screen when an app makes use of your microphone or digicam.
App permissions are neatly organized into three fundamental teams – delicate permissions, particular permissions and different permissions. Now and again, if the system deems it vital, it can warn you of a high-risk permission from an app, and it’ll allow you to resolve what to do with it.
App permissions
MIUI carries round a Safety app that helps you keep a wholesome software program standing. We stay skeptical of how sensible these options are, however you are able to do a safety scan on demand, lock sure apps with a fingerprint or do a deep clear by deleting unused recordsdata. You too can kill draining apps within the background with a single faucet. The Safety app is usually a useful gizmo to delete system-wide cache too.
Safety app, Twin apps, Second area
Twin apps and Second area, then again, are fairly helpful options. The primary one lets you check in with completely different accounts in a single app and maintain the person information separate for each person accounts. The Second area does the identical however for the complete system. For instance you may have private and enterprise accounts to handle with completely different apps and delicate data. You are able to do that on a single gadget with Second area.
Though not essentially a safety characteristic, Xiaomi telephones with under-display fingerprint readers allow you to launch a QR code scanner or provoke a search as quickly as you unlock the telephone. You simply must maintain your finger on the scanner after unlocking. Most of these shortcuts can be found on different proprietary Android software program, however MIUI does not allow you to customise the shortcuts. The Chinese language model of MIUI has extra shortcuts however does not permit you to customise them both.
System apps
For markets exterior of China, Xiaomi tried to streamline the expertise by eradicating among the system apps. For instance, the default Messaging and Telephone apps are from Google, whereas the Chinese language model adopts its personal apps. Nonetheless, you’ll find a Music participant, Video participant, Calculator, Gallery app, File supervisor, Recorder, Compass, the Xiaomi Neighborhood app and extra. In fact, the usual Google apps are additionally pre-installed together with third-party functions like TikTok, Fb, and so on. It is determined by your area.
Gallery app
And in case your telephone has an IR blaster, you should utilize the Mi distant app to arrange a reference to your property home equipment, together with the TV. There’s an enormous listing of supported gadgets, so you’ll almost certainly make use of the Mi distant app.
Normal efficiency and day-to-day usability
Now we have used MIUI 14 as a each day driver for just a few months now, and it appears and looks like your common Android OS. And we imply that in a great way. Whereas Xiaomi’s tackle Android has its personal look, it is nonetheless in line with Android. Builders did not attempt reinventing the wheel.
One of the best half is that MIUI simply works. Apart from the annoying notification points with some apps, the OS is sort of steady, dependable and quick. Even after putting in tons of of apps and utilizing two completely different Xiaomi telephones, MIUI 14 remained snappy and responsive. You may even go for quicker animation, which is able to pace up issues even additional. And we propose you try this as a result of animations within the so-called Relaxed mode really feel a bit gradual to our style.
Verdict
At its core, MIUI is a mature Android pores and skin, and it is positively one of the crucial constant and snappy OSs we have used recently. It has come a great distance.
Nonetheless, the aggressive background app administration and the hindered notification dealing with maintain us from giving MIUI 14 an ideal rating. We hope Xiaomi will work on these sooner or later and in addition attempt to implement not less than among the options it already has in its Chinese language ROM. We’re utterly baffled by the choice to skip even fundamental options such because the double-tap-to-lock on the house display screen to lock.
Having stated that, MIUI remains to be one of the crucial customizable Android overlays on the market. You may change and regulate just about every thing to your liking (okay, perhaps with out the app notification quantity). So it is in all probability secure to imagine that MIUI 14 will cater to nearly everybody, making it one of the crucial versatile UIs on the market.
