Now I have two main smartphones. I tried to configure the Xiaomi Mi 9 to be similar to the iPhone Xs Max. Here's what I did:
?️Replaced the navigation buttons with gestures ?️Added a touch strip, like in the iPhone ?️Replaced the standard keyboard ?️Installed the correct theme ?️Customized the icon layout grid ?️Created an imitation cutout, like in the iPhone
You can see the result in the title picture of this post. It turned out very similar, and you can transform your Android smartphone this way too.
Let's start making an iPhone from Xiaomi:
Hiding navigation buttons and adding gestures
Xiaomi Mi 9 seems to have been created precisely to remake its interface for iOS. It just has a special “Unlimited Screen” mode, in the settings of which there is a “Full-screen gestures” switch.
With this feature, you can remove the standard navigation buttons of the operating system and add full gesture control to it.
Its principle is no different from iOS in the iPhone X and other frameless Apple smartphones.
Where did the problem originate and which mobile phones does it affect?
While browsing forums and social media, we found many users affected by this Android 11 gesture issue , which makes us think that it is directly affected by it. Although MIUI 12 with Android 10 also has some difficulties, they can be used, which is not the case with the latest version of the operating system, where the system seems locked and prevents its use.
The moment users activate gestures on the screen, there is no way to take advantage of them, no matter how much we change the area from which we slide, and this was seen on the Redman Note 8 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 10 or several Poco devices, but There may be other terminals affected that we don't know about yet.
The problem is not new
While it may seem like this bug was introduced in Android 11, the truth is that MIUI and gestures have never been good friends, especially when trying to change the system launcher. For years, Xiaomi users have had problems using gestures in new launchers and this forces them to limit themselves to MIUI. What's worse, this time for the fact that they want to use gestures and don't care about the launcher, the solution is different.
Adding a navigation bar down from iPhone
To make the interface in the “Unlimited Screen” mode even more similar to iOS, I recommend trying the Gesture Control application.
Using it, you can add a special navigation bar to the bottom of the screen, which can be configured so that it is one to one, like on the iPhone.
Be sure to pay attention to which applications need to display this bar and which do not. For example, it is not needed on the home screen.
In general, the Gesture Control application is designed for flexible customization of control gestures. I'm happy with standard MIUI, but you can dig around.
Using screen gestures
Gestures on the screen, as mentioned above, are quite capable of replacing smartphone buttons.
Swiping from the left (right) side of the screen to the center is similar to the action of the “Back” button;
Swiping up from the center of the bottom of the display is similar to the action of the Home button;
Swiping up from the center of the bottom of the screen and holding your finger in place is similar to the action of the “Menu” button when a screen with a list of recently launched programs opens;
Swiping up from the left (right) side will bring up Google voice search.
Double tapping on the screen will enable or disable the smartphone lock. But in order for this gesture to be used, you need to activate the corresponding function in the settings:
“Settings” > “Management”. Accessibility > Motions > Double Tap > Double Tap to Turn Screen On or Off.
Knuckle gestures - drawing letters on your smartphone screen using your knuckles is one of the most convenient control gestures. In this way you can launch this or that application.
Changing the standard keyboard to a more similar one
When using the “Unlimited Screen” function, the same Gboard (Google’s proprietary keyboard) will be located close to the bottom edge of the screen. Moreover, its rounded corners will even cut off the buttons. This is not the point.
Therefore, I recommend using an alternative SwiftKey keyboard. In its settings there is a “Size” menu, with which you can create an artificial indent where the strip from Gesture Control will fall.
Choosing suitable icons for the home screen
As standard, MIUI 10 comes with two home screen themes to choose from: “Default” and “Classic”. The icons in the latter are very similar to those used in iOS.
However, you can find a more plausible option - for example, iOS MDS 3.5 (search in the “Themes” application).
The icons in this theme match almost perfectly with iOS 12 and iOS 13. Moreover, some even have special animations that turn on when you exit the application.
We create an analogue of a special menu for widgets
MIUI has a separate side menu with widgets, but there are so few of them that there is no point in using it.
It is best to move all the icons to the second screen , make it the main one, and occupy the first with the necessary widgets. In my case, it's the weather and quick access to contacts.
So far I like this menu least of all in the entire “assembly”, so I am actively looking for third-party widgets in the Play Store.
MIUI 12 will get a new status bar, fonts and other UI improvements
- Sometimes your relatives or friends use your phone, but you want some data to remain private? " Protected Mode"
6. Miscellaneous
- Some tips for saving energy (original topic)
- In Battery Settings, select Power (if available)
- MIUI has an excellent Autorun application that will prevent the application from starting at startup and running in the background. Uncheck the boxes of those applications that you want to prohibit from autorun. This will save battery power and RAM
- Check the update interval of applications that require synchronization. Also check the synchronization of accounts.
- Use the Better WiFi On/Off . This tip is most helpful for people who are worried about Wi-Fi draining their battery or moving in and out of Wi-Fi coverage. This application has a large number of settings to suit your requirements.
- Open the Permissions . In the first Permissions , click on Manage application permissions . In this menu you can disable certain permissions for applications.
- Open the Monitor . In the first Traffic , click on Traffic Limit . Here you can set various restrictions on traffic usage and notifications about traffic excess. Statistics tab you can see how much traffic each application uses. Click on Manage Application Connections . Here you can disable the ability to use applications both mobile traffic and Wi-Fi. Tip : you can completely disable data transfer for applications (for example, games) so that advertising does not appear in them.
- Auto brightness.
- Important advice about Wi-Fi and 2G/3G . If you use Wi-Fi for a long time (for example at work), you can turn off 3G and configure only 2G transmission. Don't forget to turn 3G back on when you return from work
- Another great app that will check which apps are keeping your phone from falling asleep is Wakelock Detector .
- A quick way to access sound settings. Press the volume button (up or down) after the icon appears
click on it
- A quick way to reboot into Recovery mode
- Some applications do not have an “ Exit ” button and continue to hang in the background, consuming your battery power and network traffic. You can customize the Back to close applications.
- For quick access to web sites, you can add web page shortcuts to your desktop
- If some applications close unexpectedly, you can quickly figure it out. Hold down the " Home " button to enter the " Cleanup Manager"
Long pressing on an application opens the application properties.
In it you can clear the application data and cache.
- Is your phone frozen during an update? The screen does not “wake up”? Is your phone frozen due to some application? In such situations, removing the battery is not the best solution. Hold down the power button for 10 seconds to reboot the phone.
- If you have a screensaver on your computer, why shouldn't it be on your phone?!
Go to the Files in the DCIM , create a folder there and copy the necessary images there
Next, go to Gallery > Local Albums and set the created folder as the Screensaver
To configure the screensaver, go back to Gallery > Settings
Your screensaver is ready!
- How to get back missing messages after synchronization?
The easiest way: delete and re-add your Xiaomi account
Find the MiCloud in the System or in Settings > Accounts
Next, click on your account name and click Sign Out
Enter your password, then Remove from my device
After these operations, go to Settings > Add account > Xiaomi account and log in to your account again
- How to block an app for Cleanup Manager?
For example, you want to block the Music application. Go to Cleanup Manager
While holding the Music icon, swipe down. A lock icon will appear on the icon.
Next, we try to clear the memory, and the Music will remain in memory!
To remove an application from exclusions, hold the icon and swipe up. Ready!
You can get lost in such a huge number of settings. I don't use even half of the features described. Happy firmware everyone.
Tested for myself, taken here. All the best
Multimedia
- If you disconnect headphones or Bluetooth headphones while playing music, the playback will be paused
- Slide up/down on the player icon to open the Music
- Manually adding an artist photo
Download the images (jpj/png) from this path: “ Computer*Internal memoryMIUImusicavatar ” and rename them according to the name of the artist.
- Automatic upload of artist photos
- Do you like to take pictures of yourself? Mirror Photo feature
- “ Professional Mode to the Camera , which gives more options
- Want to take a group photo but have no one to take your photo? Use the Sound Capture . Just make some noise (clap your hands for example) and MIUI will take a photo of you!
- You can customize the function of the volume keys
- Several "chips" of the Voice Recorder
Your phone will be automatically muted while recording
The recording process will not be interrupted during an incoming call
The recording will be saved as MP3
- Previewing Theme Components
Sometimes you want to apply a new theme or wallpaper, but you don't know how it will look on your phone. The theme preview button is currently removed, but you can click on the images to preview it.
Adjusting the size of the cutout in the screen for iPhone
The Xiaomi Mi 9 has a small, neat cutout that only accommodates the front camera. It's nowhere near the True Depth module for authentication security, but it does have a fingerprint sensor for that.
To make the Android device more like an iPhone, the notch needs to be made wider. The Notch Phone X app will help with this - the app works very realistically with OLED .
The only pity is that some elements will sometimes climb onto it. But this happens very rarely.
