In each operating system there are both pros and cons. For example, Android can offer the user a huge functionality and fine customization of the appearance of the OS interface. But what will happen if Android is made into a convenient and flexible operating system? That's right, we'll get MIUI.
Chinese mobile company Xiaomi devices From the very beginning of its existence, I decided to do everything differently from the rest. In most cases, all developers sought to release their devices, and only then developed proprietary shells and software. Xiaomi decided to go the other way. First, they created their own operating system, and only after it became popular among users, the company began to produce its own smartphones and tablets.
It is noteworthy that this approach turned out to be successful and brought a lot of money to Chinese developers. Thanks to its own operating system and a bunch of small, but useful features, Xiaomi immediately began to make its way up and soon achieved high results on mobile market. Many of the users boldly claim that the latest version of the MIUI operating system is many times more convenient than Android, and the design is in no way inferior to iOS. We can safely say that these conclusions are quite justified, since MIUI has many interesting features that we will tell you about today.
1. Wide possibilities for customizing the OS interface
Any user can change appearance its operating system thanks to the huge number of themes that are downloaded from the official website of the developer. At the same time, not just wallpapers and program icons change, but almost all elements of the OS. On this moment There are more than a thousand unique themes in the company store that will find their fans.
2. Functional lock screen
By turning on the lock screen, you can see notifications such as: missed calls, messages, weather for the next few days, playing music track and much more. Depending on the installed theme the functionality and design of the lock screen will change. It is noteworthy that the player is controlled directly on the lock screen, you just need to double-tap the screen.
3. "Omnivorous" music player
The MIUI music player left behind only positive emotions, and all thanks to a wide range of functions and capabilities. For example, downloading album art, searching and downloading lyrics, amazing interface, customizable equalizer, and of course playing all popular audio formats.
4. Functional icons
Most Android users are accustomed to the fact that by clicking on the icon, we just launch some program and nothing more. MIUI offers to slightly expand this functionality. For example, by swiping on the notepad icon, a pop-up window will open in which you can choose to create new note, and a similar action for music player will display control buttons. In addition, the icons of some programs can change to display specific information: the calendar icon always displays the current date, and the weather application always displays the current temperature.
5. Flashlight
If your smartphone has an LED flash, then you can easily turn on the flashlight: hold down the "Home" button on the lock screen or the switch panel. (The built-in flashlight feature was introduced in Android 5.0 Lollipop.)
6. Blacklist (block unwanted calls and SMS messages)
If you receive annoying SMS with advertising on your phone or someone calls you at the wrong time, distracting you from business, then the built-in function of blocking messages and calls will be just right for you. A couple of clicks and the annoying number is permanently blacklisted, and we forget about its existence.
7. Traffic monitoring
This feature will be useful for those who use limited Internet tariffs, so you have to monitor its consumption. The built-in program will monitor the consumption of mobile traffic, and notify the user about approaching the limit you specified (if the user continues to use the Internet, the program simply blocks the connection so as not to go beyond the limit).
8. Power saving function
9. Built-in superuser rights (ROOT-rights)
Users Android smartphones and tablets are trying to get ROOT-rights most different ways, which you can find on our website in the article "What is ROOT and how to get them?" . But MIUI decided to simplify this process, the user will only need to move the slider to the appropriate position in the settings and superuser rights will be obtained. On top of that, you get the ability to control various programs, autorun tool and similar tools. You can enable and configure ROOT rights in MIUI in the "Permissions" tab.
10. Automatic ad blocking
As known in the operating room Android systems a lot of programs and games in which some kind of advertising constantly pops up. If you want to disable it, we advise you to read the article "How to remove ads in applications and browsers on Android". In MIUI, the developers initially built their own ad blocker, and it works quite correctly, blocking annoying ads, both in applications and in browsers.
11. System protection
Despite Google's announcement of reducing the number of viruses on Android, in the MIUI operating system you will find your own antivirus that checks the sites visited by the user, installed applications and files that get on your device.
12. Fast and convenient data backup
13. Remove cache and junk
14. Call recording
For many users entry telephone conversations is one of the most requested features, but it is unlikely to ever appear in official Android firmware. That is why the Chinese developers have endowed MIUI with a built-in function for recording telephone conversations, which works without any complaints.
15. Safe lock
This feature will prevent your Android smartphone from unlocking, receiving a call, or doing any other action without your permission while the device is in your bag, pocket, or briefcase.
16. Private communication
Everyone has such situations when it is necessary to keep correspondence with a certain contact secret from other eyes. In this case, MIUI has a built-in feature that allows you to select a specific contact whose correspondence will not be displayed in the main message window.
17. Display Internet speed and battery power in the notification bar
Once in the settings of the notification panel and the status bar, you can easily turn on the display of your battery level and Internet connection speed right in the notification line. According to the MIUI developers, these two indicators are the most important and you always need to have quick access to them.
18. Updates
If Android updates don't come out as often as we'd like, things are much better for MIUI updates. Yes, often the Chinese change only external elements interface, but there are also major updates that bring convenient and interesting features. In any case, Xiaomi is trying to release updates for all its devices, and they do it quite successfully.
This article has listed the most interesting and requested features of MIUI. Yes, most of these features can be implemented in Android. But for this you have to search additional applications, download them and install them, and in the case of ROOT rights, even tinker. MIUI offers you all of the above out of the box and absolutely free. Therefore, if you are tired of stock Android, you should pay attention to this operating system from Chinese developers.
In MIUI, on Xiaomi phones, there is no common Android users menu. Instead, there is desktops, on which all installed applications. At first, this seems rather inconvenient. But, after a while, you no longer want to return to the previous menu.
To call up the desktop settings, you need to pinch with two fingers on the desktop from the edges to the center. This movement is exactly the same as if you want to reduce the image in the gallery.
1. Desktop menu
In desktop settings latest versions MIUI, there are 4 main points. Let's start in order, from left to right:
- effects
Here we can choose a theme for your device. This menu duplicates the one located along the path Settings->Themes. We will not dwell on it in detail. I think it's all clear.
A widget is a part of an application or an independent application that can be placed on the desktop and contain any information. For example, weather, clocks, exchange rates, news, and more. They make it easy to access settings and switches.
To place a widget on your desktop, you need to go to "Widgets" and select the one we need.
For example, let's display a widget with which you can turn Wi-Fi on and off:
Now you can access it very quickly.
In this way, you can display any widget on the desktop. There are quite a lot of them even on a newly purchased phone. And after installing the applications, there will be even more.
To remove a widget, simply long-press on it, and then, without releasing, drag it to the top of the screen, onto the trash icon. In the same way, you can remove any icon from the desktop.
Naturally, you can always return it by going to the "Widgets" section.
Wallpaper
Here you can choose wallpaper for your desktop and lock screen. The list is standard. However, you can open the "Online" tab and download the one you like.
effects
These are the effects that will occur when scrolling through desktops. For example, "rotation", "cascade", "rotation", "3d cube", etc. Try to choose any of them and move from one table to another.
When filling the desktop with an application icon, it is automatically created new table. But, if we want to create it ourselves, then we need:
- Make a pinch with two fingers and scroll through all the desktops to the end, left or right. And then, just click on the plus icon. So we created a new desktop.
There is another way to add a table. It will be discussed in the next paragraph. About, how to add a new MIUI9 desktop, can be read .
If you have several desktops, then when you press the Home button, by default, the first one always opens. But what if you need to open, for example, the second or any other. To do this, you need to assign a main desktop:
By clicking on the desktop with "Plus", we will add a new table in the same way as we did in step 2.
Here, we can change the desktops of the place. To do this, click on any of them and move to the desired location.
4. Sort desktop icons
There are 2 ways to sort icons:
- within the same table. To do this, simply press and hold your finger on the icon, and then move it to the desired location.
- Move to another desktop. For this:
There are also two ways to do this:
To rename a folder, go to it and click on the name. We ask any.
Folders are deleted in the same way as other icons.
That's all. I hope the article will be useful for beginners.
The appearance of OC Android is changing very slowly, while the number of options for customizing the design leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, the operating system is open and there are many applications for it, including solutions designed to change the appearance.
We have already figured out the choice of the best shell for android devices, and there was also a review of applications with wallpapers. What else can be changed in the system interface? In addition to icons and icons, you can change the "status bar".
In this article, we will look at three applications. Two of them - Super Status Bar and Omega StatusBar - are veterans of this category, which appeared in the distant 2011-2012, the third - Material Status Bar - is a modern solution. Will the "veterans" repulse the newcomer or do the years take their toll? Let's take a closer look at all the participants and draw specific conclusions in each case.
The following devices were used as test equipment: smartphones Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro (Android 6.0.1 OC, MIUI 8, Snapdragon 650 64-bit, 6 x 1800 MHz, Adreno 510 video co-processor, 2 GB RAM) and Jinga Basco M500 3G (Android 5.1 OC, MediaTek MT6580 processor, 4 x 1300 MHz , video co-processor Mali-400 MP2, 1 GB RAM), samsung tablet Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (CM 13 based on Android 6.0.1 OC, TI OMAP 4430 processor, 2 x 1200 MHz, PowerVR 540 video co-processor, 384 MHz, 1 GB RAM).
Super Status Bar
Acquaintance
It was possible to change the status bar back in 2011, and this became possible thanks to a pioneering newcomer - the Super Status Bar application. But is this program still relevant now, five years later?
Beginning of work
After the launch of the Super Status Bar, we will be greeted and transferred to main screen, without wasting extra time on getting up to speed and learning, which is not good.
We almost immediately notice the activator slider on the right side of the screen and boldly switch it to active mode. After that, the application will ask you to activate it in the "Accessibility" section to provide the program with extended rights, then our new "status bar" will appear.
Unlike the standard one, it has a different look, background, and different placement of elements.
All of the above can be configured in detail. For example, we can move the clock to the center of the screen, as on the iPhone, represent the battery indicator as a percentage, and the icon with the reception cellular network remove altogether to save space. Even a weather display is possible!
There are other options for customizing the appearance, for example, "iLlusory Fon" - transparent background, setting your image or a separate color as the background of the "status bar". True, none of test devices function didn't work properly...
In this menu, you can additionally activate automatic start programs when you turn on the device and display notifications.
You have already seen the "Status bar", but then I suggest taking a look at the notification curtain, since thanks to this application it also changes. Pull the panel down and voila! We have changed dramatically internal menu. Now it is divided into two parts - notifications and the most used applications, and is also supplemented by "switches" of parameters and even widgets, but only in the premium version of the Super Status Bar utility.
IN paid version Super Status Bar also has theme support. There are just over a dozen of them, and they will be able to transform the look of your gadget quite well.
Settings
As for the settings, there are not so many of them and we have listed them all in the course of getting to know the application.
Testing
Despite the fact that Super Status Bar previously supported devices with OC Android 2.1, now the program only works with OC Android 4.0 and later systems. This is due to the presence of a function with a transparent curtain.
While using the Super Status Bar, I had several problems: critical errors when opening the application settings (solved by installing older versions), the program freezes periodically, the "transparent background" function is incorrect, and the curtain cannot be closed by pressing the "back" key. A lot of problems with the application, a lot ...
Super Status Bar works adequately with tablets on OC Android 4.4 and newer.
conclusions
If earlier the Super Status Bar was the only option for changing the "status bar", now the program can be written as an outsider. 'Cause she's lost her relevance Last update was in 2015, and it did not concern updating the design or adding new features. In addition, the program does not fit well with Material Design and works rather mediocrely.
If you summarize all the main points on the Super Status Bar application, then it is difficult to recommend it, much less buy a premium version.
Devices on the Android OS are distinguished by the ability to change almost everything in the user interface. The Chinese firmware modification - miui, installed on Xiaomi phones, is no exception. In this article, we will analyze the work with fonts. Consider using the example of Xiaomi Redmi 3 how to increase the font and how to change it to a completely different one.
Change of size
On Xiaomi smartphones there are usually 3 font sizes: S, M, L (later versions have 5 sizes and even more). By default, the medium size is set to M. To change it, open Settings - Display - Text size. Depending on the version, the location of this setting may change, for example, in miui 5 and 6 versions, you need to go to Settings - Advanced - Font.
If you are unable to change the size, for example, an error appears, then you have Chinese homemade firmware installed. In this case, the following trick helps: change the language of the smartphone to English, change the size and return the Russian language.
The standard way to change the font
There are two ways to change the font: buy / download from the Xiaomi store or upload your own. All fonts must be in mtz format. Depending on the version of the operating system, the methods vary greatly, here are the most popular options:
Not all firmware versions and themes support changing system parameters. Therefore, if you do not have the necessary menu items, then you should use other methods described below.
If there is no option choose a font
With the coming of the update miui firmware 8 version, many are faced with the inability to install their own version of the fonts, this problem is especially relevant for global firmware versions (usually they are installed on new smartphones, for example, Xiaomi Mi 5). In fact, this option is there, just the developers do not yet give access to this feature to everyone, although this option is unlocked on the Chinese version. However, users have found two solutions to this problem.
Recently, to create, modify and install third-party themes, Xiaomi requires a designer account, below is how to get this status.
Easy option
Open Settings - Additional settings- Region and install "India".
We go to Themes, update and you should have a menu for setting fonts, which will no longer disappear. You can then return your own region.
It is possible that after the release of the next update, this option will no longer work. Then you will have to use the more official method described below.
official method
- Install the program for creating shortcuts. For example, the application QuickShortcutMaker.
- Open the application, find "Settings" go to them.
- In the list we find the font settings.
- Click on the name to change the name.
- Click "Create" to display the settings on the desktop. If there is no shortcut anywhere, then go to the settings, installed applications, find the QuickShortcutMaker program and enable the display of shortcuts in the options.
- Now we have a shortcut that opens the font settings for us, select the one we like and download.
- Click on the "Theme" button (themes) in the upper right corner, agree with the warnings.
- Open the Themes app, select "offline" and click "Import".
- We find the location of your font and mark it, confirm with the "OK" button.
- We open the shortcut we created earlier, click "default" and select the font you need from the list, after which we confirm the reboot of the smartphone.
- If you get the following error: "Themes from third-party sources are not supported, error: download auth rejected 402", then your account needs designer status.
- The font only changes third party programs, in regular applications and the operating system, it remains the same.
- Root access is required to use these programs.
- Search for fonts in mtz format. On the request "download mtz fonts" or "download fonts for Xiaomi" there is a fairly large selection from different developers.
- Choose any one you like on the Internet and download in ttf format, Google has a very rich choice at the link fonts.google.com, then we use a converter to convert to a format for Xiaomi.
Getting the status of a designer
To become a designer, you must have a Mi account.
When you are asked to fill in information bank card, skip it and accept the agreement with the Accept Agreement button.
Now we are waiting, confirmation usually comes in a day or three. If you do not receive a confirmation or refusal letter for a long time, then we try to enter the site under our account, the status of your application should be visible there.
Change through third-party programs
To change the font, you can use third-party programs. This method has two disadvantages:
The most popular program is iFont. It contains many fonts, taking into account the system language, in the "Online" section we find the one you need, download and install it.
Convert and download
Many are wondering where you can download a font for Xiaomi, but initially you need to understand the situation. Most of the generated fonts are in ttf format, but Xiaomi devices require mtz format. Users have two options:
For conversion, an android program called FONT2MTZ is used, unfortunately, it is not available in the Google market, it must be downloaded separately. You can find this application yourself or use the link to the application page from the miui forum. To download, you need to register there or log in with your account.
The idea to change the font to Xiaomi among the owners of Chinese devices arises in various situations: often the whole point lies in the banal desire to update the appearance of their smartphone, but there are often cases when a real need leads to the desire to change the font, for example, in case of poor eyesight or other situations, when you want the text displayed on the screen to become larger or, which is also not uncommon, smaller.
It is worth noting that changing the text attributes occurs in absolutely all applications of the device: in contacts, settings, browser and other applications.
Font setting
The standard list of available character sizes on Xiaomi smartphones are three positions: small, medium and large, respectively (small, medium and large sizes). The latest device models, Redmi 4A, Redmi 4x and others, carry up to 5 different sizes in their bowels.
In addition to the basic resizing, modification of various text characteristics is available: not only styles, but even font colors are offered for customization.
Most in a simple way“Play around” with the character parameters is the sequence of actions of the following order: “Settings-Display-Advanced-Fonts” or “Settings-Advanced-Font” depending on the version of the MIUI firmware.
TO standard parameters that can be changed are:
- Possibility to enlarge the font;
- Changing the style of the displayed text itself.
It is worth noting that the adopted innovations will affect the text that appears in the notification panel, in the system menus, on desktops, and also in the dialing menu. The desire to change the letters (make them white, small, etc.) in third-party applications depends entirely on the capabilities of the applications themselves.
The standard way to change the font
In the process of changing the text settings, there are cases when it is impossible to change the font due to the banal absence of such a menu.
The essence of the problem lies in the firmware and the developer's activities aimed at limiting the functionality of the menu to protect the smartphone from the user himself. The solution to the problem is to enter the "Designer status" category, on the basis of which the smartphone owner receives an expanded range of settings, including the ability to replace the font.
Obtaining the status of a designer occurs through the Mi Account and subsequent registration on the official website.
Consider the main ways how you can change the font of Xiaomi Redmi and other smartphones of a well-known Chinese brand:
- Described earlier: "Settings-Advanced", then select the "Select Font" category. Available styles include styles, both placed "by default" and those that the user can upload to the "MIUI/theme" directory;
- More direct: by opening the "Themes" program, where you should select the 4th menu item on the left (a red circle with a hieroglyph), then "Resources", then "Font". It is worth noting that in the case of a manual download, you should pay attention to the type of file extension: a prerequisite is the TTF format of the downloaded file;
- The path to the already familiar section "Themes", then "Local" and finally "Import". The last step from the user will be to select the "Components" category, where to go to the "Font" section.
other methods
It is also possible to set the style you like using third party applications. So, having found, for example, fonts for MIUI 8, the user has the opportunity to add them to the standard collection. To do this, the downloaded fonts should be placed in the device directory and then download the Mi Font Maker program. The program allows you to find the necessary file through the built-in explorer and then add it to the system files.
It is worth noting that the uploaded file must have one of two formats: ttf or mtz, and also be presented in Cyrillic: that is, it must have both English and Russian characters.
In addition to third-party ways to bypass settings protection, there is also an official method for displaying text settings. In order to solve the problem of how to change the font on Xiaomi Redmi 3S or other models, follow these steps:
- Download the application QuickShortcutMaker;
- Having opened the program, go to the "Settings" item, where you need to select the "Font" subcategory;
- Next, open the application, select and download the option you like, then open the "Themes" software and switch to the "Offline" mode;
- After that, click the "Import" button, specify the path to the file and upload it to the collection of existing ones.
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