You may have noticed that there is no option on Xiaomi phones disable system apps without getting Root rights. Perhaps this is true for those who are used to doing everything by the rules. But it has long been known that "normal heroes always go around." And, interestingly, they achieve their goal. So it is with system applications on Xiaomi: there is a method to disable them without getting super-user rights, and it works fine on .
Our experience with users shows that owners of Xiaomi and Huawei smartphones always face certain problems when it comes to Google apps. Moreover, in some Xiaomi phones with Chinese ROM, without these problems, it is not even possible to install Google applications or services. After the release of the latest version of the MIUI 10 operating system, most complaints come from the popular model. A very unpleasant situation arises with it: it is not possible to remove or disable Google applications. We hasten to please: a workaround has already been found, and you can use it to disable system applications on any Xiaomi phone.
It must be very frustrating when you can't control your phone the way you want. The best thing about the Android platform is the ability for the user to customize everything to suit their needs. In such conditions, the restrictions that suddenly arise when trying to perform certain actions are especially annoying. The guide below will show you how to disable Google apps on Xiaomi phone.
So the conditions are:
- Any other phone running on MIUI.
- More Shortcuts app (You can download it).
The procedure for disabling system applications:
Note: If you use the Nova launcher for your Xiaomi phone, you can easily create a shortcut using the widget.
Attention: Be careful with this guide, think about what applications you disable - not all system applications can be disabled without consequences for the smartphone.
That's all. We hope you find this guide helpful and manage to disable Google apps on your Xiaomi phone running MIUI 10 and below. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write about it in the comments. Do you know any other way to disable Google apps on Xiaomi with MIUI? Share your experience!
In this article, we will look at the interesting features of the MIUI shell. You may have heard of some of them, but many interesting features are veiled in such a way that they are difficult to find, so many do not even know about them. Let's consider some of them.
RINGER VOLUME UP
The inclusion of this function is not in the sound settings, as it would be logical, but in the settings of the Phone application. To activate this feature, you need to go to the settings of the "Phone" application and in the "Incoming calls" section, enable the item "Increase in volume". In the same section, you can find other interesting settings, such as:
- Turn off the call when turning over;
- Muting the call when picking up;
- Flash notification;
- Proximity sensor;
- Mute the beginning of the call.
The purpose of each item is explained directly below it (see screenshot).
CHANGING THE BACKGROUND ON THE CALL SCREEN
If you are tired of the blue background when making (receiving) calls, then you can apply lock screen wallpaper there. To do this, go to the settings of the "Phone" application, go to the "Advanced settings" section and in the item "Call screen background" change the value from "Default" to "Lock screen wallpaper".
Also in this section there are other settings:
- Sound when dialing;
- Auto redial;
— Reminder of missed calls;
- Vibration when the interlocutor answers;
- and others.
QUICK CHANGE STATUS SMS MESSAGES
In the SMS list, swipe on a message from left to right in order to mark it as read.
QUICK DELETE SMS MESSAGES
Swipe on a message from right to left - delete the current message.
LARGE TEXT WHEN VIEWING SMS MESSAGES
When viewing an SMS message, if you tap twice on the text, the message will be displayed in full screen, in larger text. Convenient when reading long SMS.
REPLY FUNCTION
When receiving SMS, an alert is displayed at the top of the display for a while. To the right of the message there is a "Reply" button, by clicking on it you can write a quick reply.
PINTING SMS MESSAGES FROM A PARTICULAR CONTACT
The pinned message will always appear at the top of the list. To do this, press and hold the message, in the functions that appear at the bottom of the screen, select "Pin". This message will move to the very top and will be marked with a blue arrow in the upper corner. You can pin one or more messages.
HIDING SMS MESSAGES FROM SELECTED CONTACTS
To do this, you need to make a swipe from top to bottom in the list of SMS messages until the "Castle" appears. During the initial setup, you need to enter the password from the MI account. After that, you will need to add a graphic key or a pin code. Further in the settings, enter the phone number (or select from contacts). Now messages from the selected contacts will not be available in the general list, to view them you need to swipe down again and enter the set password or key (fingerprint unlock is possible).
BLOCKING SMS MESSAGES
When adding certain numbers or prefixes to the "Black List", you will not receive messages from them, they will be automatically blocked. This method also works with phone calls, we will not focus on this further. To add numbers to the blacklist, go to "Security" - "Blacklist". Next, in the settings, add the whole number or prefix (the beginning of the number, for example, 495, calls and SMS from numbers starting with 495 will be automatically blocked). Keyword blocking is also possible for SMS.
SENDING SMS MESSAGES AT THE SPECIFIED TIME
There is an interesting opportunity to send a delayed SMS at the time you choose, and you can select the year, month, day and time. It is very convenient if you need to send a reminder to yourself (to the second SIM card) or someone else, or, for example, set up automatic mailing of birthday greetings. When creating SMS, choose who you want to send, enter the required text, click "+" to the left of the message text.
In the window that appears, select the date and time.
The message will look like this. Above the message text is displayed when the message is sent.
Click the arrow to the right of the text to send.
HIDING PHOTOS IN THE GALLERY
Hiding a photo is possible on the same principle as hiding SMS. Activated by swiping from top to bottom in the gallery. The rest of the settings are the same. You must have an MI account.
ROTATING PHOTOS IN THE GALLERY
To do this, just click on the photo in the "Gallery" with two fingers and rotate it in any direction.
QUICK TURN ON THE FLASHLIGHT
MIUI 8- long press the home button on the lock screen.
MIUI 9
CREATING A SCREENSHOT
MIUI 8- there are several options:
- there is a corresponding icon in the curtain;
- press the Menu and volume down buttons at the same time;
- press volume down and power at the same time;
Swipe three fingers across the screen from top to bottom.
MIUI 9- There is a possibility of customization in the "Buttons and gestures" section.
QUICK ACCESS TO ADVANCED VOLUME SETTINGS
MIUI 8- when you press the volume button, a circle appears in the center of the screen, displaying the current volume level. To access additional volume controls, swipe your finger around the circumference of the circle.
MIUI9- when you press the volume button, a bar appears at the top of the screen displaying the current volume. By clicking on the down arrow to the right of the volume, we will display additional settings.
MENU OF RUNNING APPS, DISPLAY OPTIONS
There are 2 display options.
To change the view, you must click on the icon in the upper right corner (marked in red in the screenshots).
You can also change the display using a swipe:
- swipe with two fingers from the center of the screen, up and down (according to the principle of photo enlargement) - large icons;
- swipe with two fingers from the edges of the screen (bottom and top) to the center (according to the principle of photo reduction) - small icons (application icons).
SPLIT DESKTOP
In the menu of running applications, drag the application icon up until two desktops are displayed. This feature is only available on MIUI 9 with Android 7.x.x.
ONE HAND CONTROL
An interesting feature of the MIUI shell, which will be especially useful for owners of smartphones with a large screen diagonal. To activate this mode, you need to swipe from the Home button in the direction in which the screen moves (to the right or to the left). By clicking on the "Gear" in one of the lower corners (depending on where the desktop is shifted), we will get into the settings of this mode, where you can set the size of the desktop to be reduced (in inches).
To exit the published mode, just click on the dark area of the screen.
APP PROTECTION
You can make it so that when you start certain applications, you are required to enter a password. So you can secure the reading of your correspondence in any messenger or mail. You can secure the Gallery app to restrict access to your photos. In the "Settings" for this there is a separate item "Protection of applications". Once there, select the apps you want to protect.
Click Set Password.
Enter and repeat your password. Now the applications you have selected will only run if the correct key is entered.
WIFI. SHARE PASSWORD
It is possible to quickly share the password from the Wi-Fi network to which you are connected with your friends, colleagues, etc. It is much easier and faster than entering a password, especially if the password is complex, long, etc., or you just forgot it. To do this, in the "Settings", in the "Wi-Fi" section, just click on the currently connected network.
A window with a QR code will appear.
Now, to connect to this network on another smartphone, just scan the QR code.
QUICK POWER ON TO MAXIMUM SCREEN BRIGHTNESS
There are times when, when you go outside on a bright sunny day, turning on the screen, you can’t see anything on it, because. The brightness of the screen was set to a very low level, which was convenient for working indoors. It is not always possible even the first time to enter the settings in order to increase the brightness. To do this, there is a convenient function that allows you to increase the brightness of the screen to the maximum, using a keyboard shortcut.
MIUI 8- just press the key combination "Menu" + "Volume +". The maximum brightness is set until the next screen lock. This is enough to adjust the brightness to a comfortable level.
MIUI9-
DISABLE NAVIGATION BUTTONS IN SELECTED APPS
This feature can be useful in games. Often during the game there are accidental button presses under the screen of the smartphone. At the same time, the game crashes. This can be very inconvenient in the midst of events. The MIUI shell has the ability to disable navigation buttons in certain applications. In the "Advanced settings" - "Buttons and gestures", there is an item "Auto-disable navigation buttons". In it, you can select applications and specify how the buttons will be disabled.
QUICKLY ORGANIZE YOUR DESKTOP SHORTCUTS
MIUI 8- just press and hold on an empty space to enter the desktop editing mode, then shake the phone.
MIUI9- This feature is currently not available. Perhaps it will be added in the next firmware versions.
QUICK REMOVAL OF APPS
Due to the fact that in MIUI all installed applications are on desktops, to remove them, there is no need to go to "Applications" and delete them from there. It is enough to press and hold on the application icon and then move it to the top of the screen to the trash. This function works only with installed applications, system applications cannot be deleted in this way.
QUICKLY MOVING A SHORTCULT BETWEEN DESKTABLES
To move an application shortcut (folder) between desktops, you need to hold the shortcut in edit mode and scroll through the desktops with your free hand (finger). After selecting the desired table and position of the shortcut, release it.
CALCULATOR
This application has much more features than you can imagine. In addition to the ability to switch to engineering mode, there are many more interesting features. We list some of them:
- Currency Converter. Allows you to quickly see the amount in another (chosen by you) currency. Exchange rate data is updated via the Internet;
- Mortgage. Allows you to find out the amount of the monthly loan payment by entering the amount, term, and other conditions of the loan;
— translation of various mathematical and other quantities.
To select the display of additional functions in the calculator, you must click on the icon in the upper right corner.
Will be displayed with a choice of additional options.
NOTIFICATION AND SWITCH SHUTTER
The notification shade has changed with the advent of MIUI 9. Now, swiping down opens only part of the switches and notifications. To display all the switches, you need to make another swipe down. If someone doesn’t like this innovation, in “Settings” it is possible to configure the display of the curtain, as was implemented in MIUI 8. In the “Notification and status bar” section, by selecting the “Notifications and switches” item, you can choose from two display options: "Combine" - MIUI 9 or "Split" - MIUI 8.
Also in this section you can configure the following functions:
- Enable notification filter;
- Select applications from which notifications will be received;
- Adjust the position of the switches in the curtain;
- And much more.
Most of the switches in the curtain are active. Those. if you press and hold on it, you will go to its settings, for example: "Wi-Fi", "GPS", "Internet" and many others.
Notifications in the curtain can be quickly deleted (swipe to the right). Mark as "Not important" (swipe left). In this case, you will not receive notifications from this program. Also, some applications have the function of displaying a message in the curtain or displaying additional options, such as: "Answer", "Forward", "Call", etc. To display additional options You need to swipe down with two fingers on the message.
AVAILABLE FUNCTIONS IN THE SECTION "ABOUT PHONE"
And finally, we have saved two, perhaps the most interesting features of the MIUI shell, which are not available in the shells of other manufacturers.
APP CLONE
This function allows you to create a copy of any application, while it will work with its own settings. For example, you have two accounts of a messenger (“WhatsApp”, “Telegram”, “Viber”, etc.). One account is personal, the other is work. Previously, in order to use several accounts on one smartphone, it was necessary to log out of one account and log in to the second, while entering credentials (login, password) each time. This is very inconvenient and takes a lot of time, besides, you could not use both accounts at the same time. The App Clone feature gives you that ability. To do this, go to "Settings" - "Clone applications" and select those applications for which you want to create a clone.
For example, let's create a clone of the Telegram program.
We agree with the cloning of Google services (if such a request appears). After that, a second shortcut for "Telegram" will be created.
As we can see, the application shortcuts are different so as not to be confused in the future. The cloned app has a yellow icon in the bottom left corner. We launch a clone.
The application prompts us to set up an account. We enter our data. Now we have two accounts in the Telegram program. In order to create a clone for another application, we follow the same procedure. To delete - just uncheck the box in the "Clone applications" section opposite the selected application, after which the clone will be deleted.
SECOND SPACE
This function allows you to set up on one smartphone, two independent spaces. Thanks to this, we can have two smartphones in one (virtual of course). For example, you can set up one space for work and another for home (or as "Guest" mode). Each space has its own settings. Also, it is possible to install different applications. To create a second space, go to the "Second space" section in "Settings" and click "Create a second space."
In the next window we will see the inscription "Space created" - click "Continue". Now we will be prompted to set a password for the second space, at this stage you can click "Skip" (in the future you can add a password in the settings, if necessary). Next, you will be prompted to install a fingerprint (if your device has a scanner). We skip, as when setting a password. Setup completed. In this window, leave all the items activated and click "OK". We received the second version of our system, which has the standard settings, as if we had just installed it. The desktop differs only in the presence of additional shortcuts (marked in red in the screenshot) for:
- moving applications, photos, etc. between spaces (we will consider a little later);
— management of this space;
- transition to another space.
Also, a corresponding item will appear in the curtain for a quick transition to another space.
Moving data between spaces.
The Application Settings item allows you to configure the use of the selected application only in the first space, only in the second space, or in both at once.
The application can be downloaded and installed from the Play Market (if it is not already installed in another space). To do this, you need to log into your account (accounts may be different).
Items import (export) photos, files, contacts - are used to transfer data between spaces.
When changing a space, you will need to enter a password or fingerprint if the space you are moving to has a password.
In the first space (after creating the second one), a transition shortcut will also appear on the desktop and in the curtain.
To delete the second space, you need to click on the "Trash" in the upper right corner, in the "Second space" section.
Confirm the deletion in the next window.
And enter the password from the MI account.
All the features listed in this article are available in MIUI 8 and 9 skins (maybe some of the features were available in earlier firmware). There are slight differences in their implementation, settings, display, etc. Some of them only work on a specific version of MIUI or Android version. Where necessary, we have pointed out the differences between MIUI 8 and MIUI 9.
We hope that after reading this article, you have learned more about the capabilities of this shell. Many of them can significantly simplify and speed up the work with the device. Try to use the described features in everyday life, we think that this will bring you only positive emotions.
Information for owners of smartphones of other brands. If you want to try out the MIUI skin, you don't have to be the owner of a Xiaomi smartphone to do so. The manufacturer produces its shell for many brands of smartphones. You can see if there is a firmware for your smartphone, as well as download it, using the following links.
Many users of the proprietary MIUI shell complain about the incorrect operation of applications, which is often associated with the lack of automatic updates and the inability to synchronize. In order to get rid of all these problems, you need to correctly configure the background work of the necessary applications.
Xiaomi is very smart about the issue related to security, so the work of all background applications is limited by default. The user must independently give the necessary permissions to installed programs. At first, this process scares and repels, but what can you do?! The safety of personal information should come first.
The whole setup comes down to performing two actions: we assign autorun to the necessary application and allow it to work in the background. A very important point, it is imperative to perform both actions, otherwise the desired effect will not be.
Application autostart
So, we find on the desktop and run the program Security (Security). In it, click the lower right button Permissions (Permissions) and select the section (Autostart). In this section, it is necessary to mark the application that will be launched after the OS is loaded. First of all, you need to select those programs that update data by time interval or perform synchronization. These can be various email clients, instant messengers, cloud and weather services, and much more. But remember, the more applications you check, the slower the smartphone will start after a reboot. Choose only what is necessary and without fanaticism.
Once you've made your selection, the marked apps appear at the top of the screen.
Now, after a reboot, the selected applications will automatically start for background work.
Setting up background processes
However, it is not enough to put the application on autostart, you must additionally allow it to run in the background. Since the Android OS is built in such a way that unused running programs are unloaded from memory as needed.
There are three levels of restriction to choose from: Off, Standard, and Advanced. I do not advise choosing the first and last points unnecessarily. Since this will significantly affect either the duration of battery life or the programs will completely stop working in the background. For myself, I chose the second item, which allows you to manually set application restrictions.
Choose Standard (Standard) and click Applications (Choose apps).
A list of installed programs will appear in which you need to select applications from our autorun.
We click on the application we need and assign it No restrictions (No restrictions). It is also possible to allow the program to determine the location in the background.
We can not only allow background work, but also restrict it. This may be necessary in cases where the application is very active in the background.
Do not forget that every auto-launch of the application and its further background work will ultimately affect battery life. It’s worth setting a priority for yourself: to receive a message on time or not to be left without communication by the end of the day. Therefore, all actions must be carried out deliberately, weighing the pros and cons.
That's all for today. Send your questions related to the operation of the proprietary MIUI interface, setting up Xiaomi smartphones and other mobile devices on the Android OS to me on or in a personal Telegram. I will publish the answers to the best of them in the rubric. And also subscribe to my channel in Telegram, and you will be the first to know about new entries on my website.
In modern smartphones, an incredibly many ways to protect personal data from prying eyes have been introduced - this is a graphic password, and a digital one, a password from characters, or even a fingerprint scanner in some phone models. If you have forgotten your password, you can use some methods to unlock any Xiaomi device: Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro, Xiaomi Mi5, Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi Mi Max, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 or Mi4 Plus. We recommend unlocking with these methods only in order to access your smartphone, and not someone else's.
If your gadget is locked, then you will most likely try to enter the password more than once, hoping that this time you will guess for sure. But repeatedly entering the wrong password leads to the fact that the device is locked for a while, and the more often you enter the wrong password, the longer the phone remains locked. In addition, problems often arise due to the fact that it is impossible to use the fingerprint scanner - the user relaxes and forgets the pattern.
To date, there are at least three proven ways to unlock the device - each user resets the password the way he likes best. They differ not only in their essence, but also in several nuances that are associated with different firmware versions. For example, in MIUI 7 there is a password reset function by pressing the standard button "Forgot your password?”, but in MIUI 8 this button is no longer there, so you need to deal with the removal of the lock a little longer. Let's look at the main methods for solving the above problem. 
Give gifts
Standard way
- If incorrect (incorrect password or pattern entry) on Redmi, you will see a standard message stating that the smartphone is locked. Therefore, the one who removes the lock must press the button "Forgot your password?" at the bottom of the screen, after which it will be transferred to the page for unlocking through Mi or Google accounts. Here you need to enter authorization data (login and password) and log in to your account. Done - now you can remove pattern keys, change the device lock method or change the password to a new, more memorable one.
- If your firmware version is higher than 7th, then click on the button "Forgot your password" you can't - it just doesn't exist. In this case, remove the lock using one of the methods described below (these methods also work for combinations of numbers or symbols).
Through the recovery
Graphical unlocking, according to this method, is carried out through a complete reset of all phone settings to the original ones through the Recovery menu. In some models, such as Xiaomi Mi Max, it is available immediately after purchasing the phone, but most often you will need to ask Xiaomi for permission to unlock the bootloader.
Compliance with all conditions will delete personal data from the phone and completely reset the settings to factory settings, so we recommend that you first remove the memory card from your smartphone. Next, follow these steps:
- Turn off your phone. Simultaneously press the power button and the volume key up;
- If the bootloader is unlocked, the Recovery menu will open on the phone;
- From the menu that appears, select Wipe & Reset» — Wipe all data. This action will reset all settings and delete data on the device;
- The smartphone will reboot, after that the phone will be clean, like “out of the box” - there will be no more graphic lock.
If the smartphone annoys you with the presence of any other shortcomings, and not just a forgotten graphic password, you can reflash the phone through the laptop and the utility. You can also remove the pattern in this way, however, we will consider this topic in more detail in a separate article, since flashing the device is much more difficult and time consuming than simply removing the pattern on Xiaomi.
How to remove the password through the phone finder
If you have not removed the blocking using the methods described above, try doing this through Google services. To do this, log in to your smartphone settings through your Google account. Then, on any Android device, go to it, enter Google Play and install the free official application for remote device control - Find My Device. Next, select your device in the window, after which the program will be remotely installed on the locked smartphone.
After installing the application, go to the tab "Device Management" and enter your google account password. Then select the locked phone in the list and turn on the clear function, so we reset the password at the same time. After performing this operation, all user data will be deleted from the phone, and the settings will be reset to factory settings. Therefore, we advise you to remove the SIM card and memory card from the device before unlocking in this way.
How to turn off the password restriction
Sometimes it happens that after the child has played with the gadget and entered the wrong password several times, for some time no one will remove the block - the smartphone is blocked for a while. Sometimes this time can take up to several days - agree, you don’t want to wait for unlocking for so long.
The easiest way to solve this problem is to unlock it by calling. To do this, call from someone else's phone to your own, accept the call and minimize the conversation window. You will be able to control the device until the call is completed. To do this, go to settings and uncheck the box. "graphic password", then enter the correct combination and press "OK". Done, old passwords reset! This method will only work if you remember the correct password, or someone accidentally blocked your phone.
conclusions
The conclusions can be drawn quite simple - if the question arose “how to reset the lock”, then it is very easy to get an answer to it. If your smartphone is running MIUI 7 firmware, then you can easily unlock your phone using the button "Forgot your password", and on newer phones, you will have to make a little more effort - you need the owner of the gadget to first unlock the bootloader.