Top 14 Xiaomi Mi A1 Useful Tips and Tricks

Recently Xiaomi introduced its first Android One based smartphone Mi A1(review) in India. Apart from running pure Android, the phone packs competitive specifications and dual camera setup at the rear. The Mi A1 (covers and cases) is a sleek beauty and comes with some interesting features. (हिंदी में पढ़ें)

If you have used a MIUI running Xiaomi smartphone in the past, you must be wondering what new you can possibly do with this stock android device. Here are some of the useful Xiaomi Mi A1 tips and tricks for you.

1. Disable Google Now Page

Many of you may find it a bit irritating to have an extra Google now page on the left of the home screen, a feature of Google launcher. Although we find this feed quite helpful, however, if you disagree, Mi A1 allows you to disable this pageas well.

To do so, just long press the home page –> click on Settings –> disable the ‘Show Google App’ tab.

Also Read: Top 10 Smartphones Expected to Launch In October 2017

2. Show battery percentage in Status Bar

By default, there is no option to show battery percentage in the status bar. But there is a workaround you can use. Just press and hold the setting wheel under quick settings (when you pull down notification shade) for about 10 seconds and you will see a message that system UI tuner has been added to Settings.

Now go to settings>>System UI tuner>> Status bar. From here, select the always show percentage option. You will now see a tiny battery percentage label within the battery icon.

Update: The feature has now been added to the main settings menu with the recent Android Oreo update.

3. Rotate Home Screen

You might be using Android phones for a long time and rotating the home screen might be what you have always aspired for. Don’t worry, Mi A1has

To enable this feature, again long press the home page –> click on Settings –> enable ‘Allow Homescreen rotation’ tab.

4. Camera Gesture

You can also quickly fire the Xiaomi Mi A1 camera by pressing the power button twice. However, you will need to enable the gesture first.

To do so, go to Settings –> Gestures –> enable ‘Jump to Camera’ tab. Now click the Power button twice and you will be redirected to the camera.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Xiaomi Mi A1 Alternatives To Buy In India

5. Stereo Mode

One of the key Mi A1 feature is its dual rear cameras. This is the only phone under 20k that offers 2X optical zoom. And with the help of the extra sensor, you can also capture DSLR like Bokehs (or shots with blurred background).

To use the stereo mode, simply open the camera app and click on the icon in the middle (up top). You have to place image subject within 2 meters before you tap that shutter.

6. Audio Trigger

Other than the paranoma, beautify, group selfie options in the camera app, there is one more option in the camera app that we loved – the Audio option.

By enabling this option you can simply click the snaps by your voice or even by snapping your fingers.

7. Enable Dual Camera Watermark

After OnePlus 5, Xiaomi has also started taking a keen interest in little refinements. One such option is to provide a watermark on the images clicked by the dual camera of phone.

To enable this feature, open the camera app –> click on the ‘Options’ button –> enable ‘Dual camera watermark’ option.

8. Face Unlock

Yes, the face unlock feature that is deemed exclusive to high-end phone is present on the Xiaomi Mi A1 as well.

To enable this feature, click on Settings –> go to Security –> click on Smart Lock option –> and enable ‘Trusted Face’. Show your face in the front camera a few times and you are  done.

9. Swipe for Notification

One of the handiest features of Xiaomi Mi A1 is to use the fingerprint scanner to pull down the notification shade.

To enable this gesture, go to Settings –> Gestures –> enable ‘Swipe for Notification’ tab. Now see all your notifications by just swiping down on the fingerprint scanner.

10. Junk Cleanup

This stock Android does provide you with an option to clean up your cache, junk files, and obsolete Apks.

To clean your storage, go to Settings –> Storage –> Click on the three dots present on top right corner –> click on ‘Storage Cleanup’ –> click on ‘Clean Junk’.

11. Use icon shortcuts

Another trick to use the phone more efficiently is the icon shortcut, that mimics or works similar to the 3D touch on iPhone (at least on the home screen). You can access a few useful options of the app right from the shortcut itself without opening the app first.

12. Screen Pinning

This feature of Mi A1 allows you to pin your screen onto an app. Its ‘Ask for PIN’ feature inhibits your notorious mates to snoop on your mobile phone when you are away.

To enable this feature, go to Settings –> Security –> Screen Pinning –> turn ON the ‘Screen Pinning’ tab.

13. Mono Audio

Mi A1 also comes with an inbuilt audio enhancement feature which ensures that you never miss out any word, note or sound even if it is hard to hear.

Enable this feature by simply going to Settings –> Accessibility –> turn ON the ‘Mono Audio’ tab.

14. Mi Remote

Mi has a tradition of dolling out maximum features in a pocket-friendly phone. One such feature is Infrared Blaster which is used to control most of the electronic devices such as TV, AC, Projector etc. using the IR remote.

To use Mi Remote, go to ‘Mi Remote app’ –> click on ‘Add Remote’ button –> click on the device you want to add –> select operator –> Operate (On/Off) your product through your phone.

Useful Mi A1 Tips and Tricks

Xiaomi Mi A1 is not like any other device and these tricks will prove handy to those who haven’t had any exposure to stock android phones in the past. Let us know how many of there 13 tips you found useful in the comments below.

Last updated on: January 8, 2017