Boost Your Productivity with Xiaomi Sidebar: Activation and Features
Xiaomi has become a popular choice for users seeking well-crafted, budget-friendly devices. Beyond its hardware, Xiaomi’s software ecosystem, including MIUI and now HyperOS, offers a range of features to enhance user experience on Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO smartphones.
One such feature is the sidebar, which offers unique functionality to maximize multitasking on these devices, even in landscape mode. In this article, we’ll delve into what the sidebar is, its purpose, and how to activate it on your Xiaomi device.
What is the Sidebar and How Does It Enhance User Experience?
The sidebar is a visual element that appears on the side of the screen, displaying a list of installed applications for quick access. It serves as a convenient shortcut tool, allowing users to switch between apps seamlessly.
Activating and Configuring the Sidebar on Xiaomi Devices
To activate the sidebar on your Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO device running MIUI 13, MIUI 14, or HyperOS, follow these steps:
- Open the ‘Settings’ on your device.
- Scroll down to ‘Additional settings’ or ‘Special functions’ and tap to enter.
- Select ‘Floating Windows’ and then ‘Sidebar’.
- Toggle the switch for “Always show” to activate the sidebar.
Customizing the Sidebar for Your Needs
You can customize the sidebar for gaming and video applications to enhance your experience further:
- Games: Select apps to enable gaming functions through the sidebar.
- Video Applications: Enable visual enhancement options for video apps.
How the Sidebar Functions
Depending on your settings, the sidebar will always be present on the screen or appear on specific occasions. Here’s what you can do with it:
- Tap on an App: Opens the application in a floating window, allowing for multitasking.
- Long Press on an Icon: Displays options to open apps in full screen or switch between apps.
- Edit Shortcuts: Easily add your favorite apps to the sidebar for quick access.
Later we can configure it in a couple of customization aspects:
- Hold your finger on an icon– A long press will display two options next to the application. It is very useful to open our apps in full screen, in normal mode let’s say. If we use this option with an app already on the screen, it will have a similar effect to the ‘Recent apps’ section.
- Go to the bottom of the sidebar– You will see an icon with which you can edit the sidebar shortcuts. This way you can add your favorite apps without any type of restriction.
The sidebar provides a seamless way to switch between apps and perform tasks without switching applications. Whether you’re copying content from an email to a messaging app or swiftly switching between apps, the sidebar offers a convenient solution.
In conclusion, the sidebar is a valuable tool on Xiaomi devices that can significantly enhance your productivity. Try it out and customize it to suit your needs. If it doesn’t suit your workflow, you can easily deactivate it and revert to the standard interface.