Best New MIUI 9 Features: Top Picks & Guide
If you’re wondering which new MIUI 9 feature deserves your attention first, the standout is **Split Screen Multitasking** – it’s the most transformative addition, letting you run two apps side by side with a simple gesture. It works reliably across most apps and genuinely changes how you use your phone. For most users, this is the feature that will save the most time daily, and it’s the one we recommend exploring immediately after updating.
What to Look For
When evaluating MIUI 9’s new features, focus on what actually improves your daily workflow. Key criteria include:
- Ease of access – How many taps or gestures does it take to use the feature? The best ones are within a thumb’s reach.
- Reliability – Does it work consistently across apps and system functions? A feature that crashes or fails is worse than none.
- Battery impact – Some features like smart app loading or background restrictions can affect battery life; look for features that optimize rather than drain.
- Customization – Can you tweak it to fit your habits? The more control you have, the more useful it becomes.
- Compatibility – Check if the feature works on your specific Xiaomi device and MIUI version (MIUI 9 runs on Android 7.0+).
Split Screen Multitasking
This is the headline feature of MIUI 9. It allows you to run two apps simultaneously in a split view, perfect for watching a video while chatting or comparing prices while shopping. To activate, open the recent apps menu and tap the “Split screen” icon on any app card, then select the second app. You can adjust the divider to give more space to either app.
Strengths: Works with most apps, including Chrome, YouTube, and WhatsApp. The gesture is intuitive and the performance is smooth on devices with 4GB RAM or more.
Trade-offs: Not all apps support split screen (some games and banking apps may disable it). On devices with 3GB RAM or less, you may notice slight lag when switching between split apps.
Best for: Users who frequently multitask – students taking notes, professionals referencing documents, or anyone who likes to watch media while browsing.
Smart App Launcher
This feature predicts which app you’re likely to open next based on your usage patterns and time of day. It appears as a row of icons at the top of the recent apps screen. For example, if you always open Spotify on your commute, it will show up there in the morning.
Strengths: Saves a few seconds each time you switch apps. It learns quickly and becomes more accurate over a few days. It’s also lightweight – no noticeable battery drain.
Trade-offs: The prediction can be off, especially if your routine changes. Some users find the extra row of icons cluttered and prefer to disable it in Settings > Home screen & recent apps.
Best for: People with predictable daily routines – commuters, office workers, or anyone who uses a small set of apps frequently.
Notification Redesign
MIUI 9 revamped the notification shade to be more compact and interactive. Notifications are grouped by app, and you can expand them with a pinch or a swipe down. Quick replies are now supported for messaging apps directly from the notification, without opening the app.
Strengths: Cleaner look, less scrolling, and faster responses. The grouping is logical and reduces clutter significantly.
Trade-offs: Some users miss the old per-message notifications. On MIUI 9, you may need to enable “Show notifications” for each app individually in Settings > Notifications, which can be tedious initially.
Best for: Heavy notification users – people with many messaging apps, social media, or email accounts who need to triage quickly.
Smart Assistant (App Search)
This is a system-wide search that lets you find apps, contacts, settings, and even content within apps (like a specific message or file). Swipe down on the home screen or use the search widget to access it. It can also perform quick calculations and unit conversions.
Strengths: Fast and comprehensive. It’s a great time-saver when you have hundreds of apps and can’t remember where a setting is buried. The search also indexes recent photos and documents.
Trade-offs: It requires indexing, which may take a few hours after the update. Some users worry about privacy since it scans local content, but everything is stored on-device.
Best for: Power users with many apps and files, or anyone who frequently adjusts settings and wants to avoid digging through menus.
Battery Optimization & Background Restrictions
MIUI 9 introduced more aggressive battery management, including “Background app restrictions” that prevent apps from running in the background when you’re not using them. You can also set per-app battery saver modes (e.g., “Restrict background activity” or “Battery saver”).
Strengths: Noticeably improved battery life, especially on devices with smaller batteries. It also reduces data usage by limiting background sync.
Trade-offs: Over-aggressive restrictions can cause missed notifications or delayed messages from apps like WhatsApp or Gmail. You’ll need to whitelist critical apps in Settings > Battery > App battery saver.
Best for: Users who prioritize battery life over instant notifications – travelers, outdoor workers, or anyone who hates carrying a power bank.
Quick Ball (Floating Shortcut)
Quick Ball is a floating bubble that you can place anywhere on the screen. Tapping it opens a customizable menu with shortcuts to actions like screenshot, back, home, or app-specific functions. It’s similar to iOS’s AssistiveTouch but more flexible.
Strengths: Reduces reliance on the navigation bar, which is useful on devices with on-screen buttons. It can be customized to your most-used actions, and it’s great for one-handed use.
Trade-offs: The bubble can get in the way of content, though you can adjust its opacity and position. Some users find it redundant if they already use gestures.
Best for: Users with larger phones (like the Mi Max series) or those who prefer a floating shortcut over physical buttons.
How to Choose
Your choice of which features to use should depend on your device and habits. If you have a phone with 4GB RAM or more, definitely enable Split Screen – it’s the most impactful. For battery-conscious users, the Battery Optimization features are a must, but be prepared to spend time whitelisting important apps.
If you’re on a budget or have an older device with 2-3GB RAM, avoid enabling too many background features at once – focus on Notification Redesign and Quick Ball, which are lightweight. For productivity, Smart Assistant and Smart App Launcher are worth trying, but they require a few days to learn your patterns.
The main trade-off is between convenience and battery life. Features like Smart App Launcher and Smart Assistant consume minimal power, but Background Restrictions can hurt notification reliability. Start with the defaults, then adjust based on your experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will MIUI 9 features work on my older Xiaomi phone?
A: Most features work on any device running MIUI 9 (based on Android 7.0+), but Split Screen requires at least 3GB RAM for smooth performance. Check Xiaomi’s official list for your model.
Q: Can I turn off the Smart App Launcher if I don’t like it?
A: Yes, go to Settings > Home screen & recent apps > Smart app launcher and toggle it off.
Q: Why am I not getting notifications after updating to MIUI 9?
A: This is likely due to Battery Optimization. Go to Settings > Battery > App battery saver, select the app, and choose “No restrictions” or “Battery saver” (not “Restrict background activity”).
Q: Does Split Screen work with all apps?
A: No. Some apps, especially games and banking apps, disable split screen. You can force-enable it in Developer options > “Force activities to be resizable,” but it may cause display issues.
Q: Is the Quick Ball available on all MIUI 9 devices?
A: Yes, it’s a core feature. You can enable it in Settings > Additional settings > Quick ball.
Q: Does Smart Assistant search inside apps like WhatsApp?
A: It can search for messages if you grant it permission, but it primarily indexes app names, contacts, and settings. For in-app content, it’s limited.
Bottom Line
For most users, **Split Screen Multitasking** is the best new MIUI 9 feature – it’s practical, reliable, and immediately useful. Pair it with Notification Redesign for a cleaner experience, and enable Battery Optimization if you need longer endurance. The other features are excellent additions, but they serve niche needs. Start with Split Screen and the redesigned notifications, then explore the rest based on your priorities. MIUI 9 is a significant upgrade that brings real value to daily use, and these features are the reason why.
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