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Xiaomi announces MIUI 12.5 for its Mi and Redmi smartphones

Xiaomi announces MIUI 12.5 for its Mi and Redmi smartphones

Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 was one of its best received and most popular updates, riding atop the continued rally of smartphone launches and sales across the globe. Now, at the launch of the new Xiaomi Mi 11 flagship, Xiaomi is back with a new version update. Meet MIUI 12.5, the latest update to the popular smartphone UX present on Mi, Redmi, and POCO smartphones.

MIUI 12.5MIUI 12.5

MIUI 12.5 is numbered like a minor update, and that’s because it does not feature any dramatic redesigns. Instead, this update focuses on bringing in more polish and smaller UX changes and collating all the built-up updates since the launch of the last major update. Here are all the changes from the new MIUI 12.5 update!

New Super Wallpaper and Live Wallpaper on MIUI 12.5

MIUI 12’s Super Earth, Super Mars, and Super Saturn Live Wallpapers are some of the most popular live wallpapers around, on Mi and Redmi smartphones and even on other smartphones not from the Chinese OEM. Xiaomi is now adding two more live wallpapers to this set: Snow Mountain and Geometry!

MIUI 12’s latest Geometry and Snow Mountain live wallpapers are now available for download

Both of these new live wallpapers are available for download and sideloading/installing across Android smartphones, so check out the link above for download links!

New Sounds

MIUI 12 is known for the nature-inspired sound pack present within, allowing users to set notifications, ringtones, and other event tones with sounds from nature. This feature is now seeing further expansion, with new sounds inspired from the jungles of Amazon and Africa to the ice dessert in the Arctic.

A lot more sound options have been added across the UX alongside complementing haptics, contributing to the unique experience. And of course, if you don’t like them, you can always turn them off.

MIUI+ with MIUI 12.5

We’re looking for more clarity on this particular feature, since the live stream announcement was in Chinese. But based on what was presented on stage, MIUI+ on MIUI 12.5 is a way to integrate the functions of your Android phone with your Windows PC. Think Microsoft’s Your Phone app, but for Xiaomi.

You can view your phone notifications on the laptop, takeover select running mobile apps on your laptop, copy text on phone and paste directly on laptop, immediately have your screenshots show up on your laptop, access files on your phone through the laptop and even edit and sync them back, and more. We’ll be exploring this feature further in-depth soon. For now, these are the currently supported smartphones for this feature on MIUI 12.5:

  • Mi 10 Ultra
  • Mi 10 Pro
  • Mi 10
  • Mi 9 Pro 5G
  • Mi 9
  • Redmi K30 Ultra
  • Redmi K20 Pro
  • Redmi K30 Pro

Xiaomi also recommends using the feature on these laptops:

  • Mi Notebook Pro 15 Enhanced Edition
  • Mi Notebook Pro 15.6″ 2020
  • Redmi G gaming notebook
  • RedmiBook 16
  • RedmiBook 14 II
  • RedmiBook Air 13

Performance on other laptops is not guaranteed. But in theory, this MIUI+ app should work across all Windows machines in conjunction with compatible phones on MIUI 12.5.

Notes App: New Icon, Indented Dropdown with Brainmap Generation, Drawing, and more

The default Notes app within MIUI 12 is getting a lot of attention with MIUI 12.5.

First, there’s a new icon, followed by new features like Indented lists with the ability to collapse, the ability to then create brain maps out of these lists with one click, the ability to draw and doodle, and more!

Privacy: Clipboard access, Coarse location, and more

With MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi is bringing in a few changes to how privacy is handled.

When apps attempt to access clipboard data, the user will be shown a prompt with the text within the clipboard, and the ability to grant permission, automatically decline after a timeout, or always decline.

MIUI 12.5 will also allow users to pass on Coarse location to apps instead of Fine location. In a lot of instances, apps do not require your location data down to the exact lane, and purposeful location fudging will help retain some privacy.

The Browser app is also getting some updates, with the ability to automatically block downloads from malicious pages, and other changes to internet-tracking (though we will not take Xiaomi’s word for it).

System Enhancements

Xiaomi claims that MIUI 12.5 focuses on optimization, with a 20% decrease in memory usage across core usage scenarios. In the same context, system operations now consume up to 32% less memory and offer a 17% decrease in power consumption. Super Wallpapers now consume 40% less power under MIUI 12.5.

MIUI 12.5 Complete Changelog

Here’s the complete changelog for the MIUI 12.5 update:

MIUI 12.5 Complete Changelog

MIUI 12.5:

  • System:
    • New: Response to gestures is now instant
    • New: With 20 times more rendering power, there are now few limited to what you can see on your screen.
    • New: With custom device model adjustments, any phone becomes faster after the upgrade.
    • Optimization: MIUI became lighter, faster, and more durable.
  • System Animations:
    • New: A new animation framework renders movement more realistically.
    • New: New UI design is focused on visualization and making your interaction with the device more lifelike.
  • System Sounds:
    • New: Nature mix is a new exciting way of creating your own notification sound system.
    • New: Hundreds of system sounds that represent animals from all around the world.
    • New: Stereo system sounds.
  • Super Wallpapers:
    • New: Mount Siguniang super wallpaper.
  • Privacy Protection:
    • New: Now you can see what apps access your clipboard and control access.
    • New: Using approximate location adds up points to privacy protection.
    • New: You can now manage sensitive permissions and related app behavior independently.
    • New: The behavior of web pages is also tracked now, which helps you to block unwanted and malicious actions.
    • New: Now it’s up to you who and when can track your online behavior.
    • New: All apps now come with a security statement from GetApps.
    • New: Privacy risk scanner.
    • New: Control which apps access and delete items from your Gallery.
    • New: A comprehensive overview of all sensitive permissions.
    • New: You’ll be notified whenever high-risk permissions are used and will be able to block the corresponding actions.
    • Optimization: An all-new privacy protection page.
  • Notes:
    • New: Compose mind maps with complex structures.
    • New: New tools for doodling and sketching.
    • New: Press and hold a sketch to adjust the strokes automatically.
    • New: A gesture shortcut now allows you to create notes, tasks, and excerpts anywhere.
    • New: Excerpts save texts, URLs, and images to Notes in a few simple taps.
    • New: Dynamix layouts make bring the typography in Notes to a new level.
    • All-new Notes.
  • MIUI+:
    • You can combine your phone and computer into a single working station.
    • You can view MIUI notifications and open phone apps on your computer.
    • Apps from your phone can be handed off to your computer.
    • The items copied on a phone can now be pasted on the computer and vice versa.
    • Photos and screenshots from a mobile device can be instantly used on a computer.
    • Web pages can be seamlessly handed over from one device to another.
    • You can transfer files to your mobile device using the “MIUI+” panel on your computer.
    • New “File Manager” and “Notes” for computers.
  • Floating Windows:
    • New: Instant messengers now support floating windows.
    • New: Floating windows can be quickly replaced with fullscreen versions of the apps.
    • New: App flashcards show key info when apps are displayed as floating windows.
    • Learn more about new features in “Special features”/
  • Xiaomi Health:
    • New: You can measure your heart rate using the camera now.
    • New: Start recording running, walking, and cycling workouts manually, and enjoy lots of online workout classes.
    • Optimization: Automatic workout recognition is much more accurate now.
  • Home screen:
    • New: “Ripples” animation for downloading apps.
    • New: “Burst” animation for uninstalling apps.
    • New: New design for app folders.
    • New: A vertical layout for Recents.
  • Casting:
    • New: The aspect ratio is adjusted to the external monitor automatically during casting.
    • New: The audio of the app that’s being cast in a floating window is separated from other audio.
  • Xiaomi Cloud:
    • New: Password manager allows you to store passwords in the cloud.
    • New: You can share device location with other people in your family sharing group.
    • New: Location information can be recorded automatically before the device powers off.
    • New: Convert images to PDF.
  • Mi Carrier Services:
    • New: You can manage multiple SIM cards now.
  • IME:
    • New: A more convenient way to move a cursor using the scrollbar.
    • New: Function buttons support switching between languages and keyboards.
    • New: You can press and hold the function buttons to access more features.
    • New: Custom themes for keyboards.
  • Themes:
    • New: Font weight adjustment options for third party fonts.
    • Optimization: Personalization features for system wallpapers, animations, and sounds.
  • Browser:
    • New: Wallpaper customization in the lite mode.
    • Optimization: Redesigned Incognito mode.
    • Optimization: Pages load much faster now.
  • Mi Family:
    • New: You can manage multiple SIM cards now.
    • Optimization: Revamped device control center.
  • Search:
    • Optimization: Local search results are sorted automatically now.
    • Optimization: All-new design.

MIUI 12.5 Rollout Schedule

According to a roadmap published on Mi Community, Xiaomi users will start receiving the new MIUI 12.5 update via stable channel starting in April 2021. However, the first set of MIUI 12.5 builds are already live on the China Closed Beta branch, which you can flash if you are feeling adventurous.

  • MIUI 12.5 Closed Beta ROM:
    • 1st Batch (Released):
    • 2nd batch (Starting from mid to late January 2021):
  • MIUI 12.5 Public Beta Update:
    • It will be released in batches from mid to late January 2021.
  • MIUI 12.5 Stable Release:
    • 1st batch (starting at the end of 4/2021):
      • Mi 11
      • Mi 10 Ultra
      • Mi 10 Pro
      • Mi 10

Regions outside of China may have to wait patiently for the builds to progress to the China Stable branch first, and then onto the respective Global branches.

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