With a 108MP pro-grade camera that allows you to create Cinemagic, a 120Hz AMOLED screen for both creation and consumption, and hyperfast charging, the Xiaomi 11T is one of the best bang-for-the-buck smartphones you can buy.
I’ve gotten a bunch of e-mails when I reviewed the 11T last month so to answer some of your questions, here are 11 tips and tricks you should know to make the best out of your Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro.
1. Always on display—Put that gorgeous 6.7 AMOLED display to good use even when the screen is off. Go to settings and select Always on Display (AoD) and lock screen. It is off by default so you need to toggle it on. You can now create your theme, customize signature text, choose from analog or digital clocks or opt for some kaleidoscope effects. There are also several preinstalled images if you don’t want to upload your photo. You can choose to turn AoD for 10 seconds, always on or at a scheduled time.
For those who want a fresh lock screen wallpaper every time, go back to the previous screen and scroll down to activate Wallpaper Carousel (yes, there are cute cats and dogs), or you could add photos from your gallery.
2. Good vibrations—Xiaomi devices have vastly improved haptic motors that are currently among the best in the market. Turn it on to feel the phone’s responsiveness as MIUI uses it for gentle nudges throughout the UI and the experience is extremely good. Go to settings > Sound and vibration and scroll down to toggle it on and adjust the feedback level.
3. Battery hack—To know exactly how much battery you have, go to settings > Notification & Control Center > Status Bar and select Battery Indicator percentage. While you are on the same screen you can also choose to show the speed of your Internet connection as well as an option to hide the Notch. If you need to save battery, there is an ultra battery saver option that could extend your battery up to 3x. It will also suggest options on how to add more minutes such as turning on Dark Mode, lowering the screen refresh rate, restricting 5G connectivity, etc.
4. Camera tricks—The Xiaomi 11T has a really good set of cameras that is made even more fun with several new cinematic modes. Besides the VLOG mode and Short video for your stories, there’s also a new Movie Effects mode. Effects include Magic Zoom, Slow Shutter, Time Freeze, Night Time Lapse, and the “Inception-esque” parallel world. There are short video samples to give you an idea of what the effect would look like. Another fun mode to use is Clone, and this allows you to take several photos or videos of yourself in one frame. The Freeze-Frame effect is my favorite. Long press the shutter button to create up to 15-second videos for your social media accounts.
You can quickly launch the camera by double-pressing the volume down when the screen is off.
5. Back tap shortcuts—One of the most useful features I’ve discovered on the Xiaomi 11T Pro is the Back Tap. Go to Settings > Additional Settings > Gesture Shortcuts >Back Tap. This lets you assign a shortcut when you Double Tap or Triple Tap the back of your phone. You can use this to quickly take a screenshot, open the control center, calculator or launch the camera or Google Assistant, switch to silent mode, etc.
The taps don’t end there as you could also assign a double-tap gesture on the fingerprint sensor/power button.
6. SHARE AWAY: You don’t have to download an app and get spammed to send files and photos to other devices as you can either use Mi Share to transfer files to other Xiaomi smartphones or Nearby Share when sending to other Android devices. Just swipe down on the control center and long press to access the options.
7. App Lock/Dual App—If you have friends or kids that constantly borrow your phone, you might want to turn on App Lock to protect your privacy. Just tap on the Security Icon and scroll down to find App Lock. You will then be asked to set a pattern password so don’t forget it. Some of the apps you can lock include Gallery, Messenger, Viber, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Chrome. You can also lock File Manager and Contacts to prevent others from snooping. There is also another option that allows you to hide certain apps as well.
Dual App, on the other hand, installs another Instagram/Facebook app on your phone, which is quite useful if you manage a couple of social media accounts.
8. Split screen—If you want to view two apps at the same time, just open “recents” and long press on the app you want to use to access a popup menu. Choose the icon with two rectangles to enter the split-screen screen. Next is to choose the other app you want to open and use the black bar to adjust the size.
9. Secret code—On the dialer press *#*#6484#*#* to access the secret menu. The CIT menu offers detailed control of the display, speakers, microphones, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, SIM cards, SD cards, battery charging, LED lights, etc. This is used for simple, clear and fast testing of every part of your smartphone. Because the test focuses on each component separately, you can easily identify and solve the problem of your phone.
10. Make MI faster—The fastest and easiest way is to tap on Boost Speed and the Cleaner app so you could clear the cache files, obsolete files, and some unnecessary files. The Deep Clean option, meanwhile, will allow you to find and delete duplicate photos videos and files. You should also remove the preinstalled apps on your phone if you are not using them. It’s also a good idea to restart your smartphone at least once a day.
11. Keep your MI updated—Tap on Settings > About Phone and tap the MIUI version to check if you have the latest software. It will notify you if there’s a new update you need to download but make sure that your phone is either plugged in or at least 70 percent charged. The phone will restart and make sure you do not close the app or use the phone while updating.
Bonus tip: What to do if your Xiaomi 11T (or any phone) falls in the water? How can you save it from water damage?
The Xiaomi 11T may have dust and splash protection but it’s not waterproof. So it might not be a good idea to bring it to the pool or the beach. But if your phone gets submerged and switches off, DO NOT try to switch it on right away to check if it is still working. This is the most common mistake people do as it can cause an internal short circuit and permanently damage your phone. If your phone is still on, turn it off first and wipe it dry using a cloth. Do not blow air into the charging or audio ports or use a hairdryer, instead use a vacuum cleaner so it could suck out any water droplets and stop them from entering any further. Once you are sure that water is removed, place the phone inside a bag of rice grains for at least rtwo days. Make sure to store the plastic bag in a cool dry place to avoid moisture buildup. Take your phone out after two days, check first if there is any moisture left before turning it on. If it still doesn’t turn on, it’s time to bring it to the service center.
If you have questions or tips for your devices, e-mail thetechnivore@gmail.com.