[MIUI Central] svetius:
MIUI 12 is the newest update coming to many Xiaomi phones in 2020. This update brings several new UI changes to the OS, that have big improvements over the previous MIUI 11. In this thread, I’ll go over some of the new features in MIUI 12 and how I use them.

Visual Updates

MIUI 12 has a lot of updates to the user interface, and plenty of new features to explore. You’re going to notice a big difference in the way your phone visualizes data. When you’re checking your battery usage, storage data, about the phone section, or any of the many settings menus, you’ll have access to detailed and clean data visuals.

Another visually pleasing addition in MIUI 12 is the new live Wallpapers called Super Wallpapers which use animated satellite imagery sourced provided by NASA. The Super Wallpapers bind the user experience by a connected movement across different sections of MIUI 12, from the always-on display to the homescreen.

Here is a list of some of the best new UI features in MIUI 12:

New Design and animations

Visual representation of data

Dark Mode

Super Wallpapers

Functionality Updates

Some other new features in MIUI 12 include the new app drawer which automatically classifies apps in different categories – just like the POCO Launcher – making the sorting of apps much easier. MIUI 12 also brings the very useful floating windows, because who doesn’t like to scroll through Twitter while watching a live webinar or use two social media apps at once.

The new app drawer can be activated by going to settings > Home screen > Home screen and then selecting With App drawer.

Use the tabs at the top of the app drawer to see different apps in specific categories. I have found this feature so helpful in finding apps that I'm looking for. Some apps have very similar icons, which make them easy to miss when I'm scrolling through my drawers looking for what I want. Now it's much easier with the ability to tap "communications" and quickly be able to find discord, snapchat, and messaging all on the same page. It saves time and is a big improvement over MIUI 11.

Ultra battery saver is a new aggressive power saver mode that unlocks a much longer battery life for your Xiaomi phone. To enable this mode, go to settings > Battery & performance and toggle Ultra battery saver.

While this option is on, your phone will restrict the most power-consuming apps features and decrease your device's performance. You'll be left with basic functionality like SMS, network connection, and calls. This new mode has a huge impact on the amount of time you can squeeze out of a low battery.

One of the design elements that can be seen in a completely new avatar in MIUI 12 is the new Control center. The Control center has been isolated from the notifications panel and replaces the traditional quick settings tiles we see in Android as well as in previously released versions of MIUI. You can access the notifications by swiping down from the left side of the display’s upper edge whereas the Control center can be opened by swiping down from the right side of the display.

The Control center features a grid of quick setting shortcuts with the most important ones such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and mobile data shown in the form of rounded rectangular buttons with a tiny arrow in the bottom corner which can be used to show available Wi-Fi connections or Bluetooth devices on an overlay card. Another nifty addition is the new slider for brightness which is now placed in the center of the control center and is relatively more easily accessible than before, especially on phones with big displays. The Control center can be expanded by a downward swipe on the bar below the brightness slider and icons can be arranged manually based on your preferences.

MIUI 12 adds floating windows with the objective of offering the same multi-window experience as on a desktop. Supported apps can be opened in the form of floating windows that occupy only a small section of the display and can be opened on top of other apps. The Samsung Experience UI and its successor One UI have supported a similar feature called “Pop-up view” for many years now. Xiaomi’s version, on the other hand, feels much smoother and responsive, even in the beta build.

Click here for video demo of floating window

The floating windows in MIUI can be resized so you can continue working on another app in the background. To initiate a floating window, you can go to the Recents menu and tap on the Floating windows option on the top left. Alternatively, you can also launch floating windows by long-pressing on an app preview in the Recents menu and then tapping the picture-in-picture icon or by tapping on the floating window option in the Control Center.

Here is a list of some of the best new UX features in MIUI 12:

Floating Windows for multitasking

Control Center - Click here for video demo of Control Center

App Drawer

Ultra Battery Saver

Casting

You can see XDA’s in-depth look at MIUI 12 is the article below:

Xiaomi Launches MIUI 12 with Focus on Privacy and UI Improvements

MIUI 12 Update Release Schedule

Thank you to Xiaomi for providing this thread.