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 12.5

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!

https://www.xda-developers.com/miui-12-latest-geometry-snow-mountain-live-wallpapers-now-available/

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 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.

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.