Users of Xiaomi’s Mi Home app have recently discovered the app supports Android 11’s Controls feature. The feature allows users to add toggles for their smart home devices to the power menu, making it easier than ever to control them right from your smartphone.

There’s been a discussion about how recently the feature was available. We just discovered we could add smart devices to the power menu after updating the Mi Home app to 5.8.33. However, some users note that support was added in older versions, and we can confirm that it works as far back as version 5.8.16. It's possible that Xiaomi rolled out the feature in waves based on the region set in the app, but who knows? In any case, it's here, and it works.

Android 11’s power menu bridges the gap between the smart home and the smartphone. With the Controls API, developers can put home automation shortcuts in the power menu, making it easier than ever to control your smart home devices. This same menu also features quick access to things like boarding passes and payment methods.

Recently, the popular Tasker automation app added support for Android 11’s Controls feature, making it possible to customize the menu with basically whatever you want.  The Google Home app also started showing all Nest and Chromecast media devices in a recent update. Seeing smart home devices from the Mi Home app just makes the Android 11 Controls feature more enjoyable to use.

Whether you’re just seeing support now or you noticed a change much earlier, it’s important to get the word out so everyone can enjoy the new feature. It’s a nice quality-of-life change that should make controlling your smart home even easier.