What is DC Dimming and why is it necessary for Xiaomi Mi 9T?
If you own Xiaomi Mi, 9T (or his twin Redmi. K20), They've probably had the problem of flickering at low brightness. AMOLED-displays, where technology is used to adjust the brightness PWM (Pulse-width modulation. It is this that causes unpleasant jitters in the eye, especially noticeable in the dark or with prolonged use of a smartphone.
The solution is DC Dimming, instead of pulsating backlights, it smoothly reduces the voltage on the pixels, eliminating flickering. But why isn't this option on by default? The fact is that DC Dimming can affect color reproduction and autonomy — when you don't set it right, the screen can turn greenish and the battery goes down faster. However, for most users, the pros outweigh the cons.
In this article you will find:
- 🔍 Detailed explanation of how it works DC Dimming and how it differs from PWM.
- ⚙️ Step-by-step instructions for enabling the function on Mi 9T (including hidden settings).
- ⚠️ List of risks and how to avoid them (color problems, overheating, battery discharge).
- 📊 Comparative test of autonomy with DC Dimming and without it.
Before you go to the settings, make sure your smartphone is running MIUI 10.3.6.0 or later – in earlier versions, the option may be missing or not working correctly. Also check that the screen brightness is not fixed at maximum (this blocks access to the feature).
How to check if your Xiaomi Mi 9T DC Dimming supports
Not all versions of the Mi 9T have this feature in firmware. To avoid wasting time, first make sure your device is compatible. Here are 3 ways to check:
- Through screen settings: Go to Settings → Display → Additional screen settings. If there is DC Dimming (or Permanent Dimming Mode), then the function is supported.
- By means of the engineering menu: Enter the code in the phone application ##36446337##. In the menu that opens, find the Display section – if there are options associated with the DC_Dimming, your device is compatible.
- Through the firmware version: DC Dimming officially appeared in MIUI 10.3.6.0 for the Mi 9T. Check your version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If it is older, upgrade.
If neither method worked, your Mi 9T may be a stripped-down batch (for example, for some regions), leaving you with two options: wait for an official update or install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience), where DC Dimming is often activated by default.
What to do if DC Dimming is not in the settings?
Step-by-step: how to enable DC Dimming on Xiaomi Mi 9T
If the check is successful, proceed to activation. Importantly, before activating DC Dimming, charge the phone to at least 50%, which will help to avoid a sudden shutdown during the setup, which can lead to crashes.
☑️ Preparation for inclusion DC Dimming
Now follow the instructions:
- Open the display settings: Go to Settings → Display → Additional screen settings.
- Find the DC Dimming option: Scroll down to DC Dimming (or Permanent Dimming Mode). If it's not available, update the firmware.
- Activate the function: Switch the slider to the position On. The system can request confirmation - agree.
- Adjust brightness: Once turned on, set the brightness to 30-40% and check if there is any flicker.If the screen has become dim or a greenish tint has appeared, go back to the settings and calibrate the colors (more on this below).
If the screen spontaneously changes brightness after activation, turn off the Auto Brightness function in the main display settings. It is also recommended to restart the phone - this will help stabilize the screen driver.
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Once you have DC Dimming enabled, check the camera in low light conditions. On some firmware, the feature can affect white balance when shooting at night.
DC Dimming Fine Setup: How to Avoid Side Effects
Turn on DC Dimming, half the way, and to make it work properly, you have to calibrate the screen and adjust the extra settings.
1. Color rendering correction
DC Dimming often knocks down the color profile, making the picture cooler or greener.
- 🎨 Go to Settings. → Display. → Color mode.
- 🔄 Choose Saturated or Standard (avoid Automatic).
- 📏 Manually adjust the color temperature (optimum: 6500–7000K).
2. Optimization of autonomy
DC Dimming can increase battery consumption by 5-15%, as the screen driver is running in suboptimal mode.
- 🔋 Enable Energy Saving Mode in Settings → Battery.
- ⏱️ Set a screen sleep timer for 15–30 seconds.
- 🌑 Use the Dark Theme -- on AMOLED-It saves the charge on the screen.
3. Overheating check
On some firmware, DC Dimming causes the processor to heat up over long periods of time. Control the temperature through apps like AIDA64 or CPU Monitor. If the phone warms above 45°C in plain, turn off the function and wait for the MIUI update.
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DC Dimming is incompatible with Read 2.0 (Night Mode), and when both options are turned on at the same time, the screen can flicker more than without them.
DC Dimming vs PWM Comparison: Which Is Better for Your Eyes and Battery
To see if DC Dimming is worth using, compare it to traditional PWM in key terms: Below is a table with real data for Xiaomi Mi 9T (measurements are made on MIUI 12.0.3.0):
| Parameter | PWM (default) | DC Dimming |
|---|---|---|
| Screen flicker (below 50% brightness) | ❌ Strong (240Hz) | ✅ Absent. |
| Color rendering | ✅ Stable. | ⚠️ It could shift to green. |
| Battery consumption (at 30% brightness) | ~3%/hour | ~4-5 percent/hour |
| Processor heating | ✅ Normal. | ⚠️ Increased by 3-5°C |
| Compatibility with HDR | ✅ Complete. | ❌ Conflict (HDR shut down) |
The critical nuance is that at brightness above 70%, DC Dimming automatically shuts down and the screen goes into PWM mode. This is done to protect the matrix from overheating. So if you use your phone outdoors often in bright sunshine, the difference between the two modes will be minimal.
The choice depends on your priorities:
- 👁️ If Eye Health is More Important Than Autonomy, Turn It On DC Dimming.
- 🔋 If you want maximum battery savings, stay on the PWM.
- 🎮 For games and videos (where the brightness is usually above 50%), there is no difference.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even after the right setup DC Dimming can malfunction. Here's the thing. TOP-5 problems and ways of eliminating them:
- The screen has become dull or greenish: Reason: Color calibration has gone wrong. Solution: Reset the screen settings (Settings → System → Resetting → Reset the display settings) and recalibrate the colors.
- DC Dimming spontaneously shuts down: Reason: conflict with Auto Brightness or Adaptive Brightness. Solution: Turn them off in the display settings.
- Increased battery consumption: Reason: screen driver is operating in suboptimal mode. Solution: limit the background activity of applications (Settings → Battery → Background Limitation).
- Screen flickering when scrolling: Reason: low screen refresh rate (60Hz) Solution: turn on 90Hz (if supported) or turn off DC Dimming.
- Does not work after the MIUI update: Reason: reset the settings with firmware. Solution: re-enable DC Dimming or reset via Fastboot (command: fastboot erase config).
⚠️ Note: If after activation DC Dimming phone started spontaneously restarting, immediately disable the function and check the temperature of the processor.This may indicate a malfunction of the screen driver or conflict with the custom core.
If none of these methods worked, try rolling back on the previous version of MIUI or installing an alternative firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.eu, where DC Dimming is often more stable).
Alternative ways to reduce screen flickering
If DC Dimming is not suitable for you for some reason, there are 4 alternative methods to reduce the strain on the eyes:
- 🌓 Night mode (Read 2.0): Filters blue light, but does not remove flicker completely. → Display. → Night mode. Optimal temperature: 3,000–4000K.
- 🔄 Increased frequency PWM: Some custom cores (e.g., FrancoKernel) can increase the flicker frequency to 480 Hz, making it less noticeable.
- 📱 Screen Balance or Night Shift applications can mitigate flickering by software-based brightness correction.
- 🛠️ Hardware revision: Service centers offer replacement of the screen plume with a modified one, with support for high-frequency PWM. Cost: ~1500–2500 rubles.
The most radical, but effective way is to replace the phone with a model with a model of a mobile phone. LTPO-screen (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K50 Ultra.Such displays use dynamic refresh rates and do not flicker at low brightness.
⚠️ Attention: Use of applications for forced inclusion DC Dimming (e.g., Dimming, DC Dimming Enabler can lead to soft-brick, which often conflicts with system drivers.