Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often want to personalize the interface to make the device look unique. One notable feature of the system is the battery charge indicator in the status bar. The standard icon may seem boring or not informative enough for some users accustomed to accurate numbers or custom design. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and its successors provide several built-in ways to change the appearance of this element without the need for superuser rights.
Changing the display of charge is not just an aesthetic whim. For many users, it is critical to see the exact percentage of remaining energy, rather than focusing on the color of the strip inside the battery. In new firmware versions, the company's engineers have introduced flexible settings that allow you to combine different styles. You can choose to display only numbers, only stripes, or a combination of them, which makes the interface more user-friendly.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all available customization methods, from standard system settings to the use of third-party themes. We will look at how to activate hidden functions and what to do if the usual settings disappear after the update. It is important to understand that changing the visual style of the indicator does not affect the actual battery capacity or wear rate, it is only a software modification of the interface.
⚠️ Warning: Installing themes from unverified sources can lead to unstable system operation. Use only official themes from the built-in store or verified high-ranking files.
Standard Charge Display Settings in MIUI
The easiest and safest way to change the look of the indicator is to use the standard operating system tools. In modern versions of the MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the new HyperOS shell, developers have put the basic settings into a convenient menu. You do not need additional applications or complex manipulation of the code. You just need to make a few taps around the screen to see the changes.
You need to go to your device's settings menu first. The path may vary slightly depending on the Android version and regional firmware, but the logic remains the same. Find the notifications section and status bar, and that's where the key switches that control the appearance of the system icons are hidden.
- 📱 Open the Settings app on the main screen.
- 🔍 In the search by settings, enter the word "Battery" or "Notifications".
- ⚙️ Go to Notifications and Status bar (or Lock Screen).
- 🔋 Find the Battery Indicator or Charge Percentage.
In the menu that opens, you'll see a few different displays. The system will tell you to choose where the percentage will be shown: inside the icon, next to it, or in the status bar all the time. Some smartphone models allow you to choose the style of the icon itself: a classic rectangle, a rounded square, or a minimalist digit without a contour. If you choose the "Inside the icon" option, then at a high charge, the digit may not be displayed so as not to clutter the space, only appearing when the energy level is below a certain threshold.
⚠️ Note: Some global firmware versions may not have the option to change the style of the icon, which can help by changing the region in the "Additional" settings to "India" or "China", but this may affect the performance of some local services.
Using design themes to change icons
If standard options aren't enough, Xiaomi's powerful customization tool, the Themes app, comes to the rescue. It's the official design store where designers from around the world create skins for the system. Many themes change not only the wallpaper and the app icons, but also the system widgets, including the battery indicator, to get a completely unique design that is not available in standard settings.
To find the right theme, open the Topic app. You can search for queries like "Battery", "Charge", "Minimal" or "Cyberpunk". Before installing, be sure to check the screenshots in the theme description - usually it shows what the status bar and indicators will look like. Once the theme is installed, the system will suggest applying all the changes or selecting individual elements, for example, only the status bar.
It's worth noting that not all themes completely replace system icons. Some modifications only affect the lock screen or control menu. So before downloading a volume file, it's useful to read comments from other users. Often enthusiasts write which interface elements a particular theme changes. If you liked only the battery style and the rest of the theme design is not suitable, you can apply the theme, and then in the "Setting theme" menu return the standard wallpaper and lock screen, leaving only the status bar changed.
Setting up the lock screen and Always on Display
The charge display on the screen is off or in Always On Display (AOD) mode. For devices with AMOLED arrays, this is a standard feature that allows you to see the time and percentage of the battery, not including the phone completely. The settings of this section are often duplicated in the theme menu, but have their own unique features, especially on the new Xiaomi 13, 14, Poco F5 and later.
In the Always On and Lock section, you can choose the display style. There are options available with large numbers, graphic elements or even animation when touching. Some styles show the battery as a circle around the camera or in the corner of the screen. It's not only beautiful, but also functional: if you look at the phone lying on the table, you immediately know whether to put it on charge.
- 🕒 Go to Settings. → Always on screen and lock.
- 🎨 Select the category Style or Format.
- 🔋 Activate the percentage display with the switch.
- 🖌️ Set the indicator position (top, bottom, center).
Users often forget that AOD requires an active internet connection when they first choose a style, as well as a sufficient charge level.The system automatically turns off the function if the battery sits below 10-15% to keep the emergency call possible. It is also worth considering that constantly running Always On Display increases energy consumption, albeit slightly on modern energy-efficient displays.
Why is it that it doesn’t always work on display?
Hidden settings through engineering menu and codes
For advanced users who are not afraid to experiment, there are hidden customization options. There are many diagnostic tools buried in the MIUI shell. One of them allows you to access advanced display options that are not displayed in the usual menu. However, be extremely careful: changing unknown parameters can lead to incorrect interface operation.
The most famous method is to use a special code in the Phone app, and by typing in the combination ##6484##, you'll be taken to the Engineering Menu (CIT), where you can check the performance of all sensors and screen elements, and although there's no direct skin change in the battery, you can calibrate the proximity sensor or check the color display, which indirectly affects the perception of the indicators.
##6484##A safer way to access hidden interface settings is to use activity shortcuts. There are special launcher apps or shortcuts (like Activity Launcher) that allow you to open hidden Android settings pages. When you find the section associated with com.android.settings and batteries, you can find old or hidden menus where additional styles left by developers for testing are available.
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Before entering the engineering menu or changing hidden settings, back up important data. Accidental resetting may require a complete reset of the device to factory settings.
Display problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the battery icon disappears, displays incorrectly (for example, shows 100% when the battery is discharged), or gets stuck on one value. This can be caused by a software failure, an error in the system process SystemUI or a conflict of the set topic.
The first step should always be to simply reboot the device, which clears RAM and restarts all system services, which often eliminates temporary display glitches. If the problem persists, try resetting the theme to the standard. Go back to the Themes app, go to profile and select a Classic or Default theme, then apply it fully.
| Symptoms. | Possible cause | Decision-making |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage not displayed | Switch off in settings | Enable in Settings → Battery |
| Charge frozen at 99%. | Failure of controller calibration | Discharge to zero and charge to 100% off |
| The icon is black or transparent | The conflict of the subject of design | Replace the topic with a standard one |
| Blinking of the indicator | Poor contact or software failure | Check the cable and restart the phone |
If software isn't working, it's probably hardware, and battery wear causes the power controller to misread the voltage, which is reflected in the wrong data on the screen, and then neither changing the subject nor flashing it will help, so you'll need to replace the battery in the service center.
Third-party customization applications
When the system is not available, third-party developers enter the arena, and there are many apps in the Google Play store that promise to change the way the battery looks, and they work by overlaying their own interface on top of the system interface. Popular examples include Battery Widget Reborn, Custom Battery Icon, and various launchers.
However, these programs have their own nuances: First, they consume additional battery power, because they must run in the background constantly. Second, to replace the system icon in the status bar, Root rights are often required, obtaining which is unwarranted and can disrupt the operation of banking applications (Google Pay, Mir Pay). Without superuser rights, most applications can change the view of the battery only on the lock screen or in the widget on the desktop, but not in the top row.
- 🚀 Battery Widget Reborn: Allows you to create widgets of any shape and size.
- 🎨 Super Status Bar: gives deep control over the status bar ADB rat).
- ⚡ AccuBattery: More for health monitoring, but has its own widgets.
If you do decide to use third-party software, carefully study the permissions requested. The application does not need access to your contacts, geolocation or microphone to display the percentage of charge; installing suspicious software can lead to personal data leakage; It is safer to use the built-in MIUI tools that are optimized to work with the hardware of your smartphone.
☑️ Check before installing third-party software
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The most reliable and safe way to change the battery icon is to use the built-in MIUI settings and official themes. Third-party applications should only be used if you understand the risks and you really need unique functionality.