Modern Xiaomi smartphones offer users a wide range of options for personalizing the interface, and one of the key functions is to control the display of content on the display. Full-screen mode is not just no bezels, but a complex software configuration that allows you to adapt the image to the geometry of a particular screen, whether it is a classic rectangle or a screen with a cutout for the camera. Understanding the principles of this feature helps to get rid of black bars on the sides of applications and make using the gadget more comfortable.
Device owners often confuse full-screen and screen cutout concealment, although technically they are different processes that affect the visual perception of the interface. In the MIUI or HyperOS operating system, separate zoom algorithms are responsible for this, which can process content in different ways in social networks, games and video players.
Next, we will take a closer look at how this technology works, what activation methods are available, and how to solve common display problems in various applications, and you will learn how to manage system settings to get exactly the kind of desktop and running programs you need for everyday use.
Technical features of displaying content on Xiaomi screens
The fundamental basis of full-screen mode is the aspect ratio of the display, which in modern Xiaomi models is significantly different from the classic standards of the past. Whereas previously the norm was the ratio of 16:9, today flagship and budget models actively use the formats 19.5:9, 20:9 and even more elongated proportions. This creates a physical space for content that the software must correctly interpret so that the image is not distorted or cropped.
The MIUI system interface uses special masks and stretching algorithms to fill the entire available pixel area. However, not all applications are optimized for such elongated displays, which leads to unused areas. Full-screen mode in the smartphone settings is designed to force the content to be scaled, causing the application to stretch to the full height and width of the matrix, ignoring the standard reserved zones.
Technical reference on pixel density
It is important to understand that working with a front-facing camera cutout (called a bang or a hole) is closely related to the overall display mode. The system offers several options for the behavior of the status bar, and the choice of a particular option directly affects how the top of the screen will look in games and when watching videos. A critical nuance is that turning on a full screen in some old applications can lead to an overlapping of the interface with the camera cutout.
The Difference Between Hiding a Cutout and Stretching an Interface
Users often face confusion in terms, believing that tweaking the cutout and setting up the full screen mode are the same.In fact, on the menus of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, these functions are separated and perform different tasks.Notch hide adds a black bar along the top edge of the screen, visually turning the elongated display into a more square one so that the status bar does not come over the camera.
Full screen display, on the other hand, is responsible for how an app behaves in the rest of the display area. If an app doesn't support modern proportions, it can be displayed in the center with black fields on the sides. Activating a feature for a particular application causes it to ignore those fields and stretch the picture, especially for older versions of social networks or utilities that have not been updated by developers for a long time.
There are several use cases for these settings, which depend on your personal preferences and the type of content used:
- 📱 Default mode: The system itself determines how to display the app, often leaving black bars to keep the proportions.
- 🖼️ Forced stretching: The image fills the entire screen, but there may be a slight flattening of objects vertically.
- 🌑 Hiding the cutout: The top of the screen is darkened, creating the illusion of a wider frame, which is convenient for reading text.
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If you often watch videos in a vertical format (Shorts, TikTok), try turning off full-screen mode for these apps to avoid uncomfortable interface scaling.
The best choice depends on how much you are annoyed by black bars compared to the possible distortion of the picture. In most cases, modern applications such as Telegram, YouTube or Instagram already work correctly with any type of screen without additional user intervention.
Instructions: how to turn on and configure full screen mode
To activate the function, you need to go to your device’s system settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12, 13, 14 or HyperOS), but the logic remains the same. You will need to find the section responsible for additional screen settings, where the key switches are located.
Follow the following steps to access the settings menu:
- Open the Settings menu on the main screen.
- Go to the Additional or Advanced Settings section.
- Select Full-screen Mode (in some versions it may be called Full-screen Applications).
- In the list that opens, find the desired application and activate the switch opposite it.
Once the switch is turned on, the system will apply changes instantly, but some running programs may need to reboot them completely. If you do not find the right item in the specified place, search for settings by entering the request "full screen." This is the fastest way to get to the desired menu, bypassing long wanders by items.
☑️ Checking the settings of full screen mode
Note that in the newer versions of the HyperOS shell, the settings interface has become more minimalistic, and some items may have been renamed or moved to the Special Features section. If the standard path does not work, check the Special Features → Full-screen mode section.
Control of screen cutout (Brank) in MIUI and HyperOS
Special attention should be paid to the setting of the area around the front camera, which is technically called the “cut-out”. In Xiaomi smartphones with a drop-like notch or a hole in the display (punch-hole), the system offers flexible tools to control this area. It is not just a cosmetic feature, but a way to adapt the interface to different types of content.
To access these settings, you must:
- Go to Settings.
- Select the Additional (or Advanced Settings) section.
- Find the item Hiding the screen cutout.
- Select one of the proposed display options.
The menu usually has three main options: Do Not Hide, Hide Notch 1, and Hide Notch 2. The first option leaves the status bar as high as possible by bending the camera. The second and third options lower the status bar below, creating a black area of different heights, which allows you to make the top panel more visible or, conversely, mask it as a frame.
It's worth noting that the choice of the cutout concealment mode affects the performance of notification and time indicators. In the cover mode, the clock can shift, and the battery and network icons can change their position. Experiment with these settings to find a balance between aesthetics and functionality.
Solving black stripes and scaling problems
One of the most common problems users have is black bars on the sides of the screen when running certain apps or games, which is because the app thinks it's running on an old 16:9 screen, and doesn't try to take up all the available space.
If activating the switch in the settings did not help, try the following methods:
- 🔄 App Update: Go to Google Play or GetApps and check for updates for the problem program.
- 🧹 Cache Clearing: Go to Settings → Apps, find the desired application and select Clear cache.
- 📐 Change of change DPI: In the menu for developers you can try to change the minimum width, but it requires caution.
⚠️ Attention: Change of parameters DPI In the developer menu, fonts and buttons can be misrepresented throughout the system, only if you are confident in your actions and remember the initial values.
Also, consider that some games have their own aspect ratio settings inside the graphics menu. Check the settings inside the app itself, there may be a 16:9 limit. In such cases, the full-screen system switch may not take precedence over the game's internal settings.
Comparison of the mode in different versions of MIUI
With the release of new firmware versions, the logic of the interface and full-screen modes has changed, owners of different Xiaomi models may face differences in menus and options available, and understanding these differences will help you find the right setting faster.
| MIUI/HyperOS version | Location of the menu | Features of work | Name of function |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 | Additionally. → Full screen mode | Basic scaling, manual inclusion | Full screen mode |
| MIUI 13 | Additionally. → Full screen mode | Improved work with cutouts, auto-definition | Full screen mode |
| MIUI 14 | Additionally. → Full screen mode | Optimization for tablets and folding devices | Full screen mode |
| HyperOS | Additional / Special Opportunities | Integration with ecosystem, smart scaling | Full screen mode |
In older versions, such as MIUI 10 or 11, settings could be in the Screen section, and functionality was limited to simple stretching. Newer versions offer more intelligent algorithms that determine whether to stretch the application to avoid distorting the proportions of the face in video calls.
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With each new firmware version, Xiaomi aims to automate the scaling process, making manual settings less necessary for most popular apps.
The Impact of Full Screen Mode on Autonomy and Performance
There is a common myth that turning on full-screen mode or changing the display settings of a cutout significantly affects battery power.In fact, software image scaling is a process that requires minimal computing resources of a modern Snapdragon or MediaTek processor.
However, if the application is not optimized and is compatible with constant recalculation or rendering black areas, the load on the GPU may theoretically increase slightly, but in practice the difference is so microscopic that it is impossible to notice it in the battery statistics, much more affecting the autonomy of the screen brightness and background activity of applications.
⚠️ If after turning on full-screen mode in a particular game, the smartphone began to heat up very much, the problem is not in screen mode, but in poor optimization of the game itself or overheating of the case.
So you can experiment with the display settings without worrying about the quick discharge of the battery, the main thing is to ensure a comfortable visual perception of the content, since the user's eyes are the main consumer of image quality.