Modern Xiaomi smartphones have long ceased to be devices with the usual proportions of the screen 16:9. Today we see elongated displays, cutouts for cameras and the lack of physical navigation buttons. It is to adapt the interface to these changes and introduced a full-screen mode that radically changes the experience of interaction with the gadget. Users often confuse this term, meaning either hiding the system buttons or correctly displaying old applications.
It's basically a comprehensive display space management system that allows you to make the most of the useful area of the matrix. The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have multiple layers of screenwork, from simple gestures to forced content scaling, and understanding these mechanisms will allow you not only to remove unnecessary interface elements, but also to make programs that don't support modern resolutions initially work.
In this article, we will take a look at all aspects of display work, from basic navigation settings to fine calibration for specific applications. You will learn how to remove the black bars on the sides, why some games open in a small window, and how to return buttons if gestures are uncomfortable.
The basic concept of a full-screen interface
The term "full-screen mode" in the Xiaomi ecosystem usually hides the shift from classic three-button navigation to gesture control. This frees up the lower part of the screen, where previously there were "Home", "Back" and "Application Menu" buttons. Now the entire display area is occupied by content, and the control is carried out by swipes from the edges of the screen, this system visually expands the space and makes use of one hand more ergonomic.
But it's not just about navigation. It's important to work with aspect ratios. Many of the older 16:9 apps that we've developed can be incorrectly displayed on today's 19.5:9 or 20:9 elongated screens. It offers compatibility modes that force the image to stretch or add black fields to keep the proportions of the image. Without the right setup, the user may experience interface distortion or broken controls.
Another important element is the front-facing camera cutout area, the so-called bangs. In full-screen, the status bar (a line with time and battery power) can bend the cutout or hide behind a black strip. Xiaomi allows you to flexibly adjust the behavior of this zone, hiding visual interference to create a single black canvas effect at the top of the display. This is especially true for models with large cutouts.
⚠️ Note: When full-screen gestures are turned on, the physical Back button disappears. In the early days of use, this can cause discomfort, so it is recommended to practice in a safe environment, for example, by flipping through the gallery.
Navigation settings: gestures against buttons
Switching between control methods is done in system settings. This is the first step to personalizing your Xiaomi smartphone. Gesture control is considered more modern and faster, because it does not require you to aim your finger at a specific button. It is enough to swipe from either edge of the screen to go back, or swipe from the bottom up to go to the desktop.
To activate this mode, you need to go to the system settings menu. The path may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic remains the same. You can use the search by settings, typing in the "navigation" request to find the desired item faster. After the switch, the system will offer a short tutorial, which is better not to skip to remember the basic movements.
☑️ Set up full-screen mode
If you're used to the classics, it's okay. Button navigation is still functional. And in some scenarios, like using your phone in a thick side case, buttons can be even more convenient, because random swipes from the edge of the screen are excluded. The choice of control method is a matter of personal taste and habit.
Importantly, some firmware versions offer the option of hiding the gesture indicator (thin stripes at the bottom of the screen), which makes the mode truly full-screen, removing any reminders of the control system visually, but it is worth remembering that without a visual landmark, it is harder to know where exactly to start swiping to return to the home screen.
Cutout management and status bar
One of the most annoying issues for many Xiaomi owners is displaying time and notifications around the camera notch. In standard mode, the status bar goes around the bangs, which can look unaesthetic, especially in dark interface themes. Full-screen mode allows you to hide this area, creating the illusion of a flat black stripe on top, similar to many flagships of other brands.
The settings for this feature are in the same section as the navigation control, or in the subsection that is responsible for the appearance of the status bar, and here you can choose the option "Hide the notch." Once activated, the top of the screen will turn black and the indicators will move below, under the camera level, which is especially useful for those who use dark wallpaper and want to achieve visual unity of the upper edge of the display.
| Parameter | Standard regimen | Hidden neckline | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time-representation | From both sides of the camera. | On one side or down the center | It doesn't. |
| Visual style | Repeats the shape of the cutout | Straight black stripe | Minimum (AMOLED) |
| Visibility of notifications | Tall. | Medium (below the eye) | It doesn't. |
| Compatibility with games | Complete. | There could be artifacts. | Depends on the game. |
It should be noted that on IPS screens, hiding the cutout does not save energy, since the backlight works evenly throughout the area. However, on AMOLED matrixes, where black means the pixel is off, such a setting can theoretically reduce power consumption slightly, although in practice the difference will be invisible to the user.
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If you're hiding a cutout, make sure that important weather or date widgets don't get blacked out. Sometimes they have to be shifted lower on the desktop.
Application adaptation and aspect ratio
The hardest part of full-screen is working with third-party apps. Many programs, especially old or rarely updated, are unaware of the existence of 20:9 aspect ratio screens, which can open in the center of the screen with huge black fields on the sides or, conversely, stretch, cutting off important elements of the interface.
To solve this problem, MIUI has a feature that forces you to change the aspect ratio for each application separately, so you can manually tell the system exactly how a particular application should behave: stretch out over the full screen, save the original proportions with the fields or use automatic mode, which allows you to run even very old games or utilities in a comfortable format.
You can find these settings by searching for settings by typing in "full-screen applications." You'll see a list of all the programs that have switches installed. If the application doesn't look right, just change the position of the slider and restart it. You often need to try both options (stretched and fielded) to find the best one for a particular case.
⚠️ Attention: Forced stretching of an application can cause control buttons in a game or program interface to be outside the visible area of the screen. Always check for availability of all elements after changing the settings.
Game mode and blocking of labels
The full-screen mode in games is particularly noteworthy, and it brings in a dedicated Game Turbo (or Game Mode) that not only optimizes CPU resources, but also controls content display, automatically hides notifications, blocks random calls, and prevents system windows that can interrupt gameplay.
In the game mode settings, you can add specific applications to the exception list or, conversely, enable maximum protection for them. This ensures that no pop-up will block the view during a critical moment in the game.
Secret setting for developers
Also worth mentioning is the shortcut blocking feature. In full screen, random touching of the edges of the screen can lead to undesirable actions. The game mode allows you to block the area around the notch or edges of the display, ignoring any clicks in these areas. This is especially true for devices with curved edges of the screen, where the probability of false positives is higher.
Solving Display Problems
Despite the system's cleverness, users sometimes encounter bugs, such as when a firmware update is updated, the keyboard may stop turning around the entire screen, occupying only half the bottom of the display, in which case cleaning the "Keyboard" app cache or resetting the display settings for a particular application through the settings menu helps.
Another common problem is the floating status bar, which can change its size or position when you run certain videos or apps, often due to conflicting versions of apps and systems. Updating all programs in the GetApps store or Google Play store to the latest versions usually solves the compatibility problem.
If the screen suddenly becomes too dim or, conversely, bright in full screen mode, check the settings of autobrightness and adaptive backlight. Sometimes the light sensor is blocked by a protective glass or case, which leads to incorrect operation of the algorithms of scaling brightness depending on the content displayed.
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Most display problems are solved by updating the problem application or resetting its display settings in the system menu "Fullscreen applications".