How to change the screen refresh rate on Xiaomi smartphones

Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often face the need to fine-tune the visual interface to achieve maximum comfort. Screen refresh rate (hertz) is a parameter that directly affects the smoothness of animations, tape scrolling and responsiveness of the system in games. Standard 60 Hertz, which was the norm for many years, today give way to more advanced 90, 120 and even 144 Hz, providing an incredibly fluid experience of interaction with the device.

But just having a high frequency array doesn't guarantee it's going to work in this mode. MIUI or HyperOS offers flexible power management algorithms that can dynamically change that setting. Understanding how to force a value or adjust adaptive mode will allow you to unlock the display's potential or significantly extend battery life.

In this guide, we will discuss all the available ways to manage hertzovka: from standard settings in the menu to the use of engineering codes and third-party utilities. You will learn to distinguish between modes of operation and understand which one will be optimal for your scenario.

Basic frequency settings in MIUI and HyperOS

Let's start with the simplest and most secure method available to every user out of the box, where manufacturers embed a user-friendly interface to manage display settings directly into the main settings of the system. To get there, you open the Settings app and select the Screen (or Display) option. In some firmware versions, this section may be called Screen Settings.

Next, you'll find the refresh rate item, and you'll see the options available on that, which are usually two or three: Standard (usually 60 Hz) and Maximum (90, 120 or 144 Hz depending on the model), and the newer versions of the shells have a third, smartest option, Adaptive Frequency, which allows the system to decide when to increase the hertz for smoothness and when to reduce for energy savings.

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If you want to maximize the life of the smartphone, choose the 60 Hz mode. the difference in autonomy between 60 and 120 Hz can reach 15-20% depending on the intensity of screen use.

It is worth noting that on some budget models Redmi or POCO with AMOLED-matrixes only a choice between 60 and 90 Hz is available, while the flagship series Xiaomi 13 or 14 series offer a full range of features. Once you select the desired option, the changes are applied instantly, without the need to restart the device.

Difference Between Adaptive and Maximum Mode

Many users are wondering: is it better to fix the maximum value or trust algorithms? Adaptive mode (often labeled as "Auto" or "Dynamic") uses LTPO technology or software crutches to change the hertz from 1 to 120 Hz in real time. When you read text or look at photos, the frequency drops to a minimum, saving charge. When scrolling or playing, it increases dramatically.

In contrast, Maximum Mode forces the matrix to peak at all times, ensuring perfect smoothness of the cursor and animations in any application, even those that are not optimized for high hertz, but this approach leads to faster battery discharge and increased body heat, especially in summer or in bright sun.

It's important to understand that not all apps support high frame rates. Some banking apps or older games can force the screen to 60Hz, ignoring your system settings. In such cases, fixing the maximum value in the settings will not give a visible effect, but will continue to consume resources.

⚠️ Attention: Forced installation of 120 Hz in heavy 3D-It can cause trottling (a decrease in processor performance) due to overheating.

Instructions for activating hidden modes through the engineering menu

For advanced users who want to gain full control of the hardware, there is access to hidden display settings, a technique that allows them to see technical settings that are usually hidden from the eyes of the average user. To get into the debugging menu, open the Phone app and type the combination ##6484##. CIT-Menu (Customer Information Test).

In the list that opens, you need to find a item associated with the display, which can be called Version, Display or Screen. Within this section, there is often a Refresh Rate or Frame Rate button where you can switch values manually. Be careful: changing some parameters in this menu can lead to unstable interface operation.

Code for entry: ##6484##


CIT Menu -> Version -> Display Info -> Refresh Rate

If the standard code doesn’t work (manufacturers change them frequently in newer versions of MIUI), you can try logging in through settings. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7-10 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version) until the message “You’ve become a developer” appears. Then, in the advanced settings (Additional → For Developers), look for options related to Simulate secondary displays or forced frame rates.

Frequency compatibility table for different series of smartphones

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are created the same. Support for a particular frequency depends on the installed matrix and the capabilities of the processor. Below is a table that helps determine what values should be expected for owners of different product lines.

As you can see from the table, flagship models are equipped with more advanced panels with LTPO technology, allowing smooth frequency change. Budget and mid-range segments more often use fixed switching steps. This means that in adaptive mode they will simply jump between 60 and 90/120 Hz, without intermediate values, which can be more noticeable to the eye.

When choosing a smartphone or setting up your current device, always check the official specifications of your particular model. Attempting to “overclock” the screen with software methods in excess of the manufacturer’s stated 90 Hz to 120 Hz on unsupported devices is impossible without a deep modification of the system, which is not recommended.

Optimizing the work of applications and games

Even with the maximum frequency, some applications can work in snags, and this is due to the optimization of the software itself. In the MIUI settings, there is a feature called Increase Response Speed (or “Response Acceleration”), which is located in the Additional → For Developers section, activating this item forces the system to prioritize the rendering of the interface.

It is critical for gamers to check the settings inside the game itself. Many shooters and races have a separate Frame Rate slider that can default to "Economies" or "30 FPS." It must be switched to Max, Ultra or 120 FPS if such an option is available. Without this step, the system setting of the screen seal will not give the desired result in the game.

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The 120Hz system setting only sets the upper limit of screen capabilities, and the actual frame rate in games and applications is limited by their internal optimization and processor power.

Also worth mentioning is the Game Turbo feature built into Xiaomi’s shell, which allows you to create a profile for a specific game and prioritize performance, which will help avoid sudden frame rate drops when the device is heated, although it does not guarantee stable 120Hz in heavy scenes.

⚠️ Attention: Constant screen operation at maximum frequency significantly increases the load on the GPU (GPU). This can lead to faster battery wear and battery degradation over time.

The impact of refresh rate on battery autonomy

The main victim of high hertz is battery life. The screen is one of the most energy-consuming components of a smartphone. Increasing the number of image updates per second from 60 to 120 theoretically doubles the load on the display controller. In practice, the increase in energy consumption is about 10-20% in mixed use.

If you use your smartphone in maximum mode all the time, you may miss 1-2 hours of screen time by the evening. Adaptive mode is designed to solve this problem, but it is not ideal. In scenarios where you read from the screen for a long time or watch video (where 24-30 frames per second is enough), the difference between 60 and 120 Hz is minimal, but the background processes of the system still consume resources.

For users who are critically important autonomy (for example, when traveling), it is recommended to manually switch to 60 Hz. This action will instantly make the interface less smooth, but significantly prolong the life of the device. In modern Xiaomi you can even add a quick frequency switch widget to the desktop for convenience.

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Use a dark theme and reduce the brightness of the screen in combination with 60Hz mode if you need to save as much as possible charge in an emergency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)