How to change the screen resolution on Xiaomi with MIUI 12: all the ways and nuances

Changing the resolution of the screen on Xiaomi smartphones with the shell MIUI 12 can be necessary in a variety of situations, from performance optimization to adapting to specific applications. However, not all users know that the resolution setting in MIUI has its own peculiarities - some parameters are hidden in the developer, and standard options are limited. In this article, we will analyze all the available methods, from basic settings to advanced tricks using ADB and third-party utilities.

It is important to understand that MIUI 12 (like subsequent versions) automatically selects the optimal resolution for your display, but sometimes this does not meet expectations. AMOLED-You might want to lower the resolution to save battery power, and gamers might want to increase the resolution to better detail in games, and we're going to look not only at how to change the resolution, but also how it will affect the smartphone, and what hidden settings are there. MIUI 12 allow you to bypass default restrictions.

Why you might need to change the screen resolution on Xiaomi

At first glance, changing the screen resolution seems like an unnecessary feature, because the manufacturer has already optimized the display for a particular model, but there are several good reasons why Xiaomi users resort to this setting:

• 🎮 Gaming and performance: Decrease in resolution in games (e.g., in the game) PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact can significantly improve FPS chipset.
• 🔋 Battery savings: less resolution = less-load GPU, This extends the autonomous work time.
• 👓 Adapting to low vision: zooming in without changing the physical resolution.
• 🖥️ Connecting to external monitors: when using the Mi Portable Monitor or HDMI-The exit may require manual adjustment.
• 🛠️ Application testing: Developers often check how their software behaves at different resolutions.

But it's not that simple. MIUI 12 doesn't provide direct access to the resolution change in standard settings -- that feature was removed in MIUI 10 because of the risk of the interface not working properly -- but there are workarounds, and we'll look at them.

⚠️ Warning: Changing screen resolution can lead to incorrect display of interface elements, artifacts in games or even overheating of the processor. AMOLED-displays (e.g., Xiaomi) 11T Pro or Redmi K50 Pro) it is not recommended to set the permit below 1080p, Because it can cause broken pixels.

Method 1: Change permission through developer settings

The safest and most official way is to use the Developer Menu, which is hidden by default but activated in a few steps, and works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and up, including the Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro, Mi 11 Lite and other models.

To enable the Developer Mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row (you will receive a notification “You became a developer!”).
3. Return to the main settings menu and open a new section for additional settings → For developers.

Now you can change the permission:

1. In the developer menu, find the option Screen Resolution (or Minimum Width on some firmware).
2. Select one of the values suggested. The options are usually 720p (HD), 1080p (FHD) and 1440p (QHD) if the display supports.
3. Confirm the changes and restart the device.

On some devices (e.g. POCO F3 or Redmi K40), instead of directly selecting the resolution, the Minimum Width (dp) setting is available. The smaller the value, the larger the interface elements will be, but the actual resolution of the display will not change.

Method 2: Using ADB for Forced Resolution (Advanced Method)

If the developer menu does not have the necessary options or you need to set a non-standard resolution (for example, 1600×900 for testing), you can use the ADB command. This method requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and basic knowledge of working with the command line.

Before proceeding, make sure that:

• 💻 Drivers are installed on the computer ADB (You can download it as part of Google’s Platform Tools).
• 📱 On the smartphone included debugging on USB (Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Used by the original USB-cable (cheap cables may not support data transmission).

Instructions for changing the permit through ADB:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission on your phone screen.
2. Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with adb.exe.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Set a new resolution (e.g. 1080x2400 for Redmi Note 11 Pro+): adb shell wm size 1080x2400
5. Restart the device so that the changes take effect.

To return the standard resolution, use the command:

adb shell wm size reset

⚠️ Note: Not all permissions are supported hardware, such as trying to install 4K on a full-device HD-You can use the display to lead to artifacts or a black screen. Before experimenting, check the specifications of your model on the official Xiaomi website.

Method 3: Applications for permission change (without root)

If you don't want to mess with ADB, You can use third-party applications, and most of them require developer rights, but they don't need root access. MIUI 12:

When using these applications, watch out for the following:

• 🔄 After changing the permission, some applications (such as banking) may require restarting.
• 📱 On devices with MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition: Some applications can be blocked by security.
• 🔒 If the application requests root, refuse – it is not necessary to change the permission.

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Before using third-party apps, check user reviews of your Xiaomi model. For example, on the POCO X3 NFC, the Display Changer app may not work properly due to firmware features.

Method 4: Change the pixel density (DPI) instead of resolution

If your goal is not so much to change the physical resolution as to scale the interface to your needs, then it is easier to adjust the pixel density (DPI), which is responsible for the size of the elements on the screen: the lower the DPI, the smaller the icons and text.

In MIUI 12, you can change the DPI in two ways:

1. Through the developer settings

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → For developers.
2. Find the option Minimum width (or DPI on some firmware).
3. Set the value in the range of 320-480 (standard for Xiaomi is 440 DPI).

2.Across ADB

If the option is blocked, use the command:

adb shell wm density 400

where 400 is the desired DPI value.

Recommended DPI values for popular Xiaomi models:

• 📱 Redmi Note 10 Pro: 400–440 DPI (standard - 440).
• 📱 POCO F3: 380–420 DPI (optimal for games - 380).
• 📱 Mi 11 Ultra: 480–520 DPI (high-resolution screen).

Changing the DPI does not affect performance, but it can break the layout in some apps (such as Instagram or TikTok).To return the standard settings, use the command:

adb shell wm density reset

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Changing the DPI is a safer way to adapt the interface to your needs than changing the resolution, and it doesn’t affect the load on the GPU and battery, but it may require manually adjusting the scale in individual applications.

Problems after change of permission and their solution

Even if you do everything according to the instructions, after changing the resolution, you can have problems.

If your smartphone starts to overheat after the changes, check the CPU load in the Settings → Battery → Battery Use menu. If the GPU or Display takes up more than 20% of the charge, return the standard settings.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 12.5 and later (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K50) If the resolution is incorrect, the Safe Mode protection may work, in which case the system will automatically reset after 3 reboots. To avoid this, confirm the changes in the developer menu.

Recommendations for choosing a permit for different tasks

There is no universal "best" resolution, it depends on your goals. Here are the best settings for scenarios:

• 🎮 Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty: For weak chipsets (Snapdragon) 660/720G): 720p (HD) + 60 Hz. For flagships (Snapdragon) 888/8 Gen 1): 1080p (FHD) + 90/120 Hz.
• 📺 Watching videos (YouTube, Netflix): To save traffic: 720p (enough for most content. For maximum quality: 1440p (if the display supports).
• 🔋 Maximum battery life: Install 720p + 60 Hz + Power saving mode. Turn off adaptive brightness.
• 👨‍💻 Textwork (reading, office tasks): Increase DPI Up to 480 for better readability. Use a dark theme to reduce eye strain.

On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T Pro or Black Shark 4 lower resolution gives less autonomy gain than on the IPS-It's a display, because of the technology. AMOLED You can save the battery by turning on a dark theme and reducing the brightness.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the resolution on Xiaomi