How to Make a Dark Theme on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to MIUI and HyperOS

The shift to a dark interface theme is not just a tribute to fashion, but a necessity for many users who spend a lot of time with their smartphone in the evening and at night. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often face nuances, since the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS has its own black mode implementation features. Unlike pure Android, there are several levels of dimming: system, dark app mode and full color inversion.

Activating Dark Mode not only reduces eye strain, but also saves battery power if your gadget is equipped with an AMOLED screen. In such displays, black means physically turning off the pixels, which makes the interface truly black, not dark gray. However, by turning on the standard feature, you may notice that some programs remain white, requiring additional actions.

In this guide, we’ll look at all the dimming options available, from basic system settings to advanced methods for apps that don’t natively support dark mode, how to set up automatic sunrise and sunset switching, and how to avoid text contrast problems in third-party utilities, which will help create a comfortable environment for work and relaxation at any time of the day.

Basic activation of Dark Mode through system settings

The easiest and most reliable way to change the color scheme is to use the standard settings menu, which may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same for all devices of the brand. In new versions of HyperOS, developers have moved the switch to a more prominent place to simplify access to it.

First, you open the main menu and find the gear icon, then you go to the Screen (or Display) section, where you have brightness and color reproduction, and that's where the Dark Mode switch is, which instantly changes the background of the system windows and supported programs.

• 🌙 Open Settings and select Screen to access the display control.
• 🌓 Find the Dark Mode switch and activate it for immediate use.
• ⏰ Click on the gear next to the switch to set up the turn on schedule.

Importantly, once you turn on this option, not only does the background change, but the color of the controls, sliders, and icons changes, the system automatically selects contrasting colors of text to keep the information readable, and if you use third-party themes from the GetThemes store, they may have their own design rules that will take precedence over the system ones.

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Use the Adaptive Dimming feature if available in your version of the software to automatically adjust brightness and contrast depending on the lighting in the room.

Schedule setting and on-board automation

Manually switching between light and dark can be uncomfortable, especially if you go to bed at different times. Fortunately, the MIUI and HyperOS shells offer flexible automation tools, and you can set the system up to determine when to switch to night mode.

The theme settings menu has two main scenarios: time and sunset. The first option allows you to set specific hours, for example, from 22:00 to 07:00. The second option is more intelligent: the smartphone uses geolocation to determine the time of sunrise and sunset in your area.

Using a sunset anchor is particularly convenient when traveling or changing time zones. You don't have to manually adjust your settings every time you move to another city. The system will recognize that the sun has set and turn on gentle eye mode.

Keep in mind that the sun function requires a stable internet connection and geolocation enabled. If these services are disabled, the smartphone may switch incorrectly or use the last known time. Also note the Do Not Disturb mode, which is often synchronized with a dark theme for maximum comfort.

Forced darkening of applications (Beta functions)

A common problem with Xiaomi users is that they have apps that ignore the system setting and stay white even when Dark Mode is turned on. This is especially true for banking applications, older versions of social networks or specific software.

To activate this mode, you need to go to the Settings menu and enter “Additional” in the search bar or find the “Additional Settings” section. You should look for “Dark App Mode” (in some versions it may be called “Forced Dark Theme Application”).

Turn on switches in front of apps that don't want to darken themselves. The system will try to invert the colors of the interface by force. However, be prepared for the fact that in some cases this can lead to incorrect display of elements, such as black text on a black background or inverted photos.

⚠️ Warning: Forced dark theme inclusion can cause graphics to fail in some applications.If you notice buttons become invisible or colors are distorted, it is best to disable this feature for a particular application.

The effectiveness of this method depends on the structure of the code of the application itself. If the developer has laid hard colors, the inversion may look unnatural, but to read text information at night is often the only salvation.

Dark theme comparison on different versions of MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi’s shell interfaces are constantly evolving, and the implementation of dark mode is also changing. Users of older versions of MIUI 12/13 may notice differences from the current HyperOS or the latest MIUI 14. Understanding these differences will help you find the right settings faster.

In older versions of the shell, the dimming menu was hidden deeper, and the customization options were less; new versions offer smoother transitions, improved widget experience and better integration with third-party launchers; and the gray palette has also changed, making it deeper and more pleasing to the eye.

Owners of HyperOS devices should look for new animations when switching theme, the system now does it more smoothly, without flashing, which reduces visual stress, and improved work with icons: in new versions, they automatically adjust to the theme, becoming darker or lighter.

If you've recently upgraded and can't find your settings, search by settings. Type in the word "Theme" or "Screen" and the system will suggest the menu item you want, which is relevant because the menu structure in HyperOS has been significantly redesigned to align with the ecosystem.

Removing contrast and inversion problems

Sometimes, after turning on a dark topic, users encounter a problem where the text becomes unreadable, which may be due to a conflict between system settings and the settings of a particular application, in which cases manual adjustment of accessibility parameters is required.

Check the Special Features (or Advanced Settings) section, where Color Inversion should not be active if you use the regular dark mode, and when you use these features, black turns white and white turns black, making the screen unusable.

It is also worth checking the brightness settings. In the dark, even a black background can appear too bright if the backlight level is high, it is recommended to reduce the brightness to a minimum or turn on autobrightness, which at night will keep the screen in comfortable limits.

⚠️ Note: Do not use third-party color inversion apps from the Play Market if in your version MIUI They often conflict with the system, causing the screen to flicker and increased battery consumption.

If the problem is that fonts are too thin and merge with the background, try changing the font size or style in the Screen → Text Size and Font. Increasing font density often solves the problem of readability against a dark background.

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The main reason for unreadable text in a dark topic is the conflict of system inversion and built-in Dark Mode, or too high screen brightness in a dark room.

Impact of the topic of registration on work OLED-screen

Using a dark theme on Xiaomi smartphones with AMOLED or OLED arrays makes practical sense beyond aesthetics: In such screens, each pixel is individually illuminated, and when black is displayed, the pixel simply turns off without consuming energy.

This means that using a black interface and black wallpaper can extend the battery life of the device. At night, when the brightness is already reduced, the savings may not be as noticeable, but during the day or at medium brightness, the difference is noticeable, which is especially important for models with a large screen, such as the Xiaomi Note series or the Mi Mix.

• 🔋 Real energy saving is only achieved on screens. AMOLED/OLED, pixel-off.
• 📉 Nana LCD-screen (IPS) dark theme only reduces the load on the eyes, but does not save battery, as the backlight works constantly.
• 🎨 Using pure black (#000000) is more effective than dark gray to save energy.

While Xiaomi’s current technology minimizes this risk, static bright elements (such as a white status bar or navigation keys) can leave a mark on long-term use.