Owners of modern smartphones often face the need to reduce the load on the eyes, especially when using the gadget in the evening or in low light conditions. Standard white interface, characteristic of light themes, can cause significant discomfort and fatigue of vision during prolonged interaction with the screen. That is why the question of how to make a dark theme on Xiaomi remains one of the most pressing among users of the brand.
Turning on the black background is not just an aesthetic solution, but also an important feature that directly affects the autonomy of the device. On AMOLED screens, each pixel is individually illuminated, which allows the black display to completely turn off its glow, which leads to significant savings in battery power, extending the life of the smartphone without recharging.
Xiaomi has introduced flexible tools to customize the appearance of the system in its MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, so that users can choose to completely darken all interface elements or configure partial dark tones only for certain applications. In this guide, we will discuss in detail all available methods for activating night mode.
The advantages of using a dark interface design
The switch to dark mode brings several tangible benefits to the user, beyond simply changing the color scheme, especially for eye health, as the reduction in white light minimizes harmful blue radiation, which is especially important for people who have to spend a lot of time in front of the smartphone screen at night.
The second, equally important, factor is energy efficiency: As mentioned earlier, on Super AMOLED matrices, black is the “off” state of the pixel, which means that when you use dark themes on social networks, messengers and system menus, the energy consumption of the display decreases by 15-30% depending on the brightness of the screen.
In addition, dark theme often makes content more readable, as bright interface elements and images on a black background are perceived more contrasting. Many users note that when using dark mode, they are less distracted by bright interface elements, focusing on the content of applications.
- 🌙 Reducing the burden on the organs of vision and reducing the effect of “digital overstrain».
- 🔋 Significant battery life savings on devices with OLED-screen.
- 🎨 Improved readability of text and contrast of graphic elements.
- 📱 Stylish appearance that visually hides the boundaries of bezel-less screens.
Activation of dark theme in standard settings MIUI and HyperOS
The easiest and most reliable way to change the color scheme of the system is to use the built-in shell tools. In the latest versions of Xiaomi firmware, this process is as simple as possible and is available in a couple of touches, you do not need to install third-party applications or obtain root rights to perform this operation.
To start, you need to open the main settings menu of your device. Usually, the gear icon is on the desktop or in the notification curtain. After you log in, you should scroll through the list of options to a point that can be called "Screen" or "Display." In some versions of HyperOS, this section was renamed for better structure.
Inside the display settings section, you'll find the Dark Mode switch, activating this switch will instantly translate the system menu, notification curtain, control panel and standard apps into a black and grey gamut. If you want to fine-tune this setting, click on the text next to the switch, not the switch itself.
☑️ Checking the display settings
Importantly, new versions of the software have the ability to adjust the dark theme schedule, allowing the system to automatically switch between light and dark based on the time of day, which is a very convenient feature for automation.
Advanced settings and dark theme scheduler
For those who prefer complete control over their gadget, the developers of MIUI have provided advanced settings that allow not only to turn on a dark theme, but also to make it work according to a certain algorithm, which eliminates the need to manually switch modes in the morning and evening.
To get into the advanced settings menu, you need to click on the corresponding button or gear in the Dark Mode section, and here you will be offered several activation options: manually, on a schedule or automatically depending on the lighting (if the light sensor supports this feature), the most popular is the Scheduled mode.
When choosing a scheduler, you can set specific on and off times. For example, many users set the dark theme to turn on at 20:00 and off at 7:00 a.m. This ensures comfortable use of the smartphone in the evening and returns the usual light interface in the morning when the brightness of natural light is high.
What to do if the planner is not working?
Another useful feature is that you can only apply a dark theme to certain applications. In the advanced settings, you can see a list of installed programs. If there is no dark theme icon next to the application, this means that it either already supports the system theme or the developer did not provide this option.
Using the “Themes” application for deep customization
The standard settings are good, but they are limited to just basic color changes. If you want your Xiaomi to look unique, you should consult the standard Themes app, which is a powerful tool that allows you to change not only colors, but also icons, fonts, system sounds and even download animations.
There's a separate category in the Themes app that deals with dark themes, and to find them, you just search for "Dark" or "Black," and you'll find thousands of design choices, created by both the official designers and the user community, many of which are available for free.
When installing a third-party theme from the store, it is important to pay attention to compatibility. Some themes may not display correctly on certain smartphone models or Android versions. Before installing, be sure to review screenshots and reviews from other users to check the quality of the design.
| Parameter | Standard dark mode. | Theme from the store | Third-party launchers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface coverage | System applications | Complete system + icons | Only the desktop. |
| Impact on the battery | Minimum | Depends on the topic. | Average. |
| Difficulty setting up | Low (1 click) | Medium | Tall. |
| Stability | Tall. | Medium | Tall. |
Once you have a new theme from the store, it will completely replace the standard interface, so to get it back to normal, you just need to reopen the Themes app, go to the user profile, and select the Topics item where you can restore the standard design.
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Before installing a new theme from the store, be sure to take a screenshot of the current desktop settings to know what widgets and icons you originally had.
Display problems in third-party applications
A common problem with turning on a dark theme is that some apps don't respond to system settings and stay white. This can be annoying, especially if you switch to dark mode for eye comfort. Why is this happening and can it be fixed?
The fact is that support for a dark theme must be implemented at the code level of the application itself. If the developer of the program has not added the appropriate styles, the system cannot force the interface to repaint without risking the readability of the text. MIUI There is a function of enforcement.
To activate the forced mode, you need to go to the dark theme settings (through the Screen section), where you will see a list of applications. If the application does not support a dark theme, there will be a mark next to it. You can try to turn on the switchboard forcibly, but the result can be unpredictable.
⚠️ Warning: Forced inclusion of a dark theme in apps that don't support it can cause the text to become unreadable (black text on a black background) or controls to disappear.Use this feature with caution.
The most popular apps, such as Telegram, VK, YouTube and Instagram, have their own theme settings inside their menus. Often the system theme is enabled, but the app itself has a Light setting, so you have to go to the settings of a particular app and select Dark or System.
The Effect of Energy Saving on Color Scheme
There is another scenario where a dark theme can turn on automatically, even if you didn't plan to, which is energy saving mode, where the battery power drops below a certain level (usually 20% or 10%), the system suggests that you turn on the energy saving mode.
One of the things that you can do to keep the charge in this mode is to automatically switch the interface to dark mode, which helps reduce the energy consumption of the display. If you notice that the theme changes on its own, check the battery settings. You may have activated the "Enable dark theme while saving energy" option.
In some cases, users want to use the dark theme all the time, but don't want to include a full power saving mode that limits the background activity of applications, in which case you can simply leave the dark mode on by turning off the rest of the battery limitations, which will give visual comfort without losing functionality.
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Auto-switching to dark mode when battery power is low is a useful feature that helps save last-minute percentages of charge, but it can be turned off in battery settings if it gets in the way.