Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often face the desire to personalize their device, making it not only functional, but also visually attractive even in a locked state. One of the most popular features that turns a black screen into an informative panel is the technology Always On Display, or as it is often called, active screen. This option allows you to see the time, date, notifications and even beautiful animations without touching the on button.
But despite the popularity of the feature, many users don't know exactly where the settings are hiding or why the active screen isn't working on their particular device, because the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS activation algorithms can vary depending on the model and the region, and you don't have to be an expert in the Android world to figure it out, you have to study the system's capabilities quite carefully.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the nuances of setting up the active screen, look at the hidden features and answer questions that users often have, and we will touch on power consumption, matrix compatibility and customization methods to make your smartphone look as effective as possible.
What is an Active Screen and How Does It Work on Xiaomi?
Active screen technology, also known as AOD (Always On Display), is a display mode in which a portion of the pixels continue to glow, displaying useful information while the device is in sleep mode. Unlike a conventional lock screen, which goes out after a few seconds, the active screen can be constantly working or turned on by events.
The principle of operation is based on the features of AMOLED and Super AMOLED arrays, in which each pixel is individually illuminated in such screens. When the black color is displayed, the corresponding pixels simply turn off and do not consume energy, which is why white clock numbers or bright notification icons can burn on a black background without critically affecting battery charge.
It is important to understand that on smartphones with LCD-screen (IPS) It's not possible to have a full active screen because they have a total backlight, so if you don't find this feature in the settings, it's likely that your device is equipped with a full-blown display. IPS-matrix, not AMOLED.
MIUI offers flexible scenarios, from constant glow to activation only when you lift your smartphone or receive a notification, which allows you to find a balance between aesthetics and energy savings.
Compatibility check and preparation for setup
Before you start changing your display settings, make sure your device technically supports this feature. As mentioned, the key factor is the type of matrix. Most of Xiaomi’s flagship models, as well as many of the Redmi Note and POCO series, have the necessary screens.
It’s also worth checking the operating system version. The feature has been actively developed in recent versions of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and now in HyperOS. If you have a very old firmware version installed, the settings interface may differ or the feature may not be available.
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Before setting up, make sure that your smartphone has the latest firmware version installed through the About Phone menu → MIUI version.
Additionally, it is worth considering that in some regions or on global versions of firmware, the name of the feature may differ, sometimes hidden in the depth of the menu or requires activation through special themes.
For a comfortable setting, it is recommended:
- 🔋 Charge the device to a minimum 20-30%, so that the screen does not go out during the adjustment process.
- 📶 Make sure that the Power Saving Mode is disabled as it often blocks background processes AOD.
- 👁️ Wipe the screen to see changes in real time.
If you use third-party themes, they may overlap the system settings of the active screen, in which case it is recommended to temporarily switch to the standard Classic or Default theme.
Step-by-step activation instructions Always on Display
The process of enabling the feature is quite logical, but the path to settings can vary slightly depending on the version of the shell. In most cases, the main path lies through the main system settings menu.
First, open Settings and find the Lock Screen section. In some versions of MIUI, this item may be simply called Lock Screen or be entered into a separate Always Screen On menu in the main settings list. If you use HyperOS, look for Wallpaper and Personalization.
☑️ Activation. AOD
When you go to the Always On Display menu, you'll see the activation switch, and immediately after you turn on, you'll see a standard dial, but don't rush to close the menu, because that's where the most interesting customization options lie.
The system will suggest you to choose a display style, which can be classic watches, animated characters, brand logos or even your own photos from the gallery, and choosing a style is the first step to personalization.
⚠️ Note: When choosing animated styles or GIF-Battery consumption can increase significantly, and for daily use it is better to choose static dials.
After choosing a style, you need to adjust the schedule, you can leave the screen on "Always", set a time interval (for example, from 8:00 to 23:00) or select the "Smart schedule" mode when the screen goes out at night.
Set up styles, schedules and behaviors
Deeply customizing the active screen makes it a really useful tool, not just a beautiful picture. In the style menu, you can change fonts, colors, and even add widgets like a step counter or Bluetooth headphone charge level.
The schedule section is a special focus, and the sunset-dawn mode automatically adapts the screen to your time zone, which is very convenient, and activation is also available, "When raised" or "When notified," in which the screen only lights up when you pick up the phone or receive a message, which saves energy.
For users who like minimalism, the option of hiding the watch in bright light or, conversely, in complete darkness is available, which prevents lighting from coming out in the cinema or while sleeping.
Remember that some complex styles may conflict with the chosen wallpaper. If the watch blends into the background, try changing the wallpaper to more contrasting or choose a different style of AOD.
Use of themes and third-party solutions
The standard style set that Xiaomi provides is great, but sometimes you want something unique, and in this case, the Themes app comes to the rescue. Search by topic, type in "AOD" or "Always On" and you'll find thousands of options.
Once you have a theme installed, you often have access to exclusive animations and interactive elements, and some themes allow you to display weather information on an active screen in the form of animations or even mini-games.
However, be careful when installing themes from unknown authors, they may contain ads or work incorrectly with your version of the system, always check the rating of the topic and the number of downloads before installing.
For advanced users, there are apps from Google Play that can replace system AOD, offering even more features, but they require deeper resolutions and can have a stronger impact on autonomy.
Impact on the battery and optimization of work
The main question users are concerned about is how active the screen eats the battery, and the answer depends on many factors: brightness, type of content and frequency of activation.
On modern devices with adaptive refresh rates (for example, 120 Hz) and optimized AMOLED-matrix, the power consumption in AOD mode is minimal. For a full day of operation in Always On mode, the consumption can be from 1% to 3% of battery charge, which is quite acceptable.
However, if you choose bright animations or keep your phone in your pocket (where the proximity sensor may fail and the screen will burn to nothing), the cost will increase. Using the "On lift" or "On notification" mode reduces the consumption to almost zero, since the screen only burns for seconds.
| Mode of work | Description | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Always on. | The screen is on 24/7 (or on schedule) | Average (2-4% per day) |
| Notification received | It only lights up when new events occur. | Low (<1% per day) |
| When lifted | Activated by an accelerometer | Low (<1% per day) |
| Smart schedule | Works only during the day or at a given time | Optimal. |
For maximum savings, you can reduce the brightness of the active screen in the appropriate settings slider, especially if you are often in rooms with artificial lighting.
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The optimal mode for balancing beauty and energy is Smart Schedule or When lifted, which eliminates the screen from your pocket and night.
Solving Common Problems and FAQs
Despite the system's fine-tuning, users may encounter problems. Often, the active screen simply doesn't turn on despite the right settings. 90% of the time, this is due to the power saving mode on or the installed "dark" theme of the system, which forcibly changes the display settings.
Sometimes the feature may disappear after a firmware update, which can help to clear the theme app cache or reset the lock screen settings, and check if you have a Sleep Mode or Digital Well-being set that can block the screen from glowing at night.
⚠️ Note: If the active screen stopped working after installing a third-party theme, try to delete this theme and restart the device. MIUI.
Below are answers to the most frequent questions of users, which will help solve the problem yourself without contacting the service.