Xiaomi’s current OLED and IPS displays are bright and saturated, which can be a big pain in low-light conditions. Device owners often wonder how to set up a nighttime mode on Xiaomi to minimize eye strain while surfing the Internet or reading books. This is not just a matter of comfort, but also a health concern, as the blue spectrum of screen radiation can disrupt melatonin production.
The MIUI interface and its current version of HyperOS offer several tools to adapt the image to the dark, including the classic Dark Theme, which changes the color of the interface elements, and a specialized Read Mode, which simulates electronic paper. Understanding the differences between these features will allow you to flexibly manage the backlight at any time of the day.
Differences between Dark Theme and Reading Mode
Many users mistakenly believe that Dark Theme and Read Mode are the same thing. In fact, they are fundamentally different tools that work at different levels of the operating system. Dark Theme changes the color of the background of applications and system menus from white to black or dark gray, which reduces the overall brightness, but does not change the color temperature of the light emitted.
Reading Mode works like a filter overlayed over the image, removing the blue spectrum and turning the image into shades of gray, sepia or yellow, which brings the screen’s perception as close as possible to the paper book, and Xiaomi allows these features to be used individually and in conjunction for maximum effect.
The choice of the specific mode depends on your goals. If you just want the interface to stay out of the dark, you just need to turn on the dark design, and if you plan to read text for a long time or work with documents at night, you better activate a special mode for the eyes.
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Use Dark Theme to navigate the menu, and Read Mode only to work with text content so that the colors of the photos are not distorted.
Activation and Configuring of the Dark Theme
To enable basic dimming, you need to go to the settings menu. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the partition that controls the appearance of the system and activate the switch.
Once the base mode is enabled, the system will offer deeper settings, where you can choose the degree of dimming, since not all applications support a native dark theme, in which case MIUI forcefully inverts colors, which may look unnatural, but reduces the brightness.
- 🌙 Go to Settings and select Wallpaper or Themes.
- 🌓 Click on the profile icon or gear in the corner of the screen.
- 🌓 Find the Dark Mode switch and activate it.
- 🌓 Select Adaptation to darken apps that don’t support a dark theme.
Set up a specialized reading mode
This is the most important section for eye health care professionals, and unlike just changing the colors of the interface, this tool changes the color gamut of the entire screen, and to get to the right menu, you should follow the Settings → Screen → Reading Mode.
There are detailed settings available inside this menu, and you can choose from two main options: classic (shades of gray) or textured (paper imitation), and you can also adjust the intensity of the effect, which allows you to make the screen more yellow or leave it closer to natural colors.
⚠️ Warning: When you activate the read mode, the colors on the screen become unsaturated. Do not try to edit photos or select clothes in the online store while this mode is on, as the color reproduction will be distorted.
The text enhancement feature, which adds contrast to fonts by making them clearer against paper texture, is particularly useful on low-resolution or poor-vision screens.
☑️ Set up the perfect reading
Automation through schedule
Manually switching modes every night can be inconvenient. HyperOS and MIUI automate this process. You can set a schedule so that your smartphone will be in gentle mode at a certain time or when light levels change.
In reading or dark theme settings, find Schedule Enable, and there are two options available: "Down to Dawn" and "Time," and the first option uses the device's geolocation to determine the twilight time in your area.
The second option allows you to set specific hours, such as 22:00 to 07:00, which is convenient if you go to bed at the same time regardless of the season, and you can set up automatic on when you lock the screen, although this is less common.
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| From dusk to dawn | Automatically through the sun. | Perfect for regular regimen |
| Timely. | Predetermined hours (for example, 23:00-07:00) | For those who are sleeping at different times |
| Adaptation | Forced blackout of applications | Include only when necessary |
| Improvement of the text | Increased font contrast | Turn on for comfortable reading |
Use of the "Do Not Disturb" mode
While this item doesn't change the color of the screen, it's an important part of the phone's nighttime settings.Do Not Disturb mode blocks pop-up notifications and calls, preventing a bright screen from suddenly turning on if you accidentally touch the phone.
In this mode settings, Xiaomi has a useful option called “Repeat Calls” that, if activated, will pass a call from the same contact person made a second time within 3 minutes, ensuring that you do not miss an emergency call, even if the screen is locked.
Hidden brightness settings
Third-party applications and alternatives
If standard tools aren’t enough, Google Play offers a variety of alternatives, and apps like Blue Light Filter or Twilight can override system settings, offering more flexible scenarios.
However, the use of third-party software has its disadvantages: such applications consume additional battery power and can conflict with the system read mode Xiaomi. native tools MIUI optimized better and do not require additional permissions to access screen data.
Third-party solutions can be useful if you need to adjust a very specific graphic or color temperature that is not available in the standard menu. In most cases, the built-in functionality of Xiaomi is more than enough for comfortable use.
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the mode does not turn on automatically or settings are reset, most often this is due to a system update or access rights conflict, check if you have a third-party launcher that can intercept control of the theme.
Also make sure that Advanced Settings → Date and Time activates network sync. Without a precise time, automatic schedule switching won't work. If the problem persists, try resetting the design settings to factory.
⚠️ Attention: After a major firmware update, read mode settings may be reset.Always check the schedule's relevance after the system update.
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Automation is the key to comfort. By setting up a schedule once, you'll save yourself from having to switch modes every night.