A sudden change in color rendering of the screen of Xiaomi smartphone to shades of gray can cause bewilderment and even panic among the owner. Users often perceive this as a critical matrix failure or hardware breakdown of the display. However, in most cases, the problem lies in the software settings of the Android operating system or the shell of MIUI. The system offers many tools for comfortable reading and energy savings, which can be activated accidentally.
Black and white, also known as e-ink mode or grayscale, is designed to reduce eye strain and reduce cravings for bright app colors. The feature is often turned on unnoticed, such as through a quick action panel or on schedule in a digital balance. Understanding the nature of this phenomenon is the first step to returning to the familiar color scheme.
There are several main scenarios that lead to discoloration of the image: this can be activated mode "E-book", on sleep mode or specific settings for people with color perception. In rare cases, errors in the operation of display drivers or third-party applications optimizers. Regardless of the source of the problem, you can restore normal screen operation using software methods.
Electronic ink regime and reading
The most common reason for black and white images is Read Mode or E-Ink, which mimics the look of a paper page by removing blue light and saturated colors, and can be activated manually or automatically when you run certain applications, such as browsers or readers. In newer versions of MIUI, this feature is deeply integrated into the screen management system.
To check the status of this feature, you need to go to the display settings, where the user will find the switch responsible for the color scheme. If the slider is active, the screen will display content in a monochrome version. It is important to note that there are various types of filters, including classic, warm and cold, which also affect the final picture.
⚠️ Warning: Long-term use of e-ink mode can make it difficult to distinguish between color indicators in games and navigation maps, which requires increased care.
To turn off the mode, you need to do a few simple things: Find Read Mode in the screen settings menu and deactivate it. If the problem is only in specific applications, check the individual settings for each of them. The system allows you to create exceptions, but sometimes the settings are applied globally due to a software error.
Why does the reading mode turn on itself?
Setting up special capabilities
The second most common reason for changing the color palette is the setting of special features. Android has features to help people with visual impairments or cognitive disabilities. One of these features is Gradation of Grey or Color Inversion. Accidental keyboard pressing or activation through the accessibility menu can trigger this mode.
Checking these parameters requires careful study of the Advanced Settings section, where you can find behavioral tools, and in addition to color blindness, you can find text size and voice settings, and if you don't use these features all the time, you should keep them off to avoid conflict.
- 🔍 Open Settings and go to the Additional or Special Opportunities section.
- 👁️ Find Color Correction or Color Mode.
- 🚫 Make sure the Gradation Gradation switch is in the "Off" position».
- 🔄 Check the Visibility Improvement tab for active inversion filters.
You should pay attention to the Visibility Improvement feature. Sometimes, activating high text contrast or color inversion creates an effect similar to black and white mode, but with distorted colors. Resetting special features settings to factory settings helps solve the problem if manually switching off failed.
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Use a search by settings by typing the phrase “color” or “gray” to instantly find the right switch without wandering through the menu.
Digital Well-Being and Scheduling
Xiaomi’s current smartphones are equipped with powerful tools to monitor screen time. Digital Well-being allows you to set limits and rest modes. One tool to reduce digital addiction is Sleep Mode or Screen Time, which can force the display to monochrome mode at certain times of the day.
If the screen turns black and white in the evening or on weekends, it's likely a timetable that's involved, and the system automatically applies restrictions to make it less attractive, which helps combat procrastination and improve sleep hygiene by reducing brain stimulation with bright colors before rest.
To control these parameters, you need to go to the appropriate menu, so you can not only turn off the function, but also set exceptions, for example, allow full-color mode for the navigator or alarm clock, even when the general rest mode is active.
| Parameter | Description of the influence of the screen | Where to turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep regimen | Includes BB on schedule | Digital well-being |
| Application limits | Can limit the color after the end of time | Screen settings |
| Notice of interruption | It reminds you of rest, can change the topic | Special opportunities |
| Focusing | Leave only working applications in the BC | Digital well-being |
Turning off automatic scripts will put color control back in your hands, but it's worth considering whether turning on this mode is a useful habit for evening time. Many users have noted that reading the news in black and white before bedtime does help you fall asleep faster.
Energy saving and battery
Aggressive battery-saving algorithms in Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones can initiate a transition to ultra-energy-saving mode, in which the device restricts background processes, reduces brightness, and often translates the interface into black and white, in order to maximize battery life in a critical situation.
If the battery power drops below a certain threshold (usually 10% or 20%), the system can suggest that you turn on the extreme mode. By agreeing to this, the user receives a basic set of functions in monochrome execution, exiting this mode automatically when you connect the charger or manually through the battery settings.
Check your current power status. If Ultra is active, the color will return as soon as it is turned off, and it is also worth checking the battery optimization settings for individual applications. Sometimes the system mistakenly classifies an application as energy-intensive and applies restrictions to it, including changing color reproduction.
⚠️ Note: In ultra-energy saving mode, many applications may not open or work properly because the system blocks their background activity.
To prevent accidental activation, check the activation threshold settings, you can prevent the system from automatically switching to economy mode, even if the charge is low, which will give you full control of the device, although it will require more frequent recharging of the battery.
☑️ Diagnostics of battery problems
Third-party annexes and themes
The influence of third-party software is not to be forgotten: The themes installed from MIUI Themes store can have their own color settings; some themes, especially minimalist or paper, are designed to lack bright colors; and reading or vision protection applications can intercept the display.
If you've recently installed a new design theme, try going back to the standard "Classic" or "Standard" theme, which will eliminate the effect of third-party code on system settings, and the theme store also has filters to find designs that support the full color spectrum.
- 🎨 Go to the Topics app on the desktop.
- 👤 Go to the user profile (human icon).
- 🔄 Select the Topic Item and activate the standard option.
- 📱 Check if the problem has gone away after applying the stock theme.
Blue light filtering applications or third-party night modes can also be the cause, often requiring special permissions to display over other windows, and removing or temporarily disabling these utilities will help identify the culprit behind the color scheme change.
Resetting and resetting
If none of the above methods worked, there may have been a system failure or an accumulation of errors in the settings cache. In such cases, an effective measure is a complete reset or, as a milder option, a system restart.Reboot the device clears RAM and restarts the system services responsible for the display.
First, do the usual reboot. If the problem is temporary, it will go away. If the screen is black and white even on the boot screen (MI logo), it may indicate a more serious driver problem or hardware malfunction. However, if the logo is colored and the BB only appears on the system, it's the software.
A radical but effective method is to reset all settings to factory settings, and the important thing is to back up the data before you do that, because all the information from the phone will be deleted, and this is a step that ensures that you eliminate any software configuration conflicts.
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Restarting in Safe Mode allows you to check if the black and white mode is calling a third-party application, without deleting data.