How to turn off black and white mode on Xiaomi Poco X3: all ways

Xiaomi Poco X3 is a popular smartphone with powerful hardware and flexible MIUI settings, but sometimes users face an unexpected problem: the screen suddenly turns black and white. This effect occurs due to the activation of the gray gradation mode (or “monochrome filter”), which can turn on by accident, through special features or after a system update. In this article, we will analyze all possible reasons and ways to return colors to the screen, from basic settings to advanced methods using ADB.

It’s important to understand that the black and white mode on the Poco X3 isn’t always a mistake, and it’s sometimes activated through digital well-being features (to reduce eye strain), reading mode, or even a MIUI shell failure. We’ll look at solutions for all scenarios, including cases where standard settings don’t work.

If you've encountered this problem after a phone drop or moisture, it could indicate a hardware malfunction (like damage to the display plume), and in such cases, software won't work, and you'll need a diagnostic at a service center, but in 90% of cases, the settings are to blame, and you can fix them yourself.

Why the Poco X3 screen went black and white: the main reasons

Before we move on to fixing it, it's important to identify what caused the problem, and here are the most common reasons:

• 🔄 Random Including Through Settings → Special capabilities → Gradation of gray (or similar) often occurs at menus or through gestures.
• 📱 Activate Read Mode in Apps (e.g., Google Play Books or Google Play Books) MIUI Reader, which sometimes sticks at the system level.
• 🛠️ Failure after update MIUI. Some versions of the firmware (especially) MIUI 12.5 and MIUI 13) had colour rendering bugs.
• 🧪 Experimental features in Developer Settings, such as Simulating Colorblindness or Debugging Colors.
• 🦠 Virus software that changes system parameters (rare but encountered when installing applications from unverified sources).

If black and white mode appeared after installing custom firmware (for example, Pixel Experience or LineageOS), the problem may lie in the wrong display drivers, in which case only the firmware or manual adjustment of parameters through ADB will help.

⚠️ Warning: If the screen turns black and white after a phone drop or water hit, don't try to solve the problem programmatically.This is a sign of physical damage to the matrix or plume - repair is required.

Method 1: Turning off gray gradation in MIUI settings

The easiest and most obvious method is to check the standard MIUI settings, most often the problem is solved in 30 seconds:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Special Opportunities section (or Special Opportunities depending on the firmware version).
3. Find Gradation Gray (could be called Color Filter or Monochrome Mode).
4. Switch the slider to the off position. or uncheck the tick.

If Gradation Gray is not on this menu, try an alternative route:

1. Go to Settings → Screen.
2. Select Reading Mode or Color Scheme.
3. Turn off all filters, including Night Mode and Vision Protection.

Whether "Settings" are open" →"Special capabilities"?

Is there a "Gray Gradation" or similar?

Have you tried to turn off "Read Mode" in the "Screen" section?

Did the phone reboot after the changes?

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Once you have turned off the mode, be sure to restart the Poco X3, as some changes only apply after the reboot. If the problem persists, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Resetting special features settings

If the standard shutdown didn't work, the system parameters of the special capabilities may have gone wrong, in which case the reset:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Resetting Settings.
3. Confirm the action (a password or pattern lock may be required).

This method will bring all the features back to factory settings, including gray gradation, font magnification, and gestures, and after reset, check if the color is back on the screen.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting features doesn't affect the basic settings of the phone (Wi-Fi, apps, accounts), but it will reset all the individual availability settings. If you used TalkBack or subtitles, they will have to be reconfigured.

If the reset didn’t work, it could go deeper, like system files or application conflict, and then it could be safe mode or ADB reset.

Method 3: Run in Safe Mode for Diagnostics

Safe Mode allows you to download Poco X3 with third-party apps disabled, and if the screen turns color in this mode, one of the installed applications is to blame.

To enter safe mode:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the option “Switch off power (or turn off)” until a request to switch to safe mode appears.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

Check the color rendering in safe mode. If the screen is normal,

• 🔍 Remove newly installed apps (especially those that requested Overlay rights over other windows).
• 🛡️ Check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.
• 🔄 Return to normal mode and check if the problem has returned.

Installing a new app

Updated MIUI

Ronal phone.

Nothing unusual.

Another option

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If the screen is black and white in safe mode, it's a system-level problem, and then resetting through ADB or flashing it will help.

Method 4: Disable Gray Gradation through ADB (for Advanced)

If standard methods don't work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level phone management tool that's suitable for those who are willing to work with the command line.

First, prepare:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB Poco X3 (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (preferably original).

Next, run commands in the terminal (or Command Prompt):

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 0


adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer 0




adb shell settings put secure accessibility_grayscale_enabled 0

After entering each command, press Enter. Then restart the phone:

adb reboot

If the screen is black and white after the reboot, try the additional command:

adb shell settings delete secure accessibility_display_daltonizer

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Don't change the other settings unless you're sure they're there. If the phone stops responding after the commands, do a hard reset. + Volume up for 10 seconds).

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Before working with ADB, back up your important data. the adb backup command will help save contacts and apps, but does not replace the full backup through MIUI Cloud.

Method 5: Reset to factory settings (last chance)

If none of these methods work, you'll have to reset completely, and that will bring the phone back out of the box, removing all the data, apps, and settings.

How to Reset the Poco X3:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Delete all data (may be called Recovery and Reset).
3. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.

If the phone does not respond to touch, use a hardware reset:

1. Turn off the Poco X3.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up for 10-15 seconds until the MI logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data (use volume buttons for navigation and power button for confirmation).
4. Confirm the reset and wait for the process to be completed.

Once reset, the phone will be like new, all data (photos, messages, apps) will be deleted, and if you didn't have a backup, you can't restore it.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If the screen of the Poco X3 is black and white after all the manipulations, the following scenarios are possible:

• 🔧 Hardware malfunction: damage to the display plume or matrix.
• 📲 The problem with the firmware: if the phone was sewn with a custom version MIUI Or Android, maybe there's no drivers to make the screen work properly, so the solution is to reflash the official version through Fastboot.
• 🦠 Viral infection: some malware changes system parameters at the kernel level.

To diagnose hardware problems:

• Connect the phone to TV or monitor HDMI-Adapter (if supported) If the outside screen is colored, the smartphone display is a problem.
• Check if the screen is responsive to touch, and if it's not, it's possible that the touchscreen will fail.

If you are not sure of your abilities, it is better to contact an authorized service center Xiaomi. the cost of diagnosis usually does not exceed 500-1000 rubles, and repair of the display will cost 3000-6000 rubles depending on the model.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the black and white screen on the Poco X3