How to permanently disable the kaleidoscope on Xiaomi: TVs and smartphones

The Kaleidoscope (or Screensaver) feature on Xiaomi devices is a beautiful, but not always convenient screensaver that is activated when a simple screen is activated. On Mi TVs and Redmi Smart TVs, it starts after 5-10 minutes of inactivity, showing slowly floating abstract patterns or photos. On smartphones with MIUI, the kaleidoscope can appear on a locked screen or in Always On Display (AOD) mode.

The problem is that this function not only consumes excess energy (especially in the case of the energy of the system). OLED-It also interferes with the use of the device as a digital photo frame, a monitor for video surveillance, or simply distracts from viewing. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to turn off the kaleidoscope, from standard settings to hidden commands for power users. And we will tell you what to do if the screensaver turns on itself after updating the firmware.

What is a kaleidoscope on Xiaomi and why turn it off

A kaleidoscope (or dynamic screensaver) is a visual effect that replaces a static waiting screen with animated patterns, gallery photos or abstract transitions. On Xiaomi TVs, it activates automatically if there is no interaction with the remote within 5-15 minutes.

• 📱 On a locked screen (instead of wallpaper or clocks).
• 🔄 Always on Display Mode (AOD) on AMOLED-display.
• 🖼️ When connecting to a docking station or in Desktop Mode.

Why do users want to turn it off?

• ⚡ Battery consumption: on smartphones, animation eats up to 5-7% of the charge per night.
• 👀 Distraction: Bright transitions interfere with focus (for example, when working with a TV as a monitor).
• 📸 Incorrect work: sometimes the screensaver will “hang” or start flashing.
• 🔒 Privacy: If a kaleidoscope shows photos from a gallery, it can be uncomfortable in public.

On Mi TVs and Redmi TVs, the problem is compounded by the fact that the screensaver can be turned on even when watching video via HDMI (for example, when connecting a game console or a computer), which is due to an error in the firmware of PatchWall versions below 3.0.

Method 1: Turning off the kaleidoscope through standard settings (MIUI)

If you have a smartphone or tablet on MIUI 12-14, the easiest way is to turn off the screensaver in the settings menu. Instructions are suitable for the Xiaomi 11/12/13 series, Redmi Note 10-12, POCO F/X and others.

Steps:

1. Open the Settings → Screen.
2. Select Screensaver (or Screensaver in English firmware).
3. Move the slider to the off position.
4. If you have the option to show photos, turn it off separately.

For devices with Always On Display (AOD):

1. Go to Settings → Lock and Protection → Always On Display.
2. Choose the display style of the Watch or Off (without animations).
3. Turn off the Dynamic Wallpaper option.

Make sure the device is charged at more than 30 times%|Connect to Wi-Fi to synchronize settings|Check the version. MIUI under the heading “On the telephone"|Make a backup copy of important data-->

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global 14.0.5) after disabling the screensaver, it can be activated again after restarting, in which case resetting the screen settings or updating the software will help.

Method 2: Turning off the kaleidoscope on Mi TV and Redmi TV

On Xiaomi TVs, the shutdown algorithm is different. Here, the kaleidoscope is controlled through the PatchWall menu, the proprietary shell for Smart TVs. The instructions are relevant for Mi TV 4A/4S/5X, Redmi Smart TV X and others based on Android TV.

Step-by-step:

1. On the remote, press the Settings button.
2. Go to Screen Settings → Screenshot.
3. Select No (or Off in English).
4. If you have a Time to Activate option, set Never.

For TVs with Google TV (e.g. Mi TV Q2 2023):

1. Open Settings → Screen and sound → Sleep mode.
2. Select Never for the Screensaver option.
3. Turn off the Ambient Mode (if any).

⚠️ Note: If after switching off the kaleidoscope still appears, check the settings HDMI-CEC (Settings menu → Connections → HDMI-CEC). Sometimes consoles (for example, Xiaomi Mi Box) force the screensaver.

💡

If the TV does not have a Settings button on the remote, press and hold the Home for 3 seconds – this will open the settings menu.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If standard settings do not help (for example, on custom firmware or after reset), you can turn off the kaleidoscope through the ADB-This method works on all Xiaomi devices with an unlocked bootloader.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the device (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to unlock the developer menu).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the device to the PC and confirm debugging on the smartphone screen.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell settings put global screensaver_enabled 0


adb shell settings put secure screensaver_components null

1. For TVs, use:

adb shell settings put global tv_screensaver_enabled 0

1. Reset the device:

adb reboot

If the kaleidoscope was tied to a particular app (such as Mi Home or Gallery), delete its cache:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.gallery

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This may cause system failures. Before executing commands, back up your data via Mi Cloud or TWRP.

Method 4: Reset screen settings (if nothing helps)

If the kaleidoscope turns on itself after updating the firmware or resetting to factory settings, a partial reset of the screen settings will help, a method that does not affect user data, but returns all visual settings to default.

For smartphones:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset Screen Settings (or Reset Display Settings).
3. Confirm the action.

For TVs:

1. Open Settings → System → Reset and Recovery.
2. Select Resetting Image Settings.
3. Enter. PIN-code (default 0000 or 1234).

After discharge:

• 🔄 The kaleidoscope will be turned off, but brightness, contrast and color profile will also be dropped.
• 📱 On smartphones, you may need to re-configure Always On Display.
• 🔧 On the TVs, check the settings. HDMI-CEC PatchWall.

💡

Resetting your screen settings is a last resort. Before you do it, try updating your firmware or rolling back to the previous version via Fastboot.

Method 5: Disconnect via Mi Home (for smart devices)

If a kaleidoscope appears on a Xiaomi smart display (such as the Mi Smart Display or Xiaomi Smart Clock), it can be controlled through the Mi Home app.

Instructions:

1. Open the Mi Home app and select your device.
2. Go to the device settings → Screen.
3. Turn off the options: 🖼️ Dynamic wallpaper 🌙 Night mode with animation 🔄 Automatic screensaver

Save the changes and restart the device through the app.

For Xiaomi Smart Clock:

1. In Mi Home, select the watch → screen settings.
2. Turn off animation when inactivity.
3. Set the screen to sleep time at Never.

💡

If the kaleidoscope only appears in a particular app (such as Netflix or YouTube), clear that app's cache in the settings or reinstall it.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions