How to remove a dark theme on Xiaomi: all the ways for MIUI 12-14

Dark mode in Xiaomi smartphones has become the de facto standard: it saves battery power on the smartphone. AMOLED-It's a little bit more than a screen, it's lightening up your eyes in the evening and it looks stylish, but not all users are comfortable with a black interface -- some people are used to light colors, some people are dark colors, and text on a black background is less readable. Fortunately, you can turn off a dark theme on Xiaomi in a few seconds, but the methods differ depending on the version. MIUI device models.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of returning to a light interface, from standard settings to hidden functions for advanced users. We will pay special attention to the nuances on the Redmi Note 12/13, POCO F5/X5 and Xiaomi 14 flagships, where the logic of dark theme may differ.

1. Standard method: through MIUI settings

The most obvious and versatile method is to use built-in system options, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12 and later, including the latest updates in 2026, and is suitable even for budget models like the Redmi A2+ or POCO M6 Pro.

To turn off the dark theme:

📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon on the home screen).
🎨 Go to the Screen section (or Display on some firmware).
☀️ Find a dark theme item (may be called a dark theme mode or a color scheme).
🔘 Translate the slider to the off position. or select the Light option.

Changes are applied instantly - the system interface, standard applications (Messages, Phone, Gallery) and some third-party programs (if they support a system theme) will switch to light mode. AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pro) after turning off the dark theme, the battery consumption may slightly increase - up to 5-7% post 8 busy-hour.

Open main menu - background should be white or grey |Run "Settings" - top panel turned light |Check the "Messages" app - chats are displayed on white background |Make sure the notification panel on top is light-->

2. Quick switching through the notification panel

If you often have to change the theme depending on the lighting, it is more convenient to use a quick panel. This method saves time, because it does not require immersion in the settings. It is suitable for all devices on MIUI 13/14, including the POCO X6 Pro and Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G.

How to add a dark theme switch to the curtain:

Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
Click on the icon. ⚙️ Edit (pencil) in the lower right corner.
Find the list of dark theme tile (crescent icon) ☽) And drag it to the active area.
Press Ready.

Now to change the topic, just swipe down and tap on the icon. ☽. Important: Some firmware may call the tile Night Mode — it's not the same! Night Mode darkens the entire screen (like a blue light filter) rather than changing the color scheme of the interface.

I leave the light always | Leave the dark always | Change depending on the time of day |Use automatic schedule-->

3. Automatic switching on schedule

MIUI allows you to adjust the theme automatically based on the time of day or sunrise/sunset, which is convenient if you prefer dark mode in the evening and light in the afternoon, but do not want to do it manually. The feature is available on all devices with MIUI 12.5+, including Xiaomi 12T, Redmi K50 and later.

To activate the schedule:

Go to Settings → Screen → Dark Theme.
Select the Schedule (or Automatic Mode).
Specify one of the options: 🌅 From sunset to sunrise – the theme will change according to geolocation. ⏰ Schedule – set your own on/off hours (for example, from 20:00 to 7:00).

Save the changes.

If the sunset before sunrise option does not work, check:

📍 Geolocation access permission for Settings (c Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Geolocation).
🌐 Internet connection (to determine the time of sunrise / sunset requires access to Xiaomi servers).

Why does the automatic schedule not work?

On some firmware (especially custom ones), the sunrise/sunset anchoring function may conflict with manual time settings. Try: 1. Turn on and off Schedule Only (no geolocation) mode. 2. Update Xiaomi's Weather app - it's responsible for sun data. 3. Reset screen settings to Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset display settings (does not delete data!).

4. disabling dark theme for individual applications

MIUI allows you to flexibly adjust the color scheme: you can leave the system interface light, but turn on dark mode for individual programs (for example, YouTube or Telegram), which is useful if you do not like the black background on the menu, but want to save battery in frequently used applications.

How to set up individual topics:

Open the Settings → Screen → Dark Theme.
Slip on the Apps (or Individual settings).
In the list, select the programs for which you want to apply the dark mode (check = dark theme).
Save the changes.

Annex	Does the dark theme of MIUI support?	Notes
Communications	Yes.	The color of chats depends on the system theme
Phone.	Yes.	Dark theme applies to the keyboard set
gallery	Yes.	The background of the albums is going black
Google Chrome	Partially.	Depends on the settings of the browser itself
Instagram	No.	Uses his own theme.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as WhatsApp or WhatsApp) VK) Ignore system settings MIUI They use their own theme settings, so you can only change the color scheme in the app settings.

5. Reset dark settings via ADB (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t work (for example, after a firmware update or crash), you can force reset the theme settings via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method suitable for power users and requires connecting a smartphone to a computer. Works on all Xiaomi devices with an unlocked bootloader.

Instructions:

Enable Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and activate Debugging over USB.

Connect your phone to your PC and execute a command in Terminal (ADB):

adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 1


adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 0

Where:

1 - include a dark topic.
0 - turn off the dark theme.

⚠️ Attention: misuse ADB If the interface starts to glittle after executing commands (for example, icons are missing or the menu is displayed incorrectly), reset the screen settings to Settings. → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the display settings.

💡

Before working with ADB, back up your data through Settings → System → Backup. This will help you restore your settings if something goes wrong.

6 Problems and Solutions: Why the Dark Theme Doesn't Turn Off

Sometimes users find that the interface remains dark despite all the manipulations, and consider the typical causes and ways to eliminate them:

Problem.	Possible cause	Decision
Dark theme slider is inactive	Limitation of corporate policy (on the work phone)	Contact the administrator or reset settings through Settings → System → Reset settings
The theme is reset after rebooting	Miui.ThemeManager is a failure	Clear the app cache Topics in Settings → Apps → Application Management
Only some apps remain dark	Individual application settings	Check the theme settings within each application
There is no "Dark Topic" item in the settings	Outdated version of MIUI (below 12.0)	Update the firmware through Settings → System Update

If none of these methods worked, try:

🔄 Reboot your phone (sometimes helps with temporary crashes).
📱 Install an alternative launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher) that ignores the system theme.
🛠️ Reset all settings (without deleting data) to Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Reset all settings.

💡

If the problem persists after all the manipulations, the cause may be custom firmware or a modified kernel, in which case only the reflashing of official software through the Mi Flash Tool will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the dark topic on Xiaomi

Can I turn off a dark theme for the home screen only, leaving it in apps?

No, MIUI does not support the separation of desktop and application themes; the only workaround is to use a third-party launcher (such as Microsoft Launcher or Action Launcher), which allows you to customize the color scheme regardless of the system theme.

Why did the dark theme turn on itself after the MIUI update?

This is standard system behavior: after major updates (e.g., from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), some personalization settings, including the theme, are reset. Return the previous settings manually through Settings → Screen → Dark Theme.

How can you make sure that dark theme is included only in certain applications?

MIUI 14 has introduced the Individual Theme Settings feature (Settings → Screen → Dark Theme → Apps). Tick the boxes only for the programs you want to activate Dark Mode. The rest will remain light.

Is there a difference in battery consumption between a light and dark theme?

Yes, but only on devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro or Redmi K60). Black pixels on such displays are completely turned off, which saves up to a few hours. 10-15% It's a charge when you're using it. IPS-matrices (e.g. Redmi) 12C) There is no difference in battery consumption.

Can you set up a smooth transition between themes (like iOS)?

There is no such feature in standard MIUI, but you can emulate smooth switching using the Tasker app: Create a task that gradually changes the brightness of the screen. Add the action Display → Set Display Night Mode. Set the trigger by time (for example, from 19:00 to 20:00). This will not replace a real smooth transition, but will make the change of the theme less abrupt.