How to change the color of text on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways for MIUI 14/13/12

Why is it hard to change the color of text on Xiaomi and what to do about it

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a paradoxical situation: in the MIUI system you can change wallpaper, icons, fonts and even unlock animation, but the basic parameters of the display of text - color, contrast, saturation - are hidden deep in the settings or even absent from the standard interface. This is not an accident, but a conscious decision of the developers: the uniformity of the visual style is considered part of Xiaomi's corporate design.

But the limitations are bypassing, and there are at least 5 working methods to do this: some of them involve hidden MIUI functions, others require third-party applications, and the most radical ones involve interference with system files. It is important to understand that on models with a locked bootloader (most smartphones for the Russian market), some methods will not be available without unlocking, but even then there are legal options - for example, using themes or applications with support for overlays.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to change the color of text, from the simplest to advanced, taking into account the features of the latest versions of MIUI 14/13/12. Separately dwell on the nuances for specific models - Redmi Note 12, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T and other popular devices. If you need to change the color of the text, but only in individual applications (for example, WhatsApp or Telegram), then at the end of the article there is a separate section with instructions.

Method 1: Using MIUI themes (the safest method)

The official MIUI Themes store offers hundreds of design options, many of which change the color of text in system menus, notifications and some standard applications.This method does not require root rights, does not violate warranty and works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 10C and POCO X5 Pro.

To apply the topic:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Online tab and search for a dark theme with color text or custom text color.
3. Choose your favorite theme and click Apply. The system will automatically change the font colors according to the theme settings.

Important: Not all topics affect text color globally. Some only change background elements or icons. To check if a topic is affected by text, look at the screenshots in the description, which should show changes in the settings menu or notification bar.

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If the text color becomes unreadable after applying the theme (for example, gray on a white background), return the standard theme and try another one. MIUI 14 adds a theme preview feature – use it to avoid such problems.

• ✅ Pros: No technical skills required, safe, reversible.
• ❌ Cons: Limited color selection, not all apps support changes.
• 🔧 Suitable for: Xiaomi 12/13, Redmi Note 11/12, POCO F4/F5.

Method 2: Configure the color scheme in developer mode

Hidden MIUI settings allow you to manually adjust some display parameters, including text color in system dialogs and menus, and you need to activate Developer Mode and use the Simulate color space tool.

Instructions:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version and tap it 7 times.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and find a new section for developers.
3. Scroll down to the Hardware Rendering Acceleration block and select Simulate the Color Space.
4. Experiment with Monochromacy, Deuteranomaly, or Tritanomaly, which will change the color gamut of the entire interface, including text.

Warning: This method affects all interface elements, not just text. For example, in Monochromacy mode, the entire screen will turn black and white, and in Deuteranomaly, green text may become indistinguishable on some backgrounds.

Method 3: Overlay applications (color change in individual applications)

If you only need to change the color of the text in specific programs (for example, in Telegram or Chrome), you can use the applications that create a surface layer (overlay).

• 🎨 Substratum + Andromeda (requires root or unlocked bootloader) – allows you to install custom themes for individual applications.
• 🖌️ Hex Installer (works without root on the MIUI 12+) — Changes color patterns through APK-patching.
• 📱 Color Changer (from Google Play) – a simple tool to change the color of text in supported applications (list limited).

Example of settings through Hex Installer:

1. Download and install Hex Installer from Google Play.
2. Select the target app (such as WhatsApp).
3. In Text Color, specify the desired color in HEX format (e.g. #FF5733 for orange).
4. Click Apply and restart the app.

Make sure you have “Install from unknown sources” enabled | Backup your target application data | Check overlay compatibility with your version of MIUI | Disable battery optimization for the overlay application-->

⚠️ Note: Overlay applications may conflict with MIUI Optimization is an integrated service that blocks background activity. If the text hasn't changed after you apply the changes, add the app to exceptions: Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → Select applications → Your appendix → No restrictions.

Method 4: Manual editing of system files (for advanced users)

This method involves changing the framework-res.apk or SystemUI.apk files, which store the styles of system fonts. It requires root rights and is only suitable for advanced users, since incorrect actions can lead to a bootloop.

Step-by-step:

1. Make a full backup of the system through TWRP or OrangeFox Recovery.
2. Download and install Root Explorer or Mixplorer (with root access enabled).
3. Go to /system/framework/ and find the framework-res.apk file.
4. Copy it to your computer and open it with APKTool.
5. In a file. res/values/ find the file colors.xml and edit the parameters that determine the color of the text (for example, text_color_primary or secondary_text_color).
6. Collect the APK back, sign it and replace the original file in /system.
7. Reset the device.

Example of changes to colors.xml:

<color name="text_color_primary">#FF0000</color>




<color name="secondary_text_color">#00FF00</color>

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI All changes to system files will be reset. To avoid this, use Magisk modules (e.g., Magisk modules, MIUI Color Changer, which applies patches automatically after each update.

Use of the themes MIUI|Developer settings|Party of annex (overlays)|Manual editing of system files|I don't need to change color.-->

Method 5: ADB-commands to change the color scheme (without root)

If you don’t have root rights but you do have access to ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can try changing some display options through commands.This method doesn’t work on all versions of MIUI, but it can be useful for devices with an unlocked bootloader.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer and connect your phone in debugging mode (includes in Settings → For developers → debugging over USB).
2. Open the command line and enter:

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 1


adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer 2

These commands activate colorblind mode (similar to method 2, but via ADB). To return standard colors, use:

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 0

For more fine-tuning, you can experiment with the parameter accessibility_display_daltonizer, value 0 before 4:

• 0 - disabled;
• 1 - monochrome;
• 2 - Deuteranomalia (red-green blindness);
• 3 - protanomaly;
• 4 - tritanomaly (blue-yellow blindness).

Features for specific Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi devices have unique nuances when changing the color of text, and here are the most common cases:

For devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K50 Ultra) is important to consider that bright colors of text (red, blue) can cause pixels to burn out over long periods of time. If you plan to use non-standard colors all the time, choose less saturated shades (for example, if you want to use non-standard colors all the time, #FF8C00 instead #FF0000).

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On devices with MIUI 14 and later, some system fonts are protected from changes through themes, in which case the only working option is manual file editing or using Magisk modules.

How to change the color of text in individual applications

If you only need to change the color of the text in one application (for example, in VK, Telegram or Google Chrome), then there are no universal solutions - each case requires a personal approach.

• 📘 Telegram: Open Settings → Appearance. Choose Create a new theme. In the Colours section, specify the desired ones. HEX-Save the topic and apply it.

Google Chrome:

1. Install the Stylus extension for Chrome.
2. Add a custom CSS with the rule:

body { color: #FF5733 !important; }

WhatsApp:

You can’t officially change the color of text in chat rooms, but you can use GBWhatsApp (modified version) with support for themes.

For applications without built-in color settings (e.g, VK or Instagram, the only option is to use overlays (see Method 3) or ADB-commands to force changes to the system palette.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the color of text on Xiaomi