How to put a black and white screen on Xiaomi: 4 working ways for smartphones and TV

Why do you need black and white on Xiaomi devices?

The black and white screen on Xiaomi smartphones and TVs is not just a tribute to the retro style, but a useful feature with several practical applications. First, the monochrome mode significantly reduces eye strain, especially in the evening or when working with texts for a long time. Studies show that the absence of color contrasts reduces visual fatigue. 30-40%. Second, this mode helps to save battery power: AMOLED-redmi screens POCO Black pixels do not consume energy at all.

The third important reason is focus, and psychologists note that color stimuli distract the brain from the primary task, and switching to grayscale allows you to focus better on reading or work. Finally, black and white is often used by photographers and designers to calibrate color reproduction or evaluate composition without the influence of color filters. TV This mode is in demand for watching classic cinema in the original style.

But there's a downside: some users turn on monochrome mode randomly through Visually Impaired Mode or Color Filters, and then they can't return normal colors. If your screen suddenly turns black and white, don't panic: 90% of the time, it's fixed in 2 minutes through system settings.

Method 1: Include via Color Filters (for all Xiaomi smartphones)

This is the most versatile method, working on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including Redmi Note 11, POCO X5, Mi 11 and others. The algorithm is the same for all models, but the location of menu items can vary slightly depending on the firmware version. The main advantage of this method is the ability to adjust the intensity of the effect from 0% (full-color screen) to 100% (full-color grayscale).

Step instructions:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the home screen)
2. Go to Special Opportunities (sometimes called Additional)
3. Select Color filters or Color correction
4. Activate the switch Color filters
5. In the list of modes, select Grayscale (Shades of Greyscale)
6. Set up the intensity slider (we recommend starting at 70-80%)

An important nuance: on some models (e.g. Redmi 9A), this item may be hidden behind an additional menu. If you don't find Color filters, try the path: Settings → Screen → Color Mode → Additional. Also note that when you activate the filter, the corresponding icon will appear in the status bar (usually as a semicircle with a painted part).

The phone has enough charge (minimum 20%)

Power-saving modes disabled

The device is not overheated (temperature below 40°C)

Backup of important data (in case of failure)

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Method 2: Using Reading Mode (for economical consumption)

This is a method that works for people who want not only a black and white screen, but also maximum battery life. The MIUI read mode is optimized for text: it not only removes colors, but also adjusts the color temperature to light, reduces brightness to a comfortable level and turns off animations, especially useful for devices with small batteries like the Redmi A1 or POCO C40.

How to activate:

1. Press the top of the screen and pull down to open the notification bar.
2. Find the tiles Reading Mode (book icon) and tap on it
3. If there is no tiles, click Edit (pencil icon) and add it from the list of available
4. For permanent activation, go to Settings → Screen → Reading Mode
5. Set up a schedule or turn on the mode manually

Unlike color filters, reading only works in certain applications (browser, books, notes) and doesn't affect the system interface, but it automatically turns off when you start games or watch videos. If you want a full black and white screen in all applications, use the former.

Battery savings

Reducing the burden on the eyes

Photography/design

I accidentally turned it on, I want to turn it off.

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Method 3: Black and white screen on Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV, Redmi TV)

On Xiaomi TVs with Android system TV Or PatchWall, black and white is turned on differently than on smartphones, and it's more commonly used to calibrate an image before a professional setting, or to watch old movies in the original color scheme. TV Q1) This mode can be called Movie or Retro.

Step-by-step instructions for TV:

1. On the remote, press the Settings button (cogs)
2. Go to Picture (or Display in English firmware)
3. Choose Color Mode or Picture Mode
4. In the list, find Black and White, Monochrome or Grayscale.
5. Confirm the choice and wait for the settings to be applied (may take up to 10 seconds)

On Google TVs TV (for example, Xiaomi TV A2 2023) the path will be different: Settings → Screen and sound → Picture → Additionally. → Color filter. You can also adjust the intensity of the effect here and save it as a user profile. OLED-TVs (Mi) TV Q2) Black and white can automatically adjust the backlight to save energy.

Method 4: Hidden engineering settings (for power users)

If standard methods don't work or you need fine-tuning of color rendering, you can use an engineering menu, which is suitable for advanced users and requires caution - incorrect settings can lead to image distortion, the advantage of the method is the ability to adjust not only black and white mode, but also individual color channels (RGB).

Instructions for smartphones:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
2. You will be taken to EngineerMode (Engineering Menu)
3. Go to the Hardware Testing section → Display
4. Find the Color Mode or Saturation option
5. Set Saturation to 0 for full black and white effect
6. Save the settings and restart the device

For TVs, the path will be different: Settings → About TV → Click 5 times on Software Version → Engineering menu → Picture → Color Space. Attention: changing the parameters in the engineering menu can lead to incorrect screen operation. Always write down the original values before changing them!

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Before entering the engineering menu, take a screenshot of the current screen settings, which will help you return the original settings if something goes wrong.

How to return normal colors if the screen is black and white?

If your Xiaomi suddenly went into monochrome mode, don't panic. 95% of the time, it's due to random activation of special features. The fastest way to get back the colors is to use the notification bar:

1. Pull down from the top edge of the screen to open the curtain
2. Find Color filters or Read Mode (may be called Grayscale)
3. Slip on it to turn off the mode.
4. If there are no tiles, check the Settings section → Special features → Color filters

If the standard shutdown didn’t work, try these alternative methods:

• 🔄 Reboot the device: Press the power button 10 seconds before vibration
• ⚙️ Resetting special features settings: Settings → Special facilities → Reset
• 📱 Safe Mode: Press the Shutdown button → "Restarting in Safe Mode"
• 🔧 Engineering menu: Return Saturation to 100 (as in Method 4)

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If the black and white screen comes after the firmware update, check the display settings. Newer versions of MIUI sometimes reset custom color profiles.

Compatibility table for black and white mode with Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi devices support black and white the same way, with some models using color filters, others using special reading modes, and the following is a compatibility table for popular devices (the data is relevant for firmware 2023-2026):

Note that on IPS-screen devices (e.g. Redmi 10A), black and white may look less contrasting than on AMOLED. This is due to backlighting technology – on IPS, black is not “true black,” but appears as dark grey.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When setting up black and white, users often encounter typical problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

⚠️ Warning: If after activation of black and white mode the screen began to flicker or artifacts appeared - immediately turn off the function and check the device for overheating. AMOLED-screens long-term operation in monochrome mode at high brightness can lead to pixel burnout.

• 🚫 Mode not turned on: Check if special features are disabled in the security settings (Settings) → Annexes → Some antiviruses (e.g. Avast) block color profile changes.
• 🔄 Colors return after rebooting: This means the mode is activated via temporary settings. Go to Settings → Special facilities → Color filters and enable the "Always use" option".
• 📱 Does not work on some applications: Apps with their own renderers (like games or TikTok) can ignore system color filters.The solution is to use read mode or engineering menus.
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge: Paradoxically, but on some devices (Redmi) 9C) Color filters can increase energy consumption, in which case, turn off the mode and use night light with a minimum temperature instead.

If none of the methods helped to return normal colors, reset the display settings: Settings → System → Resetting → Reset screen settings.

This will return all color reproduction parameters to factory values without losing personal data.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions