How to put a black theme on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways for MIUI

Dark mode on Xiaomi smartphones not only reduces the load on the eyes in the evening, but also saves battery power on devices with a high-powered smartphone. AMOLED-However, many users face problems when activating it: somewhere the option is hidden in the depth of settings, somewhere it does not work correctly after the update. MIUI, and some models (POCO F1, Redmi Note 8 Pro dark theme refuses to turn on at all. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to enable black mode, from standard to hidden features for experienced users.

It’s important to understand that dark theme on Xiaomi comes in two types: system (changes menu design and embedded apps) and applications (only works on supported programs like YouTube or Telegram).We’ll show you how to configure both options, and we’ll also explain why some devices may not have the option or work with bugs. If your smartphone doesn’t support dark mode out of the box, don’t be too upset: there are workarounds even for older models on MIUI 10.

1. Standard method: Enable via MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in system options, which is suitable for most modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones on MIUI 11 and later.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Screen section (or Display on some firmware).
3. Select the item Dark Mode (in) MIUI 14/15 It can be called a color scheme).
4. Activate the switch in the position On. or select the option Dark.

On some devices (such as Xiaomi 12T or POCO X5 Pro), you can set your automatic turn on schedule by time or sunset/dawn. To do this, tap the Schedule and select the appropriate option. Note: if the Dark Mode option is not in the Screen menu, then your firmware does not support it - go to alternative methods from the following sections.

Update. MIUI last-minute|Make sure the battery is more than 20 times charged%|Close all background applications|Check the space in your memory (need to be filled). ≥1GB)-->

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 12.5 Enhanced (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra) after turning on a dark theme, the desktop wallpaper may reset. This is normal system behavior - just install the wallpaper again through Themes → My wallpaper.

2. Alternative method: via the Quick Settings Panel

If you're too lazy to go into settings every time, you can add a dark theme switch to the notification curtain, which works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Swipe down again to turn the full panel around.
3. Click on the icon. ⚙️ Edit (pencil) in the lower right corner.
4. Find the Dark Mode (or Color Scheme) tile in the list and drag it to the active area.
5. Click Ready – now you can turn on/off a dark theme with one tap.

On POCO F3 and other custom firmware devices, the tile may be called Night Mode or Dark Theme, and if it's not on the list, then your version of MIUI doesn't support this feature through the curtain, use the standard method in the first section.

Through screen settings |Through notification panel |Automatically scheduled |Not using dark theme-->

3. Dark theme for individual applications

Even if the system dark mode works, some apps (like Facebook or VK) may ignore it, in which case you need to customize the dark theme for each application.

• 📱 For Google Apps: Open the app (like YouTube or Chrome) → Settings → Theme → Choose Dark.
• 💬 For Telegram: Settings → Appearance → Select Night Mode and set up automatic turn on.
• 📘 For MIUI-Applications: Many built-in utilities (such as Calendar or Notes) automatically adjust to the system theme. If this does not happen, update the app through the App Store.

⚠️ Note: Some banking applications (e.g., SberBank Online or Tinkoff) may block the entry in dark mode due to security features, in which case temporarily switch to a light topic or use the read mode (about it in the next section).

4 Reading mode as an alternative to dark topic

If your device doesn't support a dark theme (like the Redmi 7A on MIUI 10), you can use Read Mode, which doesn't change the color scheme of the system, but filters blue light and makes the screen darker, reducing eye strain, and it activates this way:

1. Open the Settings → Screen → Reading Mode.
2. Turn on the switch and adjust the Color Temperature (Warm is recommended).
3. Activate the Schedule option so that the mode is turned on automatically in the evening.

The main difference from the dark theme is that the read mode does not change the color of the background in the applications, but only adds a yellowish hue, but it works even on the oldest Xiaomi smartphones and does not require a firmware update. For best effect, combine it with a decrease in screen brightness by 30-40%.

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On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro) reading mode combined with dark theme reduces power consumption on 15-20% compared to the light regime.

5 Hidden Settings: Enabling a Dark Theme through ADB

For advanced users who don't have a dark theme working in the standard way, there's an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method that works for MIUI 11-14 devices where the option is hidden by the manufacturer, which requires a PC connection and can cause crashes if executed incorrectly, use it at your own risk.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (in Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (Win + R → cmd).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Execute the command to include dark theme: adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 2 where 2 —Forced dark mode (forced dark mode).
4. Reboot your smartphone.

If the dark theme doesn’t appear after the reboot, try the alternative command:

adb shell settings put secure dark_mode 1

On some firmware (MIUI 12.5 for Redmi Note 9 Pro) only it works.

6. fix dark theme bugs on Xiaomi

Sometimes, when you turn on a dark topic, you have problems, like white bars on the menu, bad icons, or automatic shutdowns, and here's how to fix them:

• 🔄 Reset theme settings: Go to Settings → Topics → My themes, select a standard theme (like Default) and apply it. Then turn on the dark mode again.
• 📱 Cache Clearing: For system applications (such as Settings or Phone) perform Settings → Annexes → Application management → [select the application] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔧 Related: Retreat of the update MIUI: If bugs appear after the update, check firmware reviews on forums (for example, 4PDA). You may have to revert to the previous version via Fastboot.

On the POCO X3 Pro and other devices with MIUI 13, a bug is known when a dark theme is reset after a reboot.

adb shell cmd overlay enable-exclusive com.android.theme.color.dark

This command compels you to capture the dark theme at the system level, and then you can restart the device.

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If the dark theme is unstable, check for MIUI updates first. 80% of the time, bugs are fixed in the next firmware version.

7. Dark Theme on Old Xiaomi (MIUI 9-10)

Devices like the Xiaomi Mi A1, Redmi 5 Plus or Mi Max 2 don’t officially support dark mode, but there are workarounds:

1. Custom firmware installation: LineageOS or Pixel Experience firmware has a built-in dark theme, with the downside being the loss of MIUI features (e.g. Second Space).
2. Overlay apps: Utilities like Night Mode Enabler or Dark Mode for MIUI (available on Google Play) forcefully enable dark mode, but can cause lags.
3. Launcher Use: Launchers like Nova Launcher or Hyperion support dark wallpaper and icons, but do not change the system menus.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 9 (e.g. Redmi Note) 4X) Installation of custom firmware will unlock the bootloader, which can lead to loss of warranty.Before the procedure, make a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the dark topic on Xiaomi