Modern flagship smartphones Xiaomi and Redmi often have displays with high refresh rates, but not all applications support this mode by default. Users often face a situation where games or heavy interfaces run at 60 frames per second, although the screen is physically capable of more.
Raising frame rates to 120Hz dramatically changes visual perception: animations become smoother and object movements in games become clearer. However, the standard settings menu does not always give full control over this parameter. In some cases, the system forcibly resets the frequency to save battery power or due to the limitations of the optimizer.
In this article, we will explore proven methods for activating maximum hertz, including the use of engineering menus and hidden options. You will learn to bypass software locks and make the screen work to the limit of your capabilities. It is important to understand that interfering with system settings requires care, but the result is worth it.
Preparation of the device and compatibility check
Before you go into action, you need to make sure that your device technically supports a high refresh rate. Not all matrixes are the same: even if the specs are claimed 120 Hz, in certain modes of operation or at low brightness, the screen can switch to 60 Hz. Check the model of your smartphone in the specifications on the official website.
It's also worth upgrading your MIUI or HyperOS operating system to the latest version available. The company's engineers are constantly working to optimize display drivers, and new firmware often fixes bugs that interfere with the high hertz. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for updates.
Pay attention to the temperature of the case. If the smartphone overheats, the system automatically reduces the frame rate to protect the processor. Before setting up, make sure that the device is not under direct solar load and not running in the background of resource-intensive tasks.
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Use FPS monitoring apps to see in real time if the screen is running at its maximum frequency after making changes.
Basic configuration through the system menu
The most obvious but often ignored step is to properly configure the standard interface, and Xiaomi’s update frequency management is placed in a separate subsection where you can choose whether you want to prioritize performance or energy saving.
Go to the settings menu and find the screen and brightness option. Here you are interested in the option Update Frequency. The system will offer several options, among which you need to choose Maximum or 120 Hz. If you choose Default, the phone will decide when to increase the hertz, which is not always effective.
Some models have Adaptive Update, which dynamically changes frame counts from 1 to 120 based on content, and games are better off setting a fixed value to avoid micro-twitching when you change a picture.
- 📱 Open Settings and go to the Screen section.
- ⚙️ Find the Update Frequency and select 120 Hz.
- 🔋 Turn off the power saving mode, which can block the high hertzovka.
- 🎮 In the game settings, check for a separate frame rate slider.
Using the Engineering Menu to Unlock
If standard settings don't work, you can turn to a hidden engineering menu, a powerful tool for diagnosing and fine-tuning equipment, available through special code in the Phone app.
Dial ##6484##. CIT (Customer Integration Test) will open. You need to find a display test here. Depending on the firmware version, the path may vary, but it's usually Version or Display. Look for the line responsible for Refresh Rate.
What if the code doesn't work?
Be careful: changing the parameters in the engineering menu can lead to unstable system operation. If you are not sure about your actions, it is better not to change the values marked as Default. Your goal is to find the parameter associated with FPS or Refresh Rate and switch it to the active state.
⚠️ Warning: Do not change the voltage or color calibration parameters in the engineering menu without knowing exactly what they are intended for, which can cause color displays to be incorrect or damage to the matrix.
Developer settings and debugging over USB
To get deeper into the system, you’ll need to activate developer mode, which will open up access to additional graphics settings that can help force 120Hz into applications where this isn’t provided.
To activate the menu, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI version. After the notification “You became a developer” appears, return to the main settings menu and select Additional → For Developers.
In the list of options, find the section related to graphics. We are interested in the possibility of disabling optimization. HW-Acceleration or refresh rate control. You can also find a command to force it to turn on. 4x MSAA, This will improve the quality of the graphics, but will increase the load on the GPU.
adb shell wm size 1080x2400
adb shell wm density 440Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands, you can change system settings that are not available through the interface, and you can use commands to reset the display settings or force the resolution to be set, which sometimes shakes the system and forces it to apply 120 Hz.
☑️ Checking the developer's settings
Comparison of high hertz activation methods
There are several ways to achieve the desired smoothness, and each has its own characteristics, depending on your technical background and the specific model of the smartphone, some are safer, others give a more radical result.
The table below compares the basic 120Hz unlock methods. Evaluate the risks and effectiveness of each approach before starting the procedure.
| Method | Difficulty | Risk of failure | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| System settings | Low. | Absent. | Medium |
| Engineering menu | Medium | Medium. | Tall. |
| ADB team | Tall. | High-pitched | Maximum |
| Third-party annexes | Low. | Low. | Low. |
It's worth noting that using third-party apps from the Play Market store often gives the illusion of change: they can show 120 FPS in benchmarks, but the real rendering will remain at 60 frames.
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The combination of system settings and MIUI optimisation disablement gives the best balance between stability and performance.
Optimizing MIUI and removing restrictions
The MIUI shell is known for its aggressive energy savings, which often stifles background processes and limits frame rates in games. To unlock full potential, you need to configure the optimizer.
Go to the Security app, then to the Battery, find settings for specific games or applications, and select No Limits mode, which will prevent the system from reducing the frequency of the processor and screen while the program is running.
Also on the Developer menu is the option "Disable MIUI Optimization," which requires you to enter your Mi Account password and reboot, and then the system becomes less stringent to background processes, which can positively affect the stability of the FPS.
- 🚀 Enable Performance Mode in the Battery Menu.
- 📉 Turn off animations in the developer menu (scale) 0.5x).
- 🧹 Clear the system cache before testing the new configuration.
- 📡 Make sure that the Turbo mode is not turned on in the browser if you are testing web content.
Frequent problems and ways to solve them
Even after all the instructions are followed, nuances can arise, for example, in some applications (Instagram, TikTok), high hertz may not work due to lack of optimization by application developers, in which case modified versions of the applications can help.
Another common problem is screen flickering or artifacts, which is a sign that the chosen frequency is unstable for the current brightness or temperature. Try to lower the brightness or close out excess background applications.
If 120Hz is lost after resetting or updating your firmware, check the region of the device. In some regions (e.g. Europe), there are stricter power consumption rules that programmatically limit the maximum refresh rate of the screen.
⚠️ Attention: Constant 120Hz screen performance significantly increases battery consumption.If autonomy is a priority for you, use Adaptive Mode or return 60Hz in standby mode.