How to Make Always On Display on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: 3 Proven Ways

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is still one of the most popular smartphones in the budget segment, but many users are faced with the lack of the feature Always On Display (AOD) — a constant display of time and notifications on the locked screen. Unlike the flagship models of Xiaomi, where AOD is available out of the box, on the Redmi Note 7 this feature has to be activated manually.

In this article, we will discuss three working methods for enabling Always On Display: through hidden MIUI settings, using third-party applications (without root rights), and by manually editing system files for advanced users, and you will learn why the feature may not work on some firmware, how to minimize battery consumption, and what alternatives exist to save power.

Important: All methods are tested on Redmi Note 7 with MIUI 10–14 firmware (including global and Chinese versions).If your smartphone runs on custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), some methods may not work, we will warn you about this separately.

What is Always On Display and Why is it Not on Redmi Note 7?

Always On Display (AOD) — This is a feature where the screen of the smartphone remains partially active even in the locked state, showing the time, date, battery level, notifications and other widgets. AMOLED-Matrices (blacks remain off), which minimizes energy consumption.

Redmi Note 7 is equipped with IPS LCD-A display that doesn’t support partial pixel inclusion, which is a key reason why Xiaomi hasn’t officially added a new pixel. AOD But there are workarounds:

• 🔹 Software emulation – the screen is fully turned on for a few seconds with a given frequency (for example, every 10 minutes).
• 🔹 Approximation sensor – the display is activated when you bring your hand.
• 🔹 Modification of system files – forced inclusion of hidden functions MIUI (caution).

It is worth noting that on the Redmi Note 7 Pro (with AMOLED-display) Always On Display works out of the box, but for the standard model you will have to use one of the methods described below.

Method 1: Enable Always On Display through Hidden MIUI Settings (without ROOT)

The safest method is to activate the hidden Ambient Display feature, which is in MIUI firmware but is disabled by default, which works on most versions of MIUI 11-14 and does not require superuser rights.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##6484###
2. You'll see the MIUI Testing menu. Select Ambient Display Settings.
3. Turn on the Enable Ambient Display switch.
4. Set up the parameters: 🕒 Display duration – display time (recommended 5-10 seconds). 🔄 Wake on notification – wake up at notifications. 🌙 Night mode – darkening in the dark.

Save the settings and restart the smartphone.

If ##6484## doesn’t work, try the alternative path.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone.
• 🔘 Press 5-7 times on the item Version MIUI, The message is, “You’ve become a developer!".
• 🔧 Return to the main settings, open additionally → For developers.
• 🔍 Find the Ambient Display option and turn it on.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ The screen will be turned on completely (and not partially, as on the screen). AMOLED), Increases battery consumption.
• ⚠️ On some firmware, the function may be reset after the update.

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If after activation of AOD smartphone began to discharge quickly, reduce the display time to 3-5 seconds and turn off the awakening from notifications.

Method 2: Apps for Always On Display (without ROOT)

If the hidden MIUI settings didn't work, you can use third-party apps. We tested 5 popular utilities and selected the two most stable ones for the Redmi Note 7:

We recommend AcDisplay – it is optimized for IPS-It's a display, it uses minimal power:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Grant permissions to Overlay over other windows and Ignore battery optimization.
3. In the application settings, select: 🕐 Display mode → Active (constant display). 🔋 Battery optimization → Low power. 🎨 Theme → Minimal (for saving charge).

Activate the service in the notification curtain.

Important: After installation, check if MIUI is blocking the application in the background.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find AcDisplay (or another app).
3. Select Auto Start, Background Activity and No Limitations.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the Redmi Note 7 to your PC and allow debugging.
2. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
3. Ambient Display: Adb shell settings put global ambient_display_enabled 1
4. Activate the wake-up from notifications: adb shell settings put global ambient_display_notification_enabled 1
5. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

If the AOD did not work after the reboot, try additional commands:

adb shell settings put secure doze_enabled 1


adb shell settings put secure doze_always_on 1

Warnings:

⚠️ Attention, misuse ADB This can cause firmware failure. Before executing commands, back up via Mi. PC suite TWRP.

⚠️ Attention, some firmware. MIUI 12+ These commands may not work because of changes in system settings, so try the method with third-party applications.

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ADB-It's the most native Always On Display, but it requires technical skills. If you're not sure what you're doing, use the applications in Method 2.

How to Calibrate Always On Display to Save Battery

Even after successful activation, the Redmi Note 7 AOD can discharge faster than usual. To minimize consumption, follow these tips:

• ⚡ Reduce the display time to 5 seconds (in the Ambient Display or App settings).
• 🌑 Use dark themes – black background reduces the load on the IPS-matrix.
• 🔔 Turn off unnecessary notifications – each signal wakes up the screen.
• 🔋 Activate adaptive brightness and set a minimum value for AOD.
• ⏰ Set up a schedule, for example, AOD only works at night.

To check the actual battery consumption:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Use.
2. Find an AOD app (like AcDisplay) and look at the percentage of consumption.
3. If the flow rate exceeds 10% in 8 hours, reduce the activity of the function.

Comparison of battery consumption:

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you configure Always On Display on the Redmi Note 7, users encounter typical errors.

• 🚫 AOD not activated after setting up → Check if it's blocking. MIUI Background activity of the app. Also try to turn off the power saving mode.
• 🔄 The function is reset after rebooting → For ADB-The following is the command: adb shell settings put global ambient_display_persistent 1
• 🔋 Battery discharge too fast → Reduce the brightness AOD 10-20% and turn off animations. AMOLED, Switch to AcDisplay.
• 📵 The screen does not respond to gestures → Enable the option "Double tap to wake" in the settings MIUI (Settings → Lock screen → Double touch to wake up).

If none of these methods worked, maybe your firmware has been heavily modified, and then it'll help:

• 🔄 Reflashing to a stable global version MIUI (for example, MIUI 12.5).
• 🛠️ Installation of a custom core with support AOD (demand TWRP and root-right).

Always On Display for Redmi Note 7

If you haven’t managed to set up your AOD or battery consumption is too high, consider alternative ways to display information on a locked screen:

• 🔔 Notifications on the lock screen Enable notifications in Settings → Lock screen → Notifications on the lock screen. Minus: the screen is turned on only when new messages are sent.
• ⏰ Time widgets on the lock screen Use widgets from Google Clock or Digital Clock Widget. They show the time without constant backlighting.
• 💡 Blow buttons at notifications Include in Settings → Notifications → LED indicator (does not work on all firmware).
• 📱 Configure Google Assistant to voice command time (e.g., “OK, Google, what time it is?").

For users who are ready for experiments, there is another option - install custom firmware with support AOD. For example, Pixel Experience or Havoc OS Always on Display, optimized for IPS-But that requires unlocking the bootloader and having the TWRP, that voids the guarantee.

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If you only need quick access to time, double tap to wake will save you battery and eliminate the need for AOD.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions