How to turn on the black and white screen on the smartphone Xiaomi: all ways

Why You Need a Monochrome Theme on Xiaomi and How It Works

The black and white screen mode on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a design solution, but a useful feature for different scenarios. First, it reduces eye strain, especially in the evening or when working with texts for a long time. Secondly, the monochrome interface helps to save battery power on devices with a AMOLED-And finally, it's a mode that's used by people with a fear of light or by people who want to minimize distractions, like students in school).

In MIUI firmware, black and white mode is implemented at the system settings level, but its activation depends on the version of the shell and the smartphone model. On new devices (for example, Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12), the function can be called “Color filter” or “Gray gradation mode”, whereas on older models (before MIUI 12), it has to be enabled through hidden settings for developers. It is important to understand that the monochrome mode works globally – it affects all applications, games and system menus, except for some media files (for example, YouTube videos will remain color).

Another nuance: on some Xiaomi devices, the black and white filter automatically turns off when you connect to Miracast or other devices. HDMI. This is due to the limitations of the display drivers, and if you want to be monochrome, you'll have to use alternative methods, like apps from Google Play or something like that. ADB-team.

Method 1: Enabling through special features settings

The easiest way to activate a black and white screen is to use the built-in Color Filter feature in the special features section, which works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to the Special Opportunities section (sometimes called Universal Access).
3. Select the Color Filter (or Color Correction) option.
4. Activate the switch and select Gradation Gradation.
5. Adjust the filter intensity with a slider (if available).

On some devices (such as the POCO F5 or Xiaomi 12T), this section may be in a different way: Settings → Screen → Color Mode. If you do not find the Color Filter, try searching by settings – type in the query “gray gradations”.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 13/14 When you activate the color filter, you may notice that some applications (such as a camera or gallery) will not work properly.

Update the firmware to the latest version MIUI|Check the battery charge (not below 30%)|Close all background applications|Backup your screen settings (optional)-->

Method 2: Using a Developer Mode

If your version of MIUI doesn’t have a built-in color filter, you can turn on the black and white screen through the developer settings, which works on most Xiaomi devices, including older models like the Redmi 4X or Mi A2.

Steps:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Find the MIUI Version and tap it 7 times in a row until you become a developer!

Settings

For developers

Simulation of anomalies of vision

Simulate color space

monochromasia

Monochromacy

Confirm the changes, the screen will immediately turn black and white.

This method has one drawback: the filter is reset after rebooting, so to return the color display, you have to re-enter the developer settings and select the option "Disabled", and note that some devices (for example, the POCO X3 Pro) may not have this item, in which case try the next method.

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If the screen becomes too dark after activating the monochrome mode, increase the brightness manually or turn on adaptive backlight in the display settings.

Method 3: Google Play Apps for Forced Monochrome

If system methods don’t work or you need more flexible color management, you can use third-party apps. Google Play has several proven utilities that allow you to turn on a black and white filter even on devices without built-in functionality.

The best applications for this task:

• 🔹 Gray Scale Mode is a simple utility with the ability to quickly turn on / off monochrome mode through the notification panel. Supports setting the intensity of the gray filter.
• 🔹 Night Shift — in addition to night mode, has the option of full gray gradation. Works without root rights, but requires permission to overlay on top of other applications.
• 🔹 Color Blindness Simulator – originally designed to test color perception, but can be used as a permanent black and white filter.

How to install and configure:

1. Download one of the applications at the link above.
2. Open it and provide all the necessary permissions (access to screen settings, overlay over other applications).
3. Select Gray Gradation or Monochrome mode.
4. Activate the filter – it will work until you turn it off or uninstall the application.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. banking or with) DRM-A security like Netflix can block third-party filters, in which case the screen will temporarily return to color mode.

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Method 4: ADB-Compulsory Incorporation (for Advanced Enabled Enablers)

If you need a permanent black and white display that doesn’t reset after rebooting, you can use it. ADB-This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and basic command line knowledge, but gives maximum control over the settings of the display.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer (you can download from the official website of Android Developers).
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Go to Settings → For developers. Activate the USB Debugging switch.

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 1

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer 0

Restart the device and the changes will take effect.

To return color mode, run the same commands, but with 0 instead of 1 in the first line.This method works on most Xiaomi devices, including the Redmi K50 and POCO F4 GT, but may require unlocking the bootloader on some models.

Comparison of methods: which to choose for your Xiaomi model

Not all ways to turn on a black and white screen are equally effective, and the choice of method depends on the model of the smartphone, the version of MIUI and your tasks, and below is a comparative table with the pros and cons of each option.

For most users, the best solution is the first or second way, which is that they don't require additional software and they work consistently. AMOLED-screen, better to use ADB or special applications, as they allow you to more accurately adjust the intensity of the filter.

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On devices with MIUI 14 and later, black and white mode can be quickly enabled through the notification panel, adding a shortcut to the quick settings.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When activated in black and white, Xiaomi users sometimes experience problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 The screen flashes when switching between apps - this is due to a conflict of graphics drivers.Solution: disable animation in the developer settings (Scope of animation window) = Off.).
• 📱 The filter doesn't apply to wallpaper or icons -- check if the theme is used with a forced color scheme. MIUI Default.
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge in monochrome mode – paradoxical, but on some devices (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) The color filter increases energy consumption. Solution: Use it. ADB-teamwork.
• 🎮 Games remain colored – many games (e.g. Genshin Impact or scalable games) PUBG Mobile) ignores system color settings. Solution: use the forced-overdraw Gray Scale Mode app.

If the smartphone starts to slow down after activating the monochrome mode, try clearing the graphics driver cache: go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots (menu) → Show system → SurfaceFlinger and click Clear Cache. This helps in 70% of the cases of freezes associated with color filters.

⚠️ Note: On custom firmware devices (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the system methods for turning on the black and white screen may not work correctly. ADB third-party.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions