How to Make a Black and White Screen on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Smartphone users are increasingly thinking about digital detox and reducing visual load on the eyes. The black and white mode (Grayscale) on Xiaomi and Redmi devices is becoming a powerful tool to combat addiction to bright notifications and colorful app icons. Translating the display into a monochrome format makes using the gadget less attractive to the brain, which helps reduce time spent on social networks.

There are several ways to change the color palette of the display, from standard system settings to the use of special engineer codes. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to make a black and white screen on Xiaomi using built-in Digital Wellbeing and Reading Mode, as well as touch on advanced methods of setting up through ADB.

Before making any changes, it is important to understand that each method has its own characteristics and that some methods allow you to include monochrome on a schedule, while others require manual switching, the choice of the best option depends on your goal: protecting your vision or combating procrastination.

Using Digital Wellbeing Mode for Monochrome

The most civilized and safe way to turn your Xiaomi into a focus tool is to use the Digital Well-Being feature, which requires no third-party software installation and is built into the MIUI or HyperOS shell, and is specifically designed for those who want to temporarily reduce the appeal of the interface.

To activate, you need to open the standard Settings app and find the Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls section, and inside the menu you need to select the option "Sleep Mode" or "Bedtime Mode," and that's where the color scheme switch is hidden, and activating this mode translates the entire interface into Grayscale, making the screen black and white.

It's important to note that this mode often works on a schedule, so you can set the black and white screen to automatically turn on at certain times, like 23:00 to 7:00, which helps your body prepare better for sleep, because the lack of bright colors reduces the stimulation of the nervous system.

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Digital Wellbeing mode can be configured to turn on automatically when connected to a home Wi-Fi or in a specific location.

Set up the E-Ink Reading Mode on Xiaomi

The second popular method is a specialised read mode that emulates electronic ink (E-Ink), which, unlike Digital Wellbeing, is tailored to consume text content, but is also used for general use, and is available in most modern Redmi Note models and Xiaomi Mi flagships.

To activate this function, go to Settings and select Screen. In the list of options, find Reading Mode. Switch the switch to active state and select Monochrome or Classic. The system will suggest adjusting contrast and color temperature to achieve the effect that is as similar as electronic paper.

The thing about this is that it can be selectively used, and you can set it up so that black and white is only for certain applications, like a browser or a book reader, leaving the rest of the programs in color, and it's a flexible solution for those who don't need total monochrome.

Engineering menu and hidden codes for changing the palette

For advanced users who want to access the deep display settings, there is an engineering menu that allows you to change the color scheme at the driver level. Be careful: Carelessly changing the settings can lead to incorrect display of colors even after resetting.

To enter the engineering menu on Xiaomi smartphones, you use a special code in the Phone app. Dial the combination ##6484## or #4636##. In the CIT (Customer Identity Tool) menu, you need to find the section associated with the display (usually marked as "Display" or "Color").

⚠️ Note: Changing the parameters in the engineering menu can lead to software failure. Before making changes, it is recommended to make a full backup of data or at least remember the original values of the parameters.

Not all MIUI models have a direct Grayscale switch on this menu, and often you just check the pixels, but if your region or firmware version allows, you can find the Color Temperature setting and move the saturation sliders to zero, which visually gives a black and white image.

Comparison of methods: characteristic table

To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you determine which method best suits your current tasks and device model.

As you can see from the table, for most users, embedded software will be the best solution. It requires no special knowledge and is easy to turn off at any time. The use of ADB or engineering menus is justified only in specific cases where standard functions are blocked by the manufacturer.

Using ADB for Forced Grayscale

If the standard menus don’t work, you can use USB debugging and Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tools, which allows you to embed commands directly into the Android system, bypassing the limitations of the MIUI shell. You will need a computer and installed ADB drivers.

The first step is to activate the developer mode on your smartphone, and to do this, seven times click on the build number in the About Phone section. Then, in the Developer menu that appears, turn on USB Debugging. Connect the phone to your PC and enter the following command in the command line to translate to color blindness simulation mode:

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_inversion_enabled 1

However, it is more effective to create a black and white image (rather than inversion) is the use of color scheme simulation commands. com.android.internal.color_scheme.grayscale (If it is supported by Android, or if it is supported by specialized scripts, it will allow you to fix the monochrome mode at the system level.

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Using ADB gives you maximum control, but requires a PC and basic command line knowledge. When you reset your phone settings, changes can be lost.

Effects of monochrome screen on health and productivity

Moving to a black and white screen is not just a visual experiment, it's a powerful way to combat dopamine addiction: bright red notices and motley news feeds are designed by UX/UI engineers to attract attention. By removing color, we remove one of the main triggers that makes us endlessly scrolle the tape.

Grayscale also significantly reduces eye strain in low light conditions. While it is better to use night mode (warm light) to read text in the dark, removing the color completely makes the interface less contrasting and aggressive, which is especially true for people with increased light sensitivity.

Psychologists have noted that using a phone in black and white helps you complete a task faster and put the gadget away. The brain stops seeing the device as a source of entertainment and begins to see it as a utilitarian tool. Try to hold on to it for at least one day to feel the difference in concentration.

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