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

Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones feature bright color displays, which is certainly pleasing when viewing media. However, prolonged interaction with bright colors often causes visual fatigue and excessive fascination with the gadget. That is why many users are looking for a way to make the screen black and white on the Xiaomi Android to reduce dopamine dependence on the device.

Turning on the grayscale mode isn't just an aesthetic experiment, it's a proven method of digital detoxification. When the redundant colors disappear, social media and games are no longer so attractive that you can focus on important tasks or just give your eyes a break. The MIUI and the new HyperOS shell have several ways to achieve this effect, from built-in accessibility features to advanced engineering menus.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all existing methods for converting the display to monochrome mode, you will learn how to set up automatic on schedule, what hidden commands can come in handy, and how to avoid common errors when changing the system settings of the display.

Why to Transfer the Display to Monochrome Mode

The main reason for the shift to black and white is because of perception psychology: Vivid app icons and red notifications are designed to attract attention and encourage re-interaction, and a monochrome screen strips the interface of that emotional coloring, turning the smartphone into a utilitarian tool.

Also, lack of blue spectrum and reduced overall brightness have a positive effect on circadian rhythms. Using a phone before bedtime in normal mode can interfere with melatonin production, whereas gray tones are perceived by the brain as less stimulating, especially for owners of models with AMOLED matrixes, where each pickle glows independently.

Also worth mentioning are people with eye sensitivity, who can be overly aggressive in their standard color scheme, causing pain and tears, and switching to gray mode allows them to work comfortably with text even with minimal lighting.

⚠️ Warning: Long-term use of monochrome mode can temporarily change your perception of colors on other devices. Don't be afraid if you find the color unnaturally saturated after turning off the functions - this is a normal adaptation of vision.

Using the Digital Well-Being Function

The easiest and safest way to do this, without having to root or install third-party software, is to set up the system, which Google introduced a few years ago, and Xiaomi's shells are fully customized for the user, ideal for anyone who wants to quickly switch to reading or concentration mode.

To activate the feature, you need to go to the Settings menu and find the Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls section, inside you need to find the Sleep Mode or directly Shades of Grey (depending on the version of MIUI), where you can not only turn on the mode manually, but also adjust its automatic activation on a schedule.

Importantly, in some firmware versions, this option may be hidden inside the E-book mode. If you don't find a direct switch, try activating the read mode and see if there's a color deletion option there. This system restriction is common in Chinese firmware versions.

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Use the Digital Well-Being widget on your desktop to quickly turn on black and white with a single touch, without going deep into the settings menu.

Set up the eBook mode through Special Features

Xiaomi devices are famous for their customization, and one of the unique features is the E-Book mode, which not only makes the screen black and white, but also optimizes the contrast of text, making it look like ink. You can find this feature in the Settings → Special Features (or Additional).

Unlike a simple gray filter, this mode often changes the screen refresh rate and font smoothing algorithms, which makes reading texts as comfortable as possible, but can lead to “tails” when you scroll through pages or animations of the interface, so it is better to use this mode for reading, not for everyday tasks.

When activated, the system may suggest choosing from several contrast profiles. Classic or Text mode usually gives the best readability/no color ratio. Experiment with settings to find a balance between clarity and comfort for your eyes.

Hidden opportunities through the engineering menu

For advanced users who didn't find the right option in the standard menu, there are hidden engineering codes, typing special commands into the Phone app allows you to access the diagnostic functions of the display, but be very careful: changing unknown parameters can lead to improper screen operation.

One common code for testing Xiaomi displays is ##6484##. Once in the testing menu, you need to look for sections related to the Display Test or Color Bar. Although there may not be a direct Black and White button there, some test modes allow you to force the color scheme to check the matrix.

It’s worth remembering that in the latest versions of Android and HyperOS, many engineering codes have been blocked or modified by the manufacturer for security reasons. If the code doesn’t work, don’t try to search for alternatives online without checking their relevance for your particular model.

⚠️ Attention: Engineering menus are for service centers.Advertently changing the parameters in sections marked as "Factory" or "Debug" may require reflashing the device to restore normal operation.

Use of third-party applications and launchers

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't seem flexible enough, Google Play apps come to your rescue. There are a variety of utilities like "GreyScale," "Night Shift," or "Twilight" that put a color filter over the system, they work on top of any interface and often have finer settings.

When you install this app, the system will ask permission to draw over other windows, which is a necessary step, because the filter must overlap all the programs you run, and once you grant permission, you can adjust the grayness, add a warm light filter, or even create a turn-on schedule.

• 🎨 GreyScale is a minimalist app that just makes the screen black at the touch of the widget.
• 🌙 Night Screen – combines black and white with a blue light filter for maximum comfort at night.
• 🤖 Accessibility shortcuts – some launchers allow you to assign the filter to be turned on for a long press of the volume button.

The downside of using third-party software is the increased power consumption, as the processor has to constantly recalculate colors in real time, and in games or watching videos, there may be delays or incompatibility of color profiles.

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Third-party apps give more control over shades, but consume more battery power than Xiaomi’s system settings.

The effect of black and white on the battery

Many users mistakenly believe that turning off colors saves battery life significantly, which is only partly true in practice and depends on the type of matrix on your smartphone. In devices with IPS screens that are lit up all over the area, changing the color of the pixels has little or no effect on power consumption.

The situation is different with the AMOLED and OLED matrixes, which are widely used in Xiaomi flagships, in which each pickle glows independently. The black color on such displays means that the pickle is turned off. Therefore, if the interface and wallpaper are completely black, and not just gray, you can achieve real energy savings.

However, the gray mode does not usually make black absolutely black (#000000), but only desaturates the image. So you should not expect a twofold increase in autonomy. Real savings are achieved only when using True Black themes in combination with monochrome mode.

Frequent problems and their solution

When switching to monochrome mode, users may encounter a number of artifacts, such as photos in a gallery that may not display correctly, retaining color even when the filter is turned on, because some applications have their own color rendering, which is more important than system settings.

Another common problem is sticking, and sometimes when you turn off the color function, it doesn't come back, and the screen is faded, and that's when you just reboot the device or temporarily switch the theme to the standard and back.

• 🔄 Reboot – the first action on any visual glitches after changing the display settings.
• 🎨 Changing theme – helps to reset the cache of color profiles of the shell MIUI.
• 📱 Safe Mode – If the problem persists, check if the installed application conflicts with the system filter.

If the screen has turned black and white on its own, without you, check the accessibility settings. It may have been activated by a random touch or through a voice assistant. It's also worth checking if there's a system update installed that could have reset your personalized profiles.

⚠️ Note: If the screen has turned black and white after a phone drop or moisture hits, and software methods do not help, this may indicate damage to the display plume.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions