Shifting the screen of Xiaomi’s smartphone to black and white is not just a tribute to retro style or a way to save battery power, but also an effective tool for digital hygiene. Modern OLED and IPS matrixes that are equipped with Xiaomi and Redmi devices can display billions of shades, but sometimes color reproduction becomes an unnecessary distraction. Monochrome interface helps reduce visual noise, causing the brain to react less to bright icons of applications and notifications.
There are several ways to get the desired effect, from the usual features of the MIUI or HyperOS system to deep tuning through the engineering menu. Digital well-being is a built-in mechanism that allows you to activate the Rest or Sleep mode, turning the display into an e-book. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods in detail so that you can choose the most suitable for your model.
It's worth noting that changing the color scheme affects not only the desktop, but all running apps, including the gallery and the browser. This can be useful for people with hypersensitive eyes or for those who want to minimize the time spent on social networks. Let's take a look at how exactly this feature is implemented in the Android ecosystem on devices from the Chinese manufacturer.
Using the Digital Well-Being Mode
The easiest and safest way to make the screen black and white on Xiaomi is to use the built-in Digital Wellbeing tool. This part of the system is designed specifically to monitor the time spent in front of the screen, and includes a feature called "Sleep Mode" or "Rest" that desaturates the image. You do not need third-party apps or root rights, since the functionality is available "out of the box" on most current versions of the firmware.
To activate, you need to go to the system settings and find the corresponding menu item. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI 12, 13, 14 or the new HyperOS, but the logic remains the same. Once you turn on the mode, the colors will disappear, and the interface will become completely monochrome, which immediately reduces the craving for aimless flipping of the tape.
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If you want to temporarily return colors, just turn off the "Rest" mode in the same menu without restarting the device.
It's important to understand the difference between a night mode that only makes the image warmer and a full black and white mode, which removes all color information, leaving only gradations of gray, and this is especially effective in the evening, when the bright light of the display interferes with the production of melatonin.
- 📱 Open the settings on your smartphone.
- ⏱️ Find the Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls section.
- 🌙 Select the item Sleep or rest (name depends on localization).
- 🎨 Activate the Shades of Grey switch or set a schedule.
Configure through special capabilities (Accessibility)
The second method involves using features for people with visual impairments. In the Accessibility section, Android hides powerful content management tools. One of them allows you to force the entire interface to be monochrome regardless of the application you run, and the good thing is that it works at the system level and is independent of timers or schedules.
To activate this feature, you'll need to go to the advanced availability settings. On some versions of Xiaomi firmware, this item may be called "Visibility Improvement" or "Color Correction." If you turn on the corresponding switchboard, you'll notice an instant change in the color palette in all menus.
⚠️ Warning: Activating some accessibility features can change the behavior of touch controls or voice assistants, so read the description of each option carefully before turning on.
The advantage of this method is that it's stable, and if Digital Well-Being mode can automatically shut down when an alarm clock or a timer is over, then setting up the accessibility section will work until you turn it off, ideal for those who want to keep the screen in black and white for energy or concentration.
- 👁️ Go to Settings. → Advanced settings.
- ♿ Select the Special Opportunities section.
- 👆 Find the Visibility Improvement or Visualization tab.
- ⚫ Enable the option to Use Monochrome Mode (if available in your version).
Hidden settings through the engineering menu
For advanced users who are not afraid to experiment, there is access to the Android Engineering Menu, a hidden diagnostic interface that allows you to test display components, including color profiles. However, be extremely careful: changing the settings in this menu can lead to incorrect display of colors even after you leave the test mode.
The engineering menu is logged in through a special code set in the Phone app. Once you enter the command, you will see a list of tests where you want to check the display, and there is often the option to switch between different color schemes, including grayscale.
##6484##Once you enter this code (or something similar to your model, like ##4636##), the test menu will open. Find a Color Test or Display Test item. There may be a mode switch button inside. Remember, these settings are for engineers in the factory, and they are temporary until you reboot or reset the settings.
What if the code doesn't work?
Using filter apps from Google Play
If Xiaomi’s regular tools don’t provide the right functionality or work incorrectly, you can always turn to third-party solutions. There are many applications in the Google Play store that create a translucent black layer on top of the interface that mimics a black and white image, often called “Grayscale Mode”, “Night Screen” or “Blue Light Filter”.
They work by overlaying a color filter, and unlike system settings, these applications require permission to display over other windows, which may slightly increase RAM consumption, but gives more flexibility in controlling saturation.
| Annex | Type of filter | Advertising | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grayscale Mode | System overlay | Low. | There is. |
| Night Screen | Color filter | Average. | No. |
| Twilight | Adaptive light | Low. | No. |
| Screen Balance | RGB Correction | Minimum | There is. |
When choosing an app, look at the reviews and the date of the last update. Older programs may not work properly on Android 12, 13 or 14 due to changes in the system's security policy.
- 📥 Download the verified app from Google Play.
- 🔓 Give permission to display on top of other applications.
- 🎚️ Set up the dimming degree or select "Grayscale" mode".
- ▶️ Start the service and check the result on the desktop.
Effect of monochrome mode on the battery
Many users are wondering: does a black and white screen really save power? The answer depends on the type of matrix of your Xiaomi smartphone. If you have a device with an OLED or AMOLED screen (for example, the Mi series, Xiaomi 11, 12, 13, Redmi Note Pro), then switching the interface to black and white mode can give a small increase in autonomy.
The point is, OLED-In the matrix, each pixel glows independently, and the black color on these screens means that the pixel is completely off and does not consume energy. Although the interface doesn’t turn completely black (it’s gray), reducing the brightness of subpixels and simplifying color rendering theoretically reduces the load on the power controller.
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Nana IPS-There will be no energy savings in screens (budget models of Redmi), since the backlight burns constantly regardless of the color of the image.
But the main effect is still psychological: When the screen becomes dull and dim, the user instinctively spends less time on bright, sticky apps like Instagram or TikTok. Less screen time is on, more battery is saved. This is an indirect but very effective savings.
Problem Solving and Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes, after the monochrome mode is turned on, artifacts can arise: some interface elements remain colored, or buttons become poorly distinguishable, this is due to the fact that individual applications can ignore the system color reproduction settings or use their own themes.
In such cases, it is recommended to check for MIUI/HyperOS updates, as developers often fix such compatibility bugs. Also try to clear the cache of the problematic application or reinstall it. If the screen has become black and white on its own and you can not return colors, check if the color inversion or sepia mode is accidentally enabled in special features.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to change the display configuration files in the root folder of the system without a backup – this can lead to inoperability of the touchscreen or complete absence of the image.
If none of these methods work, you may have limitations on your device model from the manufacturer or carrier, and in rare cases, a full factory reset helps, but before you do that, you should save important data.
- 🔄 Restart the device in Safe Mode to check for conflicts.
- 🗑️ Remove newly installed apps that affect the screen.
- 🛠️ Reset the display settings in the Settings menu.