How to reduce the scale and font of Xiaomi

Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with high-quality displays with high resolution, but standard system settings do not always meet the needs of users. Often there is a situation where the elements of the interface seem too large, taking up extra space and reducing the amount of information displayed. Scaling is a process that allows you to change the size of objects on the screen, making them more compact and easy to perceive advanced users.

Redmi and Poco users often face the need to optimize their workspace, and by reducing elements, they can see more text in the browser, more rows in tables, or simply make the font more elegant, and it's important to understand that changing these parameters affects not only system fonts, but also the location of buttons, app icons, and menu indents.

Before we make any changes, it’s worth noting that there are safe methods and riskier ways through the engineering menu. In this article, we’ll look at all the options available, from standard availability settings to hidden developer features. Changing the DPI density below 360 units can lead to some applications not adapted to compact interfaces being misrepresented. Be careful when choosing a method and follow the instructions so as not to disrupt the MIUI or HyperOS operating system.

Basic font setting and screen size

The easiest and safest way to reduce interface elements is to use built-in system tools. Xiaomi provides flexible personalization tools that do not require root rights or third-party software installation. You need to go to the Settings menu → Screen → Text Size and Display. Here you will see a slider that adjusts the font size.

Moving the slider to the left reduces character size in all supported applications. However, it only affects the text, not the size of buttons or icons. For a deeper setup, the same menu often has a separate element size regulator, or "Scale," which you compress the entire graphical shell, making the interface denser.

If standard sliders are not enough, the system offers additional options, for example, in some versions of the firmware, the “Big Mode” feature is available, which, on the contrary, you need to turn off if it is activated by default on tablets or models with large diagonals. It is also worth checking the theme of the design, since some third-party themes may ignore the system zoom settings.

After making changes, the system may require a reboot or a brief blink of the screen. This is normal behavior, indicating that the interface is redrawn. If you don't like the result, you can always return the sliders to their original position. Remember that too small a typeface can adversely affect readability in bright sunlight.

Using Developer Mode to Change DPI

For those who lack standard settings, there is a more powerful tool – changing the density of dots per inch (DPI). This parameter determines how many pixels are per inch of the physical screen. DPI causes the system to think that the screen has a higher resolution, and, accordingly, reduces all interface elements.

To access these settings, you need to activate the developer menu. Go to Settings → About your phone and quickly click 7 times on either MIUI Version or OS Version. Once you have become a developer, go back to the main settings menu, go to Additional Settings → For developers. Find the section related to drawing or rendering, and select Smallest Width.

• 📱 Remember the original value: before changing, be sure to write down the number that is indicated there so that you can return everything back.
• 📉 Smooth change: change the value in small steps (for example, +20 or +30 units), checking the result after each action.
• ⚠️ Critical threshold: Do not set the value below 300-320 dpi, as the interface may become unreadable and some control buttons inaccessible.

⚠️ Attention: Abrupt change DPI A very high value can cause you to not be able to press the back button or enter the settings menu to return the changes.

This method is particularly effective for users who want to achieve the effect of a tablet interface on a smartphone or vice versa – to make the phone more informative. Many applications, such as browsers and instant messengers, will automatically adjust to the new pixel density, providing more content on a single screen.

Setting up the screen resolution in the engineering menu

A more advanced level of customization is changing the physical resolution of the matrix. Some Xiaomi models allow you to switch the screen resolution programmatically, which directly affects the clarity and size of objects, this is done through an engineering menu that requires caution when using.

To enter the engineering menu, open the Phone app and dial the combination ##6484## or ##4636##. The interface may vary depending on the Android version and the type of processor (Snapdragon or MediaTek). You need to find the partition associated with the display (Display) or Common. Here you can find the option to change the resolution, for example, from 2400x1080 to 1200x540 (which will make the picture larger), or, conversely, set the native resolution for maximum detail.

But if you want to reduce the elements, you need to make sure that you have the maximum native resolution that the matrix supports. Often, the default resolution is lowered in order to save energy. By switching it to maximum, you automatically reduce the size of all the pixels, making the image sharper and the elements smaller.

It’s worth noting that changing the resolution can affect gaming performance and battery life. Higher resolution requires more GPU resources. If you notice the device heating up or quick discharge after the changes, it’s better to return the default settings.

Comparison of scaling methods

The right method depends on your goals and level of training, and each method has its own advantages and disadvantages that must be considered before making changes to the system. Below is a comparative table of the main methods for reducing interface elements.

As you can see from the table, for most users, the best solution is to combine the font slider and the scale of the display, which gives 90% of the desired result without the risk of damage to the system, and the DPI method should be used only if standard tools are absolutely not enough.

Engineering menus and resolution changes are for enthusiasts who understand what specific parameters are responsible for, and errors here can lead to the need to flash the device, which is a time-consuming process that requires a computer and special drivers.

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Use pre- and post-change screenshots to visually compare the result and understand which parameter has given the best effect to your eyes.

Compatibility issues and application adaptation

When you zoom in, you may find that some apps will not display correctly, because many developers test their products at standard resolutions and densities, and when you compress the interface, controls can bump into each other or become too small to press a finger accurately.

Especially often, problems arise in banking applications, messaging apps, and old games, in which case the text may crop and buttons may become inactive. If you notice that after setting up the DPI, an application has stopped working normally, try adding it to the exception list or temporarily returning the standard density values.

• 📱 Messengers: Telegram and WhatsApp can individually adjust the font size in the applications themselves, ignoring the system settings.
• 🌐 Browsers: Chrome and other browsers allow you to scale pages with a pinch, which compensates for system changes.
• 🎮 Games: in games change DPI It can cause the interface to shift off the screen, making the game unplayable.

⚠️ Note: Some security applications and banking services may block devices with changed system settings (especially if root access was obtained for deeper changes.

To solve problems with specific applications, it often helps to clear the cache after changing the screen settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, select the problem application and click “Clear Cache.” This will cause the application to recalculate the size of the elements at the next start.

Additional features of the theme and fonts

And remember the built-in MIUI theme store, which offers a huge amount of customization, and many users don't know that there are themes that are originally designed with more compact interface elements, and installing a theme like this can solve the problem without having to go into technical settings.

Go to the Themes app, search for "Small," "Compact," or "Minimal." See the screenshots in the themes. Often, authors create modifications to the system interface, where icons and fonts are reduced by default, and this is the most aesthetic way to get what you want, because the theme designer has thought through a combination of all the elements.

In addition, third-party fonts can be downloaded separately in the theme settings. Some fonts (such as Roboto Thin or specialized system fonts) visually seem smaller and thinner than standard ones, which also creates the feeling of a more compact and neat screen, which can be downloaded through the Profile menu in the the theme app or download font files (.mtz) from trusted sources.

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The combination of a compact theme, thin font and slightly enlarged DPI gives the best visual result without loss of functionality.

Experiment with combinations. Sometimes just changing the font to a narrower one is enough to hold a lot more text on the screen, and it looks much more natural than artificially compressing the interface through DPI.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)