Transparent screen on Xiaomi: how to enable the effect of the “glass” display without risk to the system

Introduction: What is a “transparent screen” and why you need it

The transparent screen effect on Xiaomi smartphones is a visual trick in which the interface MIUI It's translucent, mimicking the glass surface, and it's not only futuristic, it also helps to reduce eye strain by providing a gentler contrast between the background and the controls. For example, in a dark topic, transparency makes icons and texts “float” above the background, which is especially noticeable on the background. AMOLED-screens (like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro).

However, it is important to understand that Xiaomi does not officially provide the “full transparency” feature in standard settings. All methods described below either use hidden MIUI options or require third-party tools. This means that some methods can cause shell malfunctions or conflict with system applications (for example, with miui.system). Before you start, check the version of your firmware in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – instructions are relevant for MIUI 12-14.

Method 1: Enabling transparency through hidden MIUI settings

The safest method is to activate the translucence through the MIUI lab, which is available on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, which does not require root rights and runs on firmware without modification.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to the About Phone section.
3. Tap 5-7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You became a developer!” appears.
4. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional settings → Developer settings.
5. Activate the switch Turn on the MIUI Lab (if not, skip this step).
6. Return to Settings → Themes and select a theme marked “Transparent” (e.g. Transparent Dark).

If there are no transparent options in the theme list, try installing them through the MIUI Themes Store.

• 🔍 Open Topics → Online and type in the search for “transparent».
• 📥 Download your favorite theme (e.g. Glass Morphism or Frosted Glass).
• ⚙️ Apply it and check the effect in the Settings menu → Display. → Screen style.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) after applying a transparent theme, the icons in the notification panel may disappear. To return them, restart the phone or reset the theme to a standard one.

Method 2: Use of the ADB-Forced Transparency Teams

For advanced users willing to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there is a way to force the transparency of system menus, which is suitable for devices on MIUI 13/14 and requires a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed.

Connect your phone to your PC, enable USB Debugging in Developer Settings and execute the following command in the terminal:

adb shell settings put global force_transparency 1

After the device is restarted, system menus (such as Settings or Notification Panel) will become semi-transparent. To undo changes, use:

adb shell settings put global force_transparency 0

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) K50 Gaming) this command can cause display artifacts in games or applications with high graphics load. Before using, create a backup through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC|

Enable debugging over USB in developer settings|

Connect the phone with the original cable |

Check the connection with the team `adb devices`-->

Method 3: Applications for simulating transparency

If you don't like the system, you can use third-party applications that don't change the MIUI at the firmware level, but just put transparency on top of the interface.

• 📱 Transparent Screen Simulator (Play Market) – adds a translucent overlay to the desktop, supports setting up a level of transparency (from 10% to 90%).
• 🎨 Glassify blurs the background behind icons and widgets, mimicking the effect of Frosted Glass (as in macOS.
• 🖼️ Live Wallpaper: Transparent – animated wallpaper with the effect of “glass”, which visually make the screen transparent.

These applications have limitations:

• ❌ Do not affect system menus (e.g., settings remain opaque).
• ❌ They may conflict with gestures. MIUI (For example, swipe up to return to the main screen).
• ❌ Increase battery consumption by 5-15% due to the constant operation of the overlay.

For installation:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Grant permission to Overlay over other windows in Settings → Apps → Special Permissions.
3. Set up a level of transparency in the app menu.

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If gestures stop working after installing the overlay, try turning off the “Show over system windows” function in the application settings or reducing the overlay area.

Method 4: Castomy through Magisk and Xposed

For users with an unlocked bootloader and Magisk installed, modules are available that profoundly modify the MIUI interface. One of the most popular is the MIUI Transparency Enabler, which adds transparency to:

• 📱 Notification panel and fast settings curtain.
• ⚙️ Menu Settings and dialog windows.
• 🔍 Search bar and multitasking panel.

Installation:

1. Install Magisk Manager and check root status.
2. Download the MIUI Transparency Enabler module from the XDA Developers or 4PDA forum.
3. Install the module through Magisk → Modules → Install from storage.
4. Reset the device.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ Full transparency in all system menus.
• ✅ Setting up the background blur level.
• ✅ Compatible with most devices on MIUI 12–14.

⚠️ Note: Installing modules via Magisk may cause SafetyNet to fail, causing banking applications (such as SberBank Online or Google Pay) to stop working.

Method 5: Manual editing of system theme files

This method is only suitable for advanced users, as it requires direct intervention in MIUI files. The essence is to change the transparency parameters in the themes files located along the /system/media/theme/default path.

• 📱 Root access or TWRP.
• 💻 Code editor (e.g, MT Manager or Solid Explorer).
• 🔧 Backup copy of original files.

Instructions:

1. Create a backup of /system/media/theme/default folder.
2. Open the file. colors.xml text-edit.
3. Find the lines with the parameters background_alpha and change the meaning of c FF (opaque 80 (translucent) or 50 (This is a very transparent example: <color name="background_alpha">#80000000</color>
4. Save the file and restart the device.

This method gives maximum control over the appearance, but is fraught with consequences:

• ❌ File errors colors.xml This can lead to bootloop (cyclic reboot).
• ❌ After updating MIUI change.
• ❌ Some apps (such as Google Chrome) may not display correctly.

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Editing system files is the riskiest method, and if you are unsure of your skills, use alternative methods (themes or ADBs).

Possible problems and solutions

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, you may encounter bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If after applying transparency, the phone started to slow down, try:

• 🔄 Reverse changes (for example, disable) ADB-command or remove the Magisk module).
• 🧹 Clear the system cache through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.
• 🔋 Calibrate the battery (discharge to 0% and charge to 100% without interruptions).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the transparent screen on Xiaomi