How to make a bright theme on your Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Why Users Choose a Light Theme and When to Use It

The bright interface theme on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a matter of aesthetics, but a practical choice that affects perception, eye comfort, and even battery power. Unlike the dark mode, which has become the de facto standard for most users, the light interface has its own unique advantages, such as improving readability in bright light, reducing eye strain during daylight hours, and visually “easier” the perception of content for people with certain visual characteristics.

However, not everyone knows that MIUI (branded shell Xiaomi) light theme is not always activated in one click. Depending on the phone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.), the version of the firmware and regional settings, the path to its inclusion may differ. Moreover, after system updates, some parameters are reset, and users have to adjust the the theme again. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to switch to the light interface, from standard to hidden.

It's important to understand that light theme in MIUI is not just a color inversion, but a full-fledged design package that affects system applications, notification menus, and even some third-party programs. If you find that after changing the theme, individual elements remain dark (for example, a keyboard or a browser), this is not a bug, but a feature of implementation.

Method 1: Switching through standard MIUI settings

The most obvious and versatile method is the use of built-in shell tools, which is suitable for most models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO based on MIUI 12-14, the main advantage of this method is that it does not require the installation of additional applications and works even on budget devices like Redmi A2 or POCO C55.

To activate the bright theme:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Screen section (or Display in some versions).
3. Select Dark Mode (may be called Dark Theme Mode).
4. Switch the slider to off position or select the Light option (if you have a choice between automatic, dark and light modes).

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra), this path may be slightly different:

• 🔹 Settings → Display. → Display style → Bright topic
• 🔹 Settings → Additionally. → Colours and fonts → Mode of the topic

⚠️ Note: If system applications (such as Camera or Gallery) remain dark after switching to light mode, this means that they use their own theme settings. They will have to be customized separately (for this, in the next section).

Is the display settings open?|Dark Mode Slider in the Off Position."?|Reload your phone after the changes?|Have system application settings been checked?-->

Method 2: Using the Themes app for deep customization

Themes (or Themes) is a powerful MIUI customization tool that not only changes wallpaper and icons, but also completely transforms the system’s color scheme. Unlike the standard switch in settings, you can choose specialized light themes that affect even those elements that usually remain dark (for example, the notification bar or the Quick Settings menu).

Instructions for the use of a bright theme through the Topics:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with a palette of colors).
2. Go to the My (or Profile) tab in the lower menu.
3. Click on the icon. ⚙️ Theme settings (usually in the upper right corner).
4. Select the Color Scheme or Theme Style.
5. Activate the option Light or Day mode.

If built-in options are not enough, you can download third-party themes:

• 🎨 In the Topics app, go to the Online tab.
• 🔍 In the search bar, enter queries: a bright topic MIUI 14, white theme for Redmi or minimal light theme.
• ⬇️ Download your favorite theme and apply it (click Apply after downloading).

💡

If some elements are left dark after applying the theme, try clearing the theme app cache in your phone settings (Settings → Apps → Application Management → Themes → Storage → Clear the cache).

Method 3: Set up a light theme for individual applications

One of the things about MIUI is that some system and third-party applications have their own theme settings that don't depend on the global settings of the system, which means that even if you've activated light mode in your phone settings, individual programs can stay dark. Let's look at how to fix this for key applications.

Xiaomi system applications:

• 📷 Camera: Open the app, swipe left to the section Additional → Settings → Dark mode. → Off.
• 📁 Files: Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Dark subject matter → turn off.
• 🎵 Music: Profile → Settings → Appearance → Bright topic.

Third-party annexes:

• 📱 WhatsApp: ⋮ → Settings → Topics → Light.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as YouTube or Instagram) do not support forced theme switching through settings MIUI. In this case, only manual adjustment within the application itself or the use of specialized utilities will help (see Method 4).

Camera.|gallery|Settings|Google Chrome|Telegram|Other-->

Method 4: Forced inclusion of a light theme through the developer (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t work, and you need to force all interface elements to light mode, you can use hidden settings for developers. This method is suitable for users who are not afraid to “dig” into system parameters, but require caution – improper actions can lead to malfunctions in the shell.

Algorithm of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times in a row) After that, a new section For Developers will appear in the settings.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the option Forced Light Theme (or Override Force-Dark) and activate it.
4. Reboot your phone to make the changes take effect.

This parameter causes MIUI to ignore the dark theme settings in all applications, including those that are not normally manually configured.

• ⚠️ It can lead to visual artifacts in some applications (e.g. black text on a dark background).
• ⚠️ Not working in MIUI 14 on some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro).
• ⚠️ Resets after resetting settings or updating firmware.

Method 5: Third-party applications for theme management

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, you can use third-party utilities that offer advanced customization options, such as Hex Installer or Substratum, which allows you to use light themes even at the system file level (though this will require root rights), a simpler option is utilities like Dark Mode Manager, which switch the topic globally, including those applications that usually ignore system settings.

Top.-3 Applications for theme management on Xiaomi:

• 📱 Dark Mode Manager – allows you to force on light mode for individual applications, even if they do not support this option by default.
• 🎨 Swift Installer is an advanced tool for customizing the interface, including color schemes. It works on the basis of Substratum, but has a more friendly interface.
• 🔧 Tasker – for automatic switching of the topic by time of day or geolocation (for example, a bright theme during the day, dark theme at night).

Example of Dark Mode Manager:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Provide all necessary permissions (including Special Access in Android settings).
3. In the main menu, select Global Theme → Light.
4. Add to the exceptions those applications that should remain dark (optional).

⚠️ Note: Forced theme switching applications may conflict with system processes MIUI, especially on devices with MIUI 13/14. Before using, back up your data or restore point in Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Problem Solving: Why a Light Theme Doesn't Work or Is Reset

Even after you set up the light theme correctly, Xiaomi users sometimes find that the interface spontaneously returns to dark mode or individual elements are displayed incorrectly, the reasons for this can vary from firmware bugs to battery optimization conflicts.

Problem 1: Theme resets after rebooting

• 🔋 Reason: Battery optimization blocks application operation.
• 🛠 Solution: Open Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Battery → No restrictions.

Problem 2: Some apps are still dark

• 🖥 Reason: The app uses its own theme logic, ignoring system settings.
• 🛠 Solution: Set up the theme within the app itself or use Dark Mode Manager (see Method 5).

Problem 3: Light Theme is not working properly in MIUI 14

• 🐞 Reason: Firmware bug associated with new theme management mechanism.

💡

If a light theme is not stable, check for firmware updates first. Xiaomi regularly releases patches that fix interface-mapping bugs.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the bright topic on Xiaomi