The fingerprint unlock animation on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a visual effect, but part of the MIUI brand identity that many users want to personalize. Standard animation (usually a white flash or wave) gets boring over time, especially if youβve been using the device for a long time. Fortunately, the manufacturer and third-party developers offer several ways to change it, from official settings to hidden features through ADB.
In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of changing the animation of the fingerprint scanner on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO, including models with AMOLED-screens (where the effect is visible brighter) and devices based on MIUI 12-14. Importantly, not all methods are universal β some require an unlocked bootloader or root rights, and others only work on specific firmware.
Why Users Want to Change Fingerprint Animation
The reasons for personalizing fingerprint scanner animation on Xiaomi are diverse:
- π¨ Aesthetic diversity: A standard white flash or blue wave looks dull after months of use.
- π Change of subject MIUI: If you have a dark or colored theme, the unlock animation can be dissonant with the overall style.
- π± Distinguished from other devices: forums often share unique animations that you want to try on your smartphone.
- π Battery optimization: on AMOLED-Static or dark animations consume less energy than bright flashes.
According to a 4PDA survey, 68% of Xiaomi users have tried to change the unlock animation at least once, but only 30% were able to do so without using root rights. The main problem is the lack of an obvious item in the MIUI settings.
Method 1: Change animations via MIUI settings (without root)
Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi has added a limited ability to change the animation of the fingerprint scanner right in the settings.This method works on most modern devices (Xiaomi 12/13/14, Redmi Note 11/12, POCO F4/F5), but the choice of options is minimal - usually available 2-3 preset styles.
To find this section:
- Open Settings β Screen β Unlock animation (on some firmware, the path may differ: Settings β Display β Additional β Unlocking Effects).
- Select the βFingerprintβ option (if not, your model does not officially support this feature).
- View the available animation options (usually "Wave", "Flash" and "Point").
- Click on your favorite style and confirm the choice.
If there is no such section in your menu, it means:
- π± You have an outdated model (until 2020 release).
- π Your firmware hasn't been updated to MIUI 12.5+.
- π οΈ The manufacturer has disabled this feature for your region (often found on global versions).
Update MIUI to the latest version
Make sure your fingerprint is added to the system.
Check the presence of the section "Unlock animation" in the settings
Make a backup copy of the data (in case of failure)-->
Method 2: Change animation through ADB-Teams (without root but with PC)
If the official method does not work, you can use it. ADB-This method does not require root rights, but will require connecting the smartphone to the computer and enabling debugging. USB. The advantage of the method is access to hidden animations that are not in the standard settings.
Step-by-step:
- Turn on USB debugging: Go to Settings β About Phone β MIUI version and press 7 times to activate Developer Mode. Return to Settings β Additional β For Developers and turn on βDebugging by USBβ.
Connect your smartphone to your PC
Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (macOS/Linux)
ADB
official website of Android
Take the commands in turn.
adb shell
settings put global fp_animation_style 1Here, 1 is the animation ID. The values available are:
- 0 - Standard wave (by default)
- 1 - flash
- 2 - dot (for AMOLED)
- 3 - Gradient wave (not on all models)
- Reboot your smartphone so that the changes take effect.
What if the ADB canβt see the device?
β οΈ Note: Some users report that after the animation change, ADB The fingerprint scanner starts to slow down. If that happens, return the standard value with the command:
adb shell settings put global fp_animation_style 0Method 3: Install custom animation via Magisk (root required)
For those willing to go further, it is possible to install fully custom animations through Magisk modules.
- π Unlocked bootloader (bootloader unlock).
- π± A Magisk (or other root rights manager).
- π οΈ Backup of data (in case of trouble).
The most popular module for this task is Fingerprint Animation Changer, which can be found on the XDA Developers forum or in the Magisk repository.
- Download the module (for example, from here) and save it in the memory of the phone.
- Open Magisk Manager, go to the Modules section and click "Install from Storage".
- Select the downloaded file and confirm the installation.
- Reset the device.
- After the reboot, open the module app (usually the βFP Animationβ icon appears) and select your favorite animation from the list.
β οΈ Note: Not all custom animations are model optimized. On some devices (Xiaomi) 11T, Redmi K50) After installation of the module, the scanner lighting may disappear:
1. Remove the module via Magisk. 2. Clear the cache to Settings β Applications β Application Management β FP Animation. 3. Try another module (e.g., "AOD Fingerprint").
π‘
Before installing the module, check the reviews on its page - some animations may conflict with MIUI 14.
Comparison of methods of changing animations: what to choose
To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:
| Method | Need root? | Difficulty | Risks. | Available animations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official settings of MIUI | β No. | β Very simple. | Absent. | 2-3 variants |
| ADB-team | β No. | ββ Middle-Average | Scanner glitches possible | 4-5 hidden options |
| Magisk modules | β Yes. | βββ Hardly. | System failure, loss of warranty | 100+ Custom Animations |
| Third-party annexes | β No, but permissions are required) | ββ Middle-Average | Viruses, unstable work | 5-10 options |
For most users, the best solution is to combine ADB and official settings, and if you want unique effects (like animations like iOS or Samsung), youβll have to unlock the bootloader and use Magisk.
π‘
If youβre unsure of your skills, start with official settings or ADBs β these methods donβt violate warranty and roll back easily.
Frequent problems and their solutions
When you change your fingerprint animation, you're going to have a few common problems, and here's how to solve them:
- π The animation doesn't change after ADB-Commands: Check if your model supports this feature (POCO X3, Redmi 9) parameter fp_animation_style Try to type the command: adb shell settings list global | grep fp If no output is available, the function is not supported.
- π΅ Scanner stopped working after animation change: Reset scanner settings in Settings β Passwords and security β Fingerprints. β Remove all prints, then add them again.
- π Increased battery consumption: Bright animations (especially on the AMOLED) can consume up to 5% Choose a dark style or turn off animation altogether with the command: adb shell settings put global fp_animation_style -1
If none of these methods worked, your Xiaomi model might be using a hardware scanner (rather than a screen scanner) where the animation is hard-wired into firmware, in which case only flashing it to a custom version of MIUI (e.g. xiaomi.eu) will help.