Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones periodically encounter a visual artifact, popularly called the “double screen,” a phenomenon where the image on the display begins to double, superimpose itself or display with unnatural indentations, can be caused by software failure or incorrect interface configuration. Dual image is often confused with physical damage to the matrix, but in most cases the problem lies in the logic of the operating system MIUI or HyperOS.
Before you take your device to the service center, you should try software correction methods. Often the reason lies in changed zoom parameters or fonts that the system did not have time to correctly count after the update. The most common reason for visual double-up is a failure in the system launcher or conflicting accessibility settings. If you notice that the icons have become blurry and the text is difficult to read due to “shadow”, you need to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of the settings.
⚠️ Warning: Before making changes to system settings, be sure to back up important data to eliminate the risk of information loss when accidentally resetting parameters.
Diagnostics of the problem: software failure or matrix
The first step is to determine the nature of the defect. If the “dual screen” manifests itself as static stripes or color distortions that are visible even in the boot menu (before the Xiaomi logo), then it is a hardware breakdown. In this situation, the software methods are powerless and a replacement of the display module is required. However, if the double screen only appears after the desktop load or in certain applications, the problem is software-based.
Check if the physical angle of the screen has changed or if there have been bumps. Mechanical pressure on the matrix can cause temporary optical distortions, resembling double. If the phone fell, but the screen is intact, and double appeared after installing Android updates, then most likely the calibration data of the touchscreen or video driver was lost. Software bug often occurs due to overflow of the GPU cache.
For initial diagnosis, you can use the engineering menu. Enter the phone app code ##64663## and select the display test. If the test mode is clean and the system doubles, look for the cause in third-party apps or design themes.
Setting the scale and size of the font
The most common cause of overlay artifacts is incorrect font size or interface scale. In the MIUI shell, these parameters are responsible for individual sliders, which at extreme values can cause rendering failures. To fix this, go to the Settings menu → Screen → Text and display.
You need to return all sliders to default or standard. If you use a larger font to improve readability, try changing it smoothly, making small pauses between switches. A sharp change in zoom can lead to the system not having time to redraw the interface elements, and they will remain in the form of "tails" or double contours.
Also worth paying attention to the size of the interface elements. Reducing or enlarging icons without restarting the launcher sometimes causes visual noise. Once you change the settings, be sure to fully reboot the device with the power button so that SystemUI applies the new configurations correctly.
☑️ Checking screen settings
Using the Developer Mode
If standard settings didn’t help remove the dual screen, you’ll need access to hidden system settings. Developer mode allows you to control the minimum screen width (DPI), which directly affects the pixel density and rendering of items. To enter this menu, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI build number.
Once you activate the menu, find the Advanced Settings or Advanced Settings section, then the Developer section. In the list of options, find the Minimum Width (or Smallest Width). DPI change is a powerful tool, but it requires caution. Write down the original value (usually in the 360 to 420 range for modern models) so you can go back to it.
Try changing the value by 10-20 units to a higher or lower side, then click Apply and restart the phone, which causes the system to recalculate the grid of all elements, which often eliminates the overlay artifacts.
What happens if the screen turns black after the DPI change?
⚠️ Note: Do not set extreme values DPI (less than 200 or more than 600) because it may render the interface unusable and require data resetting.
Resetting launcher settings and design themes
Visual distortions resembling dual screen often cause third-party themes downloaded from the Themes store. Poorly optimized themes may contain errors in the icon and widget rendering code. To check, go to the Themes app, select your profile, and activate a standard Classic or Default theme.
If the theme replacement didn’t work, clear the system launcher data. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, search the System Launcher list. Click Clear and select Clear All Data. This action will return the desktop icons to factory status, removing possible cache conflicts.
It's also worth checking the background processes that are running. Some applications, especially those that put filters on the screen (vision protection, night mode from third-party developers), can create a double effect. Close all applications through the multitasking menu and check the result in the clean state of the system.
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Use Safe Mode for diagnosis: press the switch off button, and when the power-off icon appears, press and hold it for a few seconds until the prompt to go to Safe Mode appears. If there is no double-out in this mode, the third-party application is to blame.
Comparison of methods of removing artifacts
To systematize the approach to solving a problem, it is convenient to use a comparison table, which will help you choose the method that is most likely in your situation, based on your symptoms.
| Method of decision | Efficiency | Difficulty | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tweaking font and scale | High (for PO) | Low. | No. |
| Changing DPI in the Developer | Medium | Medium | Low. |
| Launcher reset | Tall. | Low. | No (only icons) |
| Full reset (Wipe Data) | Maximum | Tall. | Total loss. |
As you can see from the table, it is always the least invasive way to start, and launching is a safe procedure that doesn't involve personal files, photos or contacts, but only restores order on the desktop, and only if simple methods don't work, you should think about more radical measures.
Radical measures: resetting and reflashing
If none of the above methods eliminates the dual screen, the last software option is a complete factory reset, which will delete all user data, apps and settings, returning the phone to the “out of the box” state.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” The process will take a few minutes, after which the phone will restart. Even if the clean software without installed applications has a double effect, it is a direct signal that the display plume or image controller is malfunctioning.
In rare cases, flashing the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool helps, which allows you to replace damaged system files that could have been affected during the failed “over the air” update. However, given the complexity of the procedure and the risk of “bricking” the device, this operation is better entrusted to specialists.
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If a complete reset and flashing did not remove the double, the problem is hardware in nature and requires replacing the display or plume in the service center.