Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco often face intrusive behavior of the system when running their favorite entertainment. Instead of the usual interface or standard zoom, the application is forced to unfold to the full screen, hiding system indicators, bangs or a cutout under the camera. This phenomenon, known as full screen mode, is designed to immerse the user in the gameplay, but in practice often causes inconvenience. Games can be displayed incorrectly on screens with non-standard proportions, and accidental touching of the edges of the display leads to control errors.
The problem is relevant for both older versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS. The system automatically detects the application as a game and applies special display settings to it. Unfortunately, the recognition algorithm does not always work perfectly, and ordinary applications can be perceived as games, or vice versa – the desired settings do not apply. Disabling the mode often requires intervention in the hidden settings of displaying specific applications. In this article, we will discuss all available ways to return comfortable control and remove unnecessary black bars or stretched images.
There are several methods of solving the problem: from standard settings on the menu to the use of engineering codes. The choice of the specific method depends on the model of your device and the version of the software. Some users prefer to put up with inconvenience, but for a comfortable game in strategies or shooters, where every pixel of the view is important, the correct screen calibration is critical. Below we will look at each step in detail so that you can choose the best option.
Why Xiaomi Games Are Going Full Screen
The main reason for the forced deployment of applications lies in the logic of the Android shell in conjunction with MIUI. The system seeks to use all available matrix area to ensure maximum immersion. To do this, a special mode is activated that hides the navigation bar, status bar and other system elements. However, if the game is not optimized for modern aspect ratios, such as 20:9 or 21:9, the image can be stretched, distorted or cut at the edges.
Another factor is the Game Turbo, which automatically adds running apps to the list of games and applies the performance and display profile to them. Often, Game Turbo settings block the ability to exit full-screen mode or change orientation. Understanding how this mechanism works allows you to effectively control the behavior of the system.
Hardware is also important to consider: Smartphones with a cutout in the screen ("drop", "hole", "island") require special treatment of areas around the camera. If the application does not support these areas correctly, the system can either block them with a black bar or allow content to enter under the camera, which looks unaesthetic, and the management of these parameters is in the deep settings of the system.
⚠️ Note: Change the display parameters in the engineering menu or through ADB This can cause the interface to malfunction. Before making changes, make sure you understand the consequences of your actions.
Configure via the menu "Advanced settings"
The safest and most affordable way to change the behavior of applications is to use the standard settings menu. In the shells of MIUI and HyperOS, there is a separate section dedicated to full-screen applications. Here you can manually specify to the system exactly how to display a particular game, which avoids global changes and affects only the necessary software.
To access these options, you need to go to Settings, then select Advanced Settings (or Additional) and find Full-screen Mode. The list that opens will display all installed applications. The switch next to the game name activates or deactivates the mode. If the switch is off, the application will work in standard mode with the system frame.
Some versions of the firmware may have slightly different paths, such as settings that can be hidden inside the Screen or Display menu. If you can't find the right item, search by settings by typing in "full screen." The system will tell you where the menu is, and this is especially true for users who have upgraded to the latest version of HyperOS, where the menu structure has been redesigned.
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Use the search in the settings (the magnifier icon at the top) to instantly find the Full Screen Mode menu without wandering through sections.
It is important to note that settings may require restarting the application. If there are no visual changes after changing the switch, completely close the game through Task Manager and run it again, in most cases this action will activate the selected display profile.
Using Game Turbo to control the screen
Game Turbo is the centerpiece of Xiaomi's gaming ecosystem, and it not only boosts performance, but also controls the interface. Inside the Security app or the separate Game Turbo widget, you can find settings for each app you add, and that's where the keys to managing full-screen mode often hide.
Go to the Security app, scroll down to the Game Turbo section. In the upper right corner, click on the settings icon (cogs). Here you will find the option Additional settings or Game settings. Select a specific game from the list. The control menu may have options that prevent automatic screen rotation or capture orientation, which indirectly affects full-screen mode.
Game Turbo also has a Sidebar feature, which you swipe while you're playing, you can access quick settings, sometimes you have a brightness or navigation button that can interfere with the full screen, and you can turn off the sidebar to help you get back to standard behavior.
☑️ Checking the Game Turbo settings
It’s worth remembering that Game Turbo can aggressively impose its rules.If standard methods don’t help, try removing the game from the Game Turbo optimized list.This will deprive you of game bonuses, but return the standard behavior of the application as a regular program.
Adjustment of the cutout and screen area
For devices with a notch camera cutout (notch), MIUI and HyperOS have a special feature to hide or display this area, which is directly related to how the application occupies the screen space, and if the game can not work with the cutout, it can either block it with a black stripe or stretch under it.
To manage this, go to Settings → Screen (or Advanced Settings) → Screencut (or Cutout Management). Here you will see a list of applications. For each game, you can choose from three modes:
- 🔵 Automatic: The system decides how to display content based on the compatibility database.
- 🔴 Hide the cutout: The top of the screen is darkened by a black stripe, turning the cutout area into part of the frame, which is useful for older games.
- 🟢 Show cutout: Content is displayed throughout the area, including the area under the camera, which maximizes the workspace.
Choosing a Hide Notch mode often solves the problem of incorrect full-screen mode, because it forcibly changes the proportions of the useful area for the application. The game begins to think that it has a screen with a frame, and stops stretching over the entire display. It is an effective "crutches" that works 90% of the time.
| Display mode | Impact on play | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Automatically. | System solution | For modern, optimized games |
| Hide the cutout | Adds a black stripe | If the interface gets on the camera or distorted |
| Show the cutout | Maximum area | For games with support for any screen proportions |
| Standard. | No change. | If the application is not on the list of exceptions |
Hidden settings of the developer and ADB
If standard methods fail, you can turn to deeper system settings. Android developer mode contains parameters that affect window behavior and zoom. To activate this mode, go to Settings → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI version (or OS version).
Once activated, the Advanced Settings menu will have a Developers option, and we're interested in the Drawing section, and you can find options like "Forced rectangular area definition" or zoom settings, but the most effective way for advanced users is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands.
With help. ADB You can forcefully change the parameter. window_manager. The team looks something like this:
adb shell wm size resetThis command resets the screen resolution to factory, which can remove the artifacts of full-screen mode if they were caused by previous changes. You can also try resetting a particular application through ADB, which will return it to default behavior. Be careful: improper use of commands can lead to the need to reset the phone settings.
Risks of using ADB
Solving navigation and gesture problems
Often, confusion with full-screen mode arises from a conflict between system navigation (gestures or buttons) and the game interface. MIUI has a separate setting that hides gesture prompts in full-screen mode, which can create the illusion of "sticking" the interface.
Go to Settings → Additional → Full-screen mode (or similar path in your version). Make sure the correct profile is chosen for the problem game. It is also worth checking the System Navigation settings. Switching from gestures to the classic three buttons (or vice versa) can force the window manager to restart and reset the erroneous mode.
In some cases, cleaning the cache of the System UI application helps. This will not delete your data, but will update the graphical shell. To do this, go to Settings → Applications → All Applications, find the System Interface and click Clear Cache. After that, the phone should be rebooted.