How to remove a dark theme on Xiaomi phone: all the ways for MIUI 12-14

The dark theme on Xiaomi smartphones has become a standard option with the release of MIUI 10, but not all users like it. Some prefer the classic light interface because of better readability in daylight, some just used to traditional design. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disable dark theme on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices – from basic settings to hidden features for power users.

It is important to understand that the manufacturer regularly updates the MIUI interface, so the location of some menu items may vary depending on the firmware version. We took into account the features of the latest versions of MIUI 12-14 (2023-2026) and prepared universal instructions. If your smartphone is running on an older version, check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

Before you start making changes, note that some apps (like Google Chrome or YouTube) may ignore the theme’s system settings and use their own, which will require you to customize each program separately, as we’ll discuss below.

1. Standard method: through display settings

The easiest method to disable a dark theme is to use the built-in MIUI settings. This method works on all modern Xiaomi smartphones regardless of the model and firmware version (if there were no deep customizations).

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Display section.
3. Select Dark Theme (some versions may call Dark Theme Mode or Color Scheme).
4. Switch the slider to the off position. or select the Light option.

Changes will be applied instantly – the system interface, standard applications (Messages, Contacts, Phone) and programs supporting the system theme (Google Play Market, Gmail) will return to light design.

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If some elements of the interface are black after disabling the dark theme, restart the smartphone, which will help to apply the changes to all system processes.

2. Customization via "Themes" (for MIUI 12 and later)

MIUI 12-14 has a separate Theme section, where you can not only change wallpaper and icons, but also control the color scheme, which is especially useful if the standard disconnection through the Display did not work.

How to change the subject:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (icon with brush on the home screen).
• 🎨 Go to the My Themes tab (bottom of the screen).
• 🔍 At the top of the screen, find the Color Scheme or Theme Style section.
• ☀️ Choose the Light option (can be called Daylight or Standard).

In the same section, you can download alternative light themes from the official Xiaomi store. For example, the Pure White theme offers a white interface with minimalist icons. Note that third-party themes may require additional permissions when installing.

3. Automatic switching on schedule

If you don’t like manual switching all the time, but you don’t want to completely abandon the dark theme, set up automatic time-of-day change. This feature is available in MIUI 11 and later.

Algorithm of settings:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Dark Theme.
2. Activate the option Automatically (or on schedule).
3. Specify the time of inclusion of dark theme (for example, from 21:00 to 7:00).
4. For fine-tuning, you can use Sunrise/Sunset – the theme will change depending on the real time of day in your area.

This method is convenient for those who want to save battery power at night (dark theme reduces power consumption on the basis of the energy consumption of the battery). AMOLED-It's a light interface, but it's a light interface, and remember that to function properly, you need to allow Dark Theme to access the location.

4. disabling dark theme for individual applications

Some programs (such as Google Chrome, Telegram or VK) ignore the system settings and use their own dark theme, in which case you will need to customize each application separately.

Common algorithm:

• 📲 Open the desired application.
• ⚙️ Go to its settings (usually an icon with three dots or a gear).
• 🌓 Find the Topic, Appearance or Design section.
• ☀️ Choose Light, Day or System (if available).

For popular applications, there are features:

Update the application to the latest version|Check the theme settings inside the program|Restart the application after changes|Clear the cache if the topic doesn’t change-->

5. Resetting themes to factory settings

If after numerous experiments with themes, the interface began to work incorrectly (for example, some elements remain black despite the light theme included), resetting the design settings will help.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Topics list and select it.
3. Press the storage (or memory)
4. Choose Clear Data and confirm the action.
5. Reboot your smartphone.

After the reboot, the standard light MIUI theme will be used, and all previously downloaded themes will have to be re-installed, which also helps if the interface display is problematic after the firmware update.

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The reset does not affect user data (photos, contacts, messages), but removes all installed wallpaper and design styles.

6 Problems and Solutions: If the Dark Theme Is Not Turned Off

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a dark topic remains active despite all attempts to turn it off.

Problem 1: After turning off the dark theme, some elements remain black.

⚠️ Attention: This may be due to the cache of system applications.Try clearing the cache for Settings, Launcher and Themes via Settings → Annexes → Application management. If it doesn't work, reset as described in the previous section.

Problem 2: Some apps (like Google Play Store) don’t change the theme.

Decision:

• 🔄 Update the problem app to the latest version.
• 🗑️ Clear the cache and app data.
• 🔧 Check the theme settings inside the app itself.

Problem 3: After the MIUI update, it is impossible to turn off the dark theme.

⚠️ Note: Some regional versions of firmware (e.g. for the European market) may force a dark theme to be activated to save energy, in which case only flashing to the global version will help. MIUI or reversing to the previous stable version.

In the Xiaomi 12/13 Pro models with MIUI 14 based on Android 13, a new feature called “Adaptive Color Scheme” has been introduced, which can automatically adjust the shades of the interface. To completely disable the dark theme, you need to deactivate this option in Settings → Display → Adaptive Colors.

7. Alternative methods for experienced users

If standard methods don't work, there are additional tools that can be used, and these methods require more knowledge and can affect the stability of the system.

Method 1: Use of the ADB-team

For advanced users, it is possible to disable a dark theme through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is relevant if the system settings are blocked.

adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 1 # Includes light theme (1)


adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 2 # Includes dark theme (2)




adb shell settings put secure ui_night_mode 0 # Follows system settings (0)

Before using ADB, you need to activate Developer Mode and allow USB debugging in the smartphone settings.

Method 2: Editing the build.prop file

Power users can manually change the system setting that is responsible for the theme, which requires:

1. Get root access (unlock the bootloader and Magisk firmware).
2. Open /system/build.prop file in text editor.
3. Add qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 and persist.sys.ui.night=no.
4. Save the changes and restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can cause a smartphone to fail, a method recommended only for experienced users who are prepared for possible consequences.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the dark topic on Xiaomi