How to reduce the screen size on Xiaomi devices: from smartphone to Smart TV

Have you ever felt that the icons on your Xiaomi screen are too big and the text takes up half the display? Or maybe after the MIUI update all the interface elements suddenly began to look like a tablet? The problem is not your vision - these are standard zoom settings that the manufacturer sets "for every occasion." Fortunately, you can reduce the size of the displayed elements on Xiaomi devices in several ways - from basic settings to hidden engineering parameters.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of reducing the screen size for different devices of the brand: smartphones on MIUI 12/13/14, Xiaomi Pad tablets, as well as Mi TV and Redmi Smart TV. You will learn how to change the density of pixels (DPI), activate hidden display modes, and even return factory settings if the experiments went wrong. Importantly, some methods require developer rights or special applications – we will explain in detail how to get them without risk to the device.

1. Standard scale settings in MIUI

To start with, the simplest of them is the built-in MIUI tools, which are available without any further manipulation, and this is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones on MIUI 10 and later, the main advantage of the method is that it does not require superuser rights and is reversible in two clicks.

To change the screen size:

1. Open the Settings → Screen.
2. Select Text Size and Display (Screen Size may be called on some models).
3. Move the text size to the left to shrink or to the right to zoom in, and you can adjust the scale here, and that will change the size of all the interface elements, including icons and panels.
4. Click Apply and confirm the changes. The device will restart (some models don't require a reboot).

Note: on Xiaomi Mi TVs, the path will be different: Settings → Device → Preferences → Screen size. Here you can choose between Auto, 4:3, 16:9 or Stretching, which is especially useful if the image does not fit within the display boundaries.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) POCO X3 Pro) at extreme positions of the slider can "move" interface elements in applications. If after changing the scale of the buttons in messengers or games became unavailable - return the settings to the default value.

2. Change the pixel density (DPI) through the developer settings

If standard scaling isn't enough, you can go further and change the DPI (dots per inch) -- the number of pixels per inch -- which is finer, but requires developer mode activation, and is suitable for power users, because the wrong values can make the interface unreadable.

How to turn on the developer mode:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone.
• 🔧 Press 7 times in a row on the item Version MIUI (A notice will appear saying, “You have become a developer!").
• 🔙 Return to the main settings menu and open a new section → For developers.

Now change the DPI:

1. In the developer section, find the Minimum Width (this is the DPI parameter).
2. The default value is usually 411 or 440. Reduce it by 20-40 units (e.g., up to 380) for a more compact display.
3. Press OK and restart the device.

On Xiaomi TVs to change DPI You can't use the menu, because it's fixed in the firmware. TV-Use the methods in Section 4 (image calibration).

Backup important data |Remember the current DPI|Recharge the device at least 50% |Prepare the cable to reset the settings (in case of an error)|Review the model compatibility with the change in DPI-->

3.Using ADB to fine-tune the scale

If previous methods have not yielded the desired result or you want to set the custom DPI value to within one, you will need a computer and an Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool. This method is universal for all Android devices, including Xiaomi, and allows you to bypass the limitations of the MIUI interface.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📦 Installed drivers ADB Fastboot (you can download from Google or via Google) SDK Platform Tools)
• 📱 On the smartphone should be enabled Developer Mode and Debugging USB

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
2. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

If the device appears on the list, go ahead. If not, check the drivers and permissions on the phone.

1. Enter a command to change the DPI (for example, to 400):

adb shell wm density 400

1. Reset the device:

adb reboot

To return the standard settings, use:

adb shell wm density reset

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) post-mortem DPI through ADB And if you're looking at the navigational gestures, you might be able to reset the gesture settings to the Settings. → System system → Gestures.

4.Screen calibration on Xiaomi TV and Mi Box

You can reduce the size of the image on Xiaomi TVs or Mi Box consoles through calibration settings, which is useful if the picture goes beyond the screen (for example, in games or movies with a non-standard aspect ratio) or if you need to hide the “cut” edges.

For Xiaomi Mi TV (all models including Mi TV 5, Mi TV Q2):

1. Open Settings → Device → Preferences → Screen size.
2. Select the Other Mode (or User Mode on New Models).
3. With the arrows on the remote, adjust the boundaries of the image horizontally and vertically, and a grid will appear on the screen that will help you set the parameters accurately.
4. Save the settings and check the result in the app (like YouTube or Netflix).

For the Mi Box S or Mi Box 4K:

• 📺 Go to Settings. → Display and sound → Screen resolution.
• 🔍 Select Screen Size Setting and Manually Set the Boundaries.
• 🎮 If you use a console with a game console (for example, Xbox or Xbox). PS5), Set Passthrough mode to avoid double scaling.

Gamer Tip: If you play through the Mi Box and notice delays when changing screen size, try turning off HDR processing in the display settings. This will reduce lag by 10-15 ms.

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On Xiaomi TVs with Google TV (such as the Mi TV A2 2023), after calibrating the screen size, check the image mode settings in the YouTube app. Sometimes automatic video zooming conflicts with manual settings.

5. Applications for fine-tuning scale

If embedded tools MIUI You don't like it, you can use third-party apps, and they offer more options, including a separate zoom setting for specific applications or a change. DPI No developer rights. Let's look at the top.-3 tested.

1. App Scaler (No Root)

• ✅ It works without root rights.
• ✅ Allows you to change DPI individual applications
• ⚠️ Requires the debugging on. USB

Instructions:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and launch the App Scaler.
3. Select the application from the list and set the desired DPI value.
4. Restart the application to make the changes effective.

2. Second Screen (for screen duplication)

This app is useful if you only need to zoom in on a second screen (for example, when connecting to a monitor via HDMI or Miracast) and supports separate DPI settings for the main and external displays.

3. BuildProp Editor (for power users)

• 🔧 Allows you to edit system files build.prop
• 📱 Requires root rights or Magisk
• ⚡ Can speed up the interface significantly with the right settings

⚠️ Note: Applications like BuildProp Editor can lead to a bootloop if you make incorrect changes. /system through TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery.

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The scaling side of the app runs unstable on MIUI Global Stable firmware. Use MIUI EU or Xiaomi.eu for better compatibility (if they support your model).

6. Reset screen settings to factory

If, after experimenting with scale, the interface becomes unreadable, elements overlap, or the device behaves unstable, it's time to return the factory settings, and you can do this in two ways: through the menu or using the Fastboot.

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Choose Reset All Settings (not to be confused with Reset to Factory, which will delete all data!).
3. Confirm the action. The device will restart, and all display parameters will return to standard.

Method 2: Fastboot (if the screen is unresponsive)

If you cannot use the sensor due to incorrect DPI settings, connect the device to your PC and do:

fastboot erase config

This command will reset all user settings, including screen settings, but will not affect personal data.

For Xiaomi TV:

• 📺 Press the Menu button on the remote for 5 seconds.
• 🔧 Select Settings Reset. → Resetting image settings.
• 🔄 Confirm and wait for the reboot.

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If the screen still doesn’t display correctly after resetting, check the firmware updates. MIUI 14 fixed a zoom error on 1080×2400 devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro+).

7. Features for specific Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi devices have unique screen settings that you should know about in advance.

For owners of Xiaomi Black Shark (gaming smartphones), it is important to remember that changing the DPI can conflict with the Shark Space mode. If after zooming games begin to lag, try:

1. Disable Shark Space in the settings.
2. Set the DPI to 440 (standard for gaming devices).
3. Turn back on Shark Space and check the performance.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing screen size