Reducing the screen resolution on Xiaomi smartphones can be needed in a variety of situations: from saving battery power to improving performance in games or adapting the interface for low vision. MIUI They do not always provide a direct opportunity to change the resolution, especially on newer models with a new model. AMOLED-In this article, we'll look at all the current ways, including hidden shell features, design commands, and even modifications through the use of the device. ADB.
It's important to understand that changing the resolution is not just a cosmetic setup; it affects pixel density (DPI), application performance, and even power consumption. For example, reducing the resolution from FHD+ (2400×1080) to HD+ (1600×720) can increase battery life by 15-20%, but the text in some applications will become less clear. We tested all methods on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13T devices with MIUI 14/15 — the results are summarized in a comparative table below.
If you've never worked with developers or ADB, don't worry: the first two are not very knowledgeable, and for advanced users, we've prepared a section with commands that allow you to set arbitrary resolution that is not available in the standard MIUI menu. But remember: the wrong settings can lead to interface failures!
1. Change of permission through developer settings
The safest and most official way is to use the Developer Menu, which works on most Xiaomi devices running MIUI 12-15, but may not be available on some budget models (e.g. Redmi A1 or POCO C50).
To activate the developer mode:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row, and the notification will appear "You became a developer!".
- Return to the main settings menu and open a new section → For developers.
Now look for the screen resolution (or minimum width in some versions) option, and you can choose one of the preset values here:
- 📱 Auto (recommended) – the system will select the optimal resolution.
- 🔍 FHD+ (2400×1080) — Maximum quality for most models.
- 🔋 HD+ (1600×720) — saves battery life.
- ⚡ 720p (1280×720) — Minimum resolution suitable for testing.
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) resolution change can cause the screen to reset to 60 Hz. To return 120 Hz, you have to manually switch the settings to Settings. → Display. → Frequency of update.
2.Use of the "Scaling of the Screen" (DPI) function
If the developer menu doesn't have a direct option to change the resolution, you can go a detour by changing the pixel density (DPI), which determines how many pixels per inch of the screen, and indirectly affects the "visual" resolution, for example, reducing the DPI from 440 to 320 will make the icons and text larger, but the actual resolution will remain the same.
Instructions:
- Activate the developer mode (as in the previous section).
- Go to For Developers → Minimum width.
- Enter the value from 320 (large elements) to 560 (small elements). The standard value for most smartphones is 411.
- Restart the device so that the changes take effect.
The effect will be noticeable immediately: the MIUI interface and most applications will adapt to the DPI. However, some programs (such as games or banking applications) may not display correctly, in which case return the standard value or use ADB for forced scaling (for this, see section 4).
Activate the Developer Mode
Remember the current DPI value
Reboot your phone after the changes
Check the operation of key applications-->
3. Hidden MIUI settings: "Lite Mode" mode
Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi has added a hidden “Lite Mode” mode that automatically lowers screen resolution and optimizes performance, which is originally designed for devices with low RAM (2-3 GB), but can be activated on flagships as well.
How to turn on:
- Open the Security app (shield icon).
- Go to Optimization. → Cog badge (⚙) → Special facilities.
- Find the option Light mode and activate it.
- Confirm the device reboot.
After activation, the system:
- 🔄 Reduce the permit to HD+ (1600×720) or 720p (model).
- ⚡ Disable animations and background processes.
- 📉 Reduce the screen refresh rate to 60 Hz (if supported).
- 🔋 Optimizes energy consumption by limiting productivity CPU/GPU.
⚠️ Note: Some features such as Always-on Display may stop working in Lite Mode (AOD) Or high bitrate in the video. To get back to normal mode, repeat the steps and deactivate the option.
| Xiaomi model | Standard permission | Lite Mode resolution | Battery savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 12 Pro+ | 2400×1080 (FHD+) | 1600×720 (HD+) | ~18% |
| POCO F5 | 2400×1080 (FHD+) | 1280×720 (720p) | ~22% |
| Xiaomi 13T | 2712×1220 (QHD+) | 1600×720 (HD+) | ~15% |
| Redmi A2 | 1600×720 (HD+) | 1280×720 (720p) | ~10% |
Change of permission via ADB (for advanced users)
If you want to set an arbitrary resolution that is not provided for in MIUI, you will have to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and basic command line knowledge, but it allows you to set any parameters, for example, 1920×1080 on a device that supports QHD+.
Step-by-step:
- Install. ADB-computer-driver.
- Enable debugging by USB in the developer settings (For developers → debugging by USB).
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.
- Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:
adb shell wm size 1600x720Where 1600x720 is the desired resolution. To return the standard settings, use:
adb shell wm size resetTo change the pixel density (DPI), use the command:
adb shell wm density 320⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Google Pay or banking) may block work on devices with changed resolution via a new app. ADB. If after applying the commands, the applications stopped opening, return the standard settings!
What if the ADB does not recognize the device?
5. Appendices for permission modification (without rut)
If you don't want to mess with ADB, you can use third-party apps, and we tested some of the most popular tools and picked two of the most reliable ones:
- Second Screen (Play Market) allows you to create a random resolution virtual screen, is suitable for testing, but does not change the physical resolution of the display, useful for developers or gamers who want to emulate other devices.
- Display Changer (requires ADB) is a more advanced utility that allows you to access the same commands as you would manually use ADB, but with a user-friendly interface, and allows you to save permission profiles and quickly switch between them.
Important: Most resolution-change applications require superuser (root) rights, or at least ADB permissions. Without them, they can only simulate change, but not apply it at the system level.
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If the screen is blurred after changing the resolution through the application, try manually setting the DPI to a multiple of 80 (e.g., 320, 400, 480) to avoid artifacts.
6. Features for specific Xiaomi models
Some Xiaomi devices have unique limitations or additional options for changing the resolution, and we have collected key nuances for the popular series:
- 📱 Redmi Note 11/12: Supports permission change through the developer menu, but when choosing HD+ Reduces the frequency of the update automatically to 60 Hz.
- 🎮 POCO F4/F5: In Game Turbo, you can temporarily reduce the resolution for specific applications (for example, for the game). PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact).
- 💎 Xiaomi 13/14 Series: On flagships, resolution change is blocked at the firmware level. ADB custom-made.
- 🔋 Redmi A1/A2: Budget models don't support resolution change - only scaling DPI.
For devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO X5 Pro) lower resolution can lead to increased pixel response time, which is noticeable when scrolling or in dynamic games. If you notice "lubrication" of the picture, return the standard settings.
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On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), changing the resolution through ADB can cause the graphics driver to crash, in which case only a factory reset will help.
Possible problems and solutions
Changing the resolution of the screen is not always a harmless procedure, but here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The screen has become blurry | Non-compliance with DPI and permission | Set DPI multiples of 80 (e.g. 320 or 400) |
| Applications are not running | Blocking due to changed system parameters | Return the standard resolution or use Magisk to disguise |
| It doesn't work always-on display | Reduced resolution or frequency of updates | Return FHD+ and 120Hz in screen settings |
| The sensory input is not working properly. | Wrong aspect ratio | Use a resolution with the same ratio as the standard one (e.g. 16:9) |
If the device starts to overheat or discharge quickly after the changes, check the use of the CPU/GPU in the battery settings. Sometimes the system mistakenly activates the performance mode when the resolution decreases, which negates all the energy savings.