How to increase the brightness of the screen on Xiaomi to the maximum: from standard settings to hidden features

Xiaomi's smartphone screen dims in the sun or in brightly lit rooms? Even at maximum settings, the picture seems faded? The problem is familiar to many owners of devices on MIUI — especially when compared to flagships Samsung or Apple. But don't rush to blame the manufacturer: in 80% of cases, the brightness can be increased programmatically without having to replace the matrix.

In this article, 7 working ways to brighten the screen on Xiaomi, from basic settings to hidden engineering menu features. We tested the methods on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T and even on older devices with MIUI 12. Importantly, some tricks require unlocking the bootloader or root rights — we will warn you about this in advance.

If you are looking for a solution for a particular model, check its compatibility in the table below. and if the screen becomes dim suddenly (for example, after a fall or update), first diagnose a hardware malfunction using our FAQ.

1. Standard brightness settings in MIUI: What are you missing?

To start with, most users don't know that MIUI has two independent brightness settings: one is the slider in the notification curtain, and the other is the adaptive lighting settings in the display menu. Let's take them both in order.

Open the Settings → Display and pay attention to:

• 🔄 Adaptive brightness: If the function is active, the system automatically dims the screen in dark rooms. Turn it off so that the slider is at full power.
• ☀️ Read mode: Blue light filter can artificially reduce brightness, check if it's manually or on schedule.
• 📱 Dark theme: in some versions MIUI It limits the maximum brightness to 80 percent.

Now, back to the brightness slider in the curtain. On most Xiaomi models, it locks at 80-90% of the real matrix maximum. To unlock the remaining 10-20%, use the methods in the following sections.

2. Hidden mode "Ultra brightness": how to turn on supported models

Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi has added a feature called “Ultra Brightness Mode” that temporarily increases the brightness to the brightness of the device. 1000-1200 squirrel 30-50% It's more than the standard maximum, but by default, it's hidden and only activated in bright ambient light.

To enable it manually:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Go back to Settings → Additional → For developers and find the option Ultra brightness mode.
3. Enable it and set the value Always (Always).

If you don't have the option on the menu, your model doesn't support the function.

⚠️ Note: Ultra-brightness mode increases energy consumption by 15-20%. When used actively, the smartphone can heat up - especially on models with AMOLED-screen.

3. Engineering menu: manual brightness calibration (for advanced)

If standard methods fail, you can manually change the matrix settings through the Engineering Mode, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, but you need to be careful: incorrect settings can lead to lighting burnout.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
2. In the menu, select Hardware Testing. → LCD.
3. Find Brightness or Backlight and increase your values by 10-15%.
4. Save the settings and restart the device.

For models with AMOLED-The path of the screens (e.g. Xiaomi 12 or Black Shark 5) may be different: Hardware Testing → Display → AOD Brightness. You can set the brightness of Always-On Display and the main screen separately here.

Warning: Changing the parameters in the engineering menu can void the warranty. If after settings artifacts appear on the screen (strips, flickering), reset the values to the factory or contact the service.

4. Apps to increase brightness: top-3 utility for Xiaomi

If you don't want to go through the settings, use third-party apps, and we tested 10 utilities and selected the 3 most effective ones for MIUI:

• 🔦 Lux Auto Brightness: allows you to set custom brightness levels for different lighting conditions. Works without root, but requires overlay permission (c Settings) → Special facilities).
• ☀️ Screen Brightness: a simple widget utility for quick adjustment, supports night mode with light sensor feedback.
• 🛠️ Display Tuner: Access to hidden matrix parameters, including gamma correction and contrast, to increase brightness to 120% of factory maximum.

For installation:

1. Download APK from the developer’s official website (don’t use third-party sources!).
2. In Settings → Security allow installation from unknown sources.
3. Launch the application and follow the instructions of the setup wizard.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Display Tuner may conflict with system services MIUI. If after installation there were lags or the screen began to flicker - remove the utility and reboot.

Download APK only from the official website

Check the reviews on compatibility with your Xiaomi model

Make a backup copy of the screen settings

Turn off adaptive brightness in system settings

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5. firmware update: when brightness drops after update

After the MIUI update, many users complain about the screen’s brightness decline, because newer versions of Xiaomi’s firmware often limit maximum values to save battery life.

Method 1: Retrace to the previous version of MIUI

If the brightness dropped after the update, go back to the old firmware via Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Dots (menu) → Select the service pack. Download the desired version from miuirom.xiaomi.com and select it manually.

Method 2: Manually editing a configuration file (requires root)

Open /system/build.prop in any root file manager (such as Root Explorer) and add the following line:

ro.lcd_brightness_max=1023

Save the changes and restart the device. This will remove the software's brightness restriction.

If the screen not only fades after the update, but also flickers, the problem may be incompatibility of the matrix drivers, in which case only flashing through Fastboot will help.

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Before rolling back the firmware, check if the bootloader is blocked. If so, unlock it through the official Mi Unlock tool, otherwise you risk getting a brick.

6. Hardware causes of a dim screen: when to carry to the service

If the software methods didn't work, the problem could be a physical malfunction of the screen components, and here are the signs that it's time to contact the service center:

• 🔋 Brightness drops when the battery is below 20% (symptom of battery wear).
• 📉 The dullness appeared after falling or getting moisture.
• 🔄 On the screen, you can see divorces or uneven illumination (matrix defect).
• 🔌 The screen flickers when charging is connected (a problem with the power controller).

The average cost of repairs in official Xiaomi services:

Before visiting the service, check if the warranty period has expired. If the device is less than a year old, repairs should be free (provided that the defect is not caused by mechanical damage).

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If the screen became dull after replacing the display in an unofficial service, the reason is most likely a poor-quality matrix: Xiaomi original parts are marked with code starting with TFT- or AMO- (for AMOLED).

7. Alternative solutions: when nothing helps

If all methods have been tried and the screen is still dim, consider radical options:

• 🔄 Replacing firmware with custom (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience). Many custom builds remove brightness restrictions, but require unlocking the bootloader.
• 📱 Use of external display via Miracast or USB-C → HDMI. Suitable for watching videos or games on the big screen.
• ☀️ Anti-reflective film, which doesn't increase brightness, but improves visibility in the sun by reducing reflections.

For models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 or Xiao) POCO X5 Pro) there's another trick: turn on the mode HDR It temporarily increases contrast and brightness when viewing supported content (Netflix, YouTube) HDR).

If you decide to use custom firmware, follow our step-by-step instructions (see spoiler below). But remember: this will void the warranty and may lead to data loss.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen brightness on Xiaomi