How to turn on 120 Hz on Xiaomi Pad 5: full instructions with secret chips

Tablet with glaze: why Xiaomi Pad 5 frequency 120 Hz and who needs it

When you buy the Xiaomi Pad 5, you get not just a tablet, but a 120-hertz display, a chip that makes watching videos, playing games, and even scrolling social media a glamorous pleasure. But by default, the tablet often runs at 60 Hz, saving battery life. Why is that? It's about the balance between performance and autonomy: high screen refresh rates increase power consumption by 15 to 25 percent (GSMArena test data), and MIUI defaults on the "middle ground."

But what if you were willing to sacrifice a couple of hours of autonomy for perfect smoothness? Or you wanted to turn on 120Hz for gaming only and keep 60Hz for the rest of the time? In this article, all the ways to activate high frequency on the Xiaomi Pad 5, including hidden developer settings, bypassing MIUI constraints and solving typical problems. And the answer to the main question: is it worth it?

Spoiler: If you play Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile, the frequency change is enough to tell the difference between winning and losing. For reading books or watching YouTube, hardly. But everything in order.

120Hz Support Checker: Is Your Xiaomi Pad 5 Really Able to Do This?

Before you get into the settings, make sure your tablet physically supports 120Hz. All Xiaomi Pad 5 models (including Pro and Pro versions) SE) fitted IPS-screen with a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, but there are nuances:

• 🔍 Standard version (M2105K81AC) — 120Hz out of the box, but can be limited to firmware.
• 💎 Pro-version (M2105K81C) — same frequency, but with Dolby Vision support and a brighter screen.
• ⚡ SE-version (M2204J22C) — Budget option, but 120 Hz is also present (albeit with the worst color rendering).

How to check your model? Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version and tap 5 times on the Core line - you will see the model information. Or use the command in ADB:

adb shell getprop ro.product.model

⚠️ Note: If you bought a tablet on AliExpress or from hand at a suspiciously low price, there is a risk of running into a fake.Externally, copies of the Xiaomi Pad 5 can even mimic a logo, but their screens are usually limited to 60 Hz. Check the serial number through the official Xiaomi website.

Method 1: Standard Enablement via MIUI Settings (for most users)

If you have a MIUI 13 or newer, you can literally turn on 120Hz in two taps.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Screen section.
3. Select the screen refresh rate.
4. Slip on the 120Hz option (or Auto if you want adaptive mode).

The screen should be smoother immediately. If the refresh rate is not available, your firmware hides it (see Method 3).

Check the MIUI version (should be 13+)|Reboot the tablet |Reboot the firmware to the latest version |Reset the screen settings to factory-->

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI (Especially global), the 120Hz option may disappear after the update. This is a bug that is solved by resetting the screen settings or rolling back to the previous firmware. ADB.

Adaptive mode (Auto) automatically switches between 60 and 120 Hz depending on the content. For example, when watching video at 24 frames per second, the screen will run at 48 Hz (a multiple of the value), and in games it will rise to a maximum, which is the best option for balancing smoothness and autonomy.

Method 2: Hidden developer settings (if the standard method didn’t work)

If the screen menu didn't have a 120Hz option, it could have been hidden in the developer's settings. Here's how to get there and what to do:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the line MIUI version (you will be notified "You became a developer!").
3. Go back to the main settings menu and find a new section for developers.
4. Scroll down to the Hardware Rendering Acceleration block.
5. Find options: Minimum screen refresh rate - set 120 Hz. Forced hardware acceleration - activate. USB debugging - turn on (will be useful for the next method).

After you set the settings, restart the tablet, and if the 120Hz option never came up, your firmware is blocking it, and then only the ADB or flashing method will help.

💡

Not all options on the developer menu are safe! do not touch options related to RAM, GPU or Background process limit - this can lead to lags or overheating.

Method 3: Forced Enablement via ADB (for Advanced Users)

If previous methods have failed, the most reliable way is to command via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer, but is guaranteed to unlock 120 Hz even on "stripped" firmware.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-Type-C Cable (preferably original).
• 📥 Utility. ADB Tools by Google.
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB (see method 2).

Instructions:

1. Download and unpack ADB Tools in any folder.
2. Connect the tablet to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
3. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and go to the folder with ADB: cd C:\path\pup\pup\platform-tools
4. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear serial number of your tablet.
5. Execute the command for forced inclusion 120 Hz: adb shell settings put global peak_refresh_rate 120
6. Reboot the tablet.

After the reboot, check the screen settings - the 120Hz option should appear. If not, try the alternative command:

adb shell settings put global min_refresh_rate 120

⚠️ Attention: Compulsory inclusion 120 Hz through ADB It may be in conflict with energy saving regimes. MIUI. If the tablet is quickly discharged, return the settings with the command: adb shell settings put global. peak_refresh_rate 60

Problems and Solutions: Why 120Hz is not working or is glitching

Even after successful activation, high refresh rates can be unstable, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

If you notice that the Xiaomi Pad 5 is running faster after turning on 120Hz, that’s okay: high refresh rates put more strain on the processor and battery. According to NotebookCheck’s tests, the difference in autonomy between 60 and 120Hz can reach 3-4 hours when used actively.

Another nuance: some apps (like YouTube or Chrome) may ignore system settings and limit the frequency to 60Hz. This is due to content optimization.

• 🔄 Switch to adaptive mode (auto).
• 📱 Use alternative apps (e.g. NewPipe instead of YouTube).
• 🛠️ Enable the option Forced to use GPU developer-setting.

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If 120Hz is not enabled by either method, check to see if the tablet has custom firmware (like LineageOS).

Is it worth it? pros and cons 120Hz on Xiaomi Pad 5

Before you chase high numbers, weigh the pros and cons. We tested the Xiaomi Pad 5 in different scenarios and here’s what happened:

• ✅ Pluses: 🎮 Games: In dynamic shooters (PUBG Mobile, Fortnite) the difference between 60 and 120 Hz is obvious - the picture looks alive, and the control is more accurate. 📱 Interface: Scrolling in MIUI Twitter is becoming incredibly smooth, without “breakthrough” transitions. 🎥 Video: High frame rate content (e.g., recorded on iPhone 13 Pro at 120 fps) plays without artifacts.
• ❌ Cons: 🔋 Battery: Autonomy drops by 20–30% with active use. 🔥 Heating: Snapdragon 860 chipset isn't the coldest, with 120Hz adding loads. 💰 Cost: Smooth screen is not cheap – it eats up the resources of the tablet and reduces the battery life.

Our verdict: 120Hz is only justified if you:

1. An active gamer who cares about every millisecond in the game.
2. Designer or artist working with Xiaomi Smart Pen (high frequency reduces input delay).
3. Technoent, which is fundamentally to squeeze the maximum from the device.

In all other cases, the difference between 60 and 120 Hz will be barely noticeable, and the losses in autonomy are obvious.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about 120 Hz on Xiaomi Pad 5