Always On Display on Xiaomi: How to Enable, Configure, and Fix Problems

The Always On Display (AOD) feature turns your Xiaomi screen into a mini dashboard that works even when it’s off. Showing time, notifications or personalized drawings not only adds convenience, but also makes the smartphone visually appealing. However, not everyone knows how to activate this option correctly — especially on newer versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS, where the settings have changed.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to enable AOD, from the standard menu to the hidden features for informal firmware, which Xiaomi models support the feature, how to avoid fast battery drain, and what to do if the screen does not display information correctly, and also share life hacks on setting up animations and third-party themes.

If you just bought a new Redmi Note 13 Pro+ or Xiaomi 14 Ultra and want to make the most of the AMOLED- screen, or your old Mi 11 suddenly stopped showing AOD after the update, here you will find a solution. Let’s start with the main thing: checking the compatibility of your device.

1. Which Xiaomi smartphones support Always On Display?

Always On Display is only available on devices with AMOLED- or OLED- screens, and this is due to the technology of the display: these types of matrices can highlight individual pixels without energy consumption for the entire panel. If your Xiaomi is equipped with a IPS- screen (for example, Redmi 9A or Poco M3), then the AOD will not be physically available.

Here is the official list of episodes where the function works:

• 📱 Xiaomi 12/13/14 (all models)
• 📱 Redmi Note 10 Pro/11 Pro/12 Pro+/13 Pro+
• 📱 Poco F3/F4/F5 Pro
• 📱 Mi 10/11 (except Lite versions)
• 📱 Black Shark 4/5 (gaming-smartphone)

⚠️ Warning: On some devices (e.g., the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G for the Chinese market), AOD may be blocked by the manufacturer, in which case only unlocking the bootloader and installing global firmware will help.

To find out exactly whether your smartphone supports the function, check the characteristics on the official Xiaomi website or use the AIDA64 application (display section). If the screen technology indicates AMOLED or OLED, feel free to go to the settings.

2. Standard way to enable AOD through settings

If your device supports the function, you can activate it in 3 simple steps:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the Screen (or HyperOS Display) section.
3. Select Always On Display (in some firmwares – Ambient Display).
4. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.

Once turned on, you'll immediately see a preview of what the screen will look like in standby mode, and you can also set it up here:

• 🕒 Watch style (analog/digital/minimalist)
• 📅 Displayed information (date, battery charge, notifications)
• 🎨 Color scheme (black and white or color)
• ⏳ Schedule (always on or timed)

⚠️ Warning: MIUI 14 and HyperOS may be notified of increased battery consumption after AOD is turned on. This is normal — AMOLED- screens consume a minimum of energy in this mode (about 0.5-1% per hour), but on weak batteries (for example, on Xiaomi Mi 10 after 2 years of operation), the difference will be noticeable.

3. Why is there no Always On Display option in the settings?

If you don’t find the Always On Display option on the menu, the reasons may be as follows:

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU or Xiaomi.eu), the option may be hidden due to regional limitations, in which case activation via ADB- commands will help:

adb shell settings put global always_on_display_enabled 1

Once you have the command, restart your smartphone. If AOD doesn't show up, check if it's blocked by an antivirus or permissions manager (e.g., Xiaomi's Security).

4.Subtle customization Always On Display: themes, animations, schedule

The standard AOD settings on Xiaomi are quite modest, but there are ways to extend them, such as installing custom themes through the Themes app:

1. Open Themes → Always on Display.
2. Choose your favorite theme (there are animated options with moving clocks).
3. Click Apply and confirm the changes.

For advanced users, you can create your theme using apps like Always On Display AMOLED (available on Google Play).

• 🖼️ Upload your pictures as background
• 🎭 Set up animation when unlocking
• 📊 Display additional information (weather, footsteps, music)

⚠️ Warning: Third-party apps for AOD may conflict with system settings. If after installation the screen starts to flicker or discharge quickly, uninstall the program and reset the display settings (Settings → Screen → Reset).

Another trick that's useful is to set up a schedule, and if you don't need AOD at night, you can turn it off automatically.

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Always On Display → Schedule.
2. Set the interval (for example, from 8:00 to 22:00).
3. Activate the option to automatically turn off in your pocket (if any).

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To save power, choose black and white and turn off animations. Colored elements and dynamic watches increase battery consumption by 20 to 30 percent.

5 Always On Display Doesn't Work: Reasons and Solutions

If the AOD is on but the screen is still black, check the following points:

1. Sensor problems

On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro), AOD turns off if the smartphone is down or in your pocket, and it works with a proximity sensor to check it:

1. Open the Phone app and dial ##6484##.
2. Select the Test Proximity Sensor.
3. Close the sensor with your hand - the screen should go out.

If the sensor does not respond, repair or flashing is required.

2. Conflict with the MIUI shell

After major updates (e.g., from MIUI 13 to HyperOS), the AOD settings may reset.

• 🔄 Reset the screen settings (Settings → Screen → Reset).
• 📥 Reinstall the latest firmware version via Recovery.
• 🔧 Reverse the update if the problem occurs after it.

Hardware restrictions

On older models (e.g. Mi 9 or Redmi K20 Pro) after 2-3 years of use, the diode circuits of the AMOLED- screen may wear out. In this case, the AOD will work unstablely: flicker, show artifacts or spontaneously shut down. The solution is one – replacing the display module.

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If the AOD stopped working after the fall of the smartphone, the cause is almost always damage to the plume of the screen. In this case, self-repair is not recommended - contact the service center.

6.Always on Display and Battery: How to Minimize Consumption

The main fear of users when activating AOD is a quick battery drain. Indeed, on some models (for example, the Poco F3 with a 4520 mAh battery), the function can eat up to 5-7% of the charge per night, but there are ways to reduce consumption:

Optimal settings for savings:

• ⏱️ Set a schedule (e.g., only during the day).
• 🖥️ Choose a minimalist style watch without animations.
• 🔋 Turn off notifications (they update the screen more often).
• 🌙 Use dark themes (the black pixels on AMOLED are power-free).

For advanced users, there is a hidden setting – the AOD refresh rate limit. By default, the screen is updated every second, but you can increase the interval to 10 seconds through ADB:

adb shell settings put global aod_refresh_rate 10000

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi 13 Ultra and other flagships with LTPO- screens (dynamic refresh rate) AOD can automatically adjust brightness depending on the lighting. If the screen is too dim during the day, turn off adaptive brightness in the display settings.

If even after optimizing the battery consumption remains high, check the battery health through the application AccuBattery. If worn more than 30% AOD will discharge the smartphone much faster.

7.Always on Display Alternatives for Carrying Supported Models

If your Xiaomi does not support AOD at the hardware level (e.g. Redmi 9T with IPS- screen), you can use software alternatives:

1 Appendix Always On AMOLED

It emulates AOD on all screens, but it consumes more power.

• 🎨 Support for custom wallpaper and animations.
• 🔔 Display notifications from messengers.
• ⚠️ Requires permission to access notifications and autorun.

2. Glance Plus (for MIUI)

An extended version of the standard Glance, which adds:

• 📊 Weather and calendar widgets.
• 🎵 Control music directly from the locked screen.
• 🔒 Ability to hide confidential information.

3. Edge Lighting (for notifications)

It does not replace the AOD completely, but adds a backlight to the edges of the screen when you notice it, and it works even on IPS- displays.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party apps for AOD may conflict with Xiaomi system services, especially if MIUI Optimization is enabled in the developer settings. If there are lags, disable optimization or whitelist the application.

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On smartphones with a IPS- screen (e.g. Redmi Note 10), you can simulate the AOD using live Wallpaper Engine wallpapers. These will be displayed on a locked screen, but consume significantly more power.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Always On Display on Xiaomi