Modern. AMOLED-screens allow you to display useful information even when your smartphone is locked, a feature known as Always On Display or AOD, Turns the screen off into an informative widget, showing the time, date, notifications and battery charge. POCO With high-quality matrices, activation of this option becomes a matter of digital comfort.
Turning on AOD not only improves the look of the gadget, but also eliminates the need to constantly unlock the phone just to look at the watch. However, the MIUI system and the new HyperOS have their own nuances of customization that can confuse the inexperienced user. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to properly activate the feature, adjust its work on a schedule and avoid excessive energy consumption.
Keep in mind that the work of constantly burning pixels affects the autonomy of the device, so manufacturers implement smart algorithms. You can adjust the display of information only when you raise your smartphone or touch the screen. AMOLED-displays; on screens of type IPS or LCD It's not technically feasible.
Compatibility check and display preparation
Before you look for settings in the menu, you need to make sure that your device technically supports a constant display mode. AOD It only works on matrices, where each pixel is individually illuminated. IPS-You will not find the appropriate options, since the backlight of such screens works throughout the area.
You can check the type of display in the specifications on the box or on the official website of the manufacturer. Also, make sure that the phone has the current version of the firmware. In older versions of MIUI, some functions may have been hidden or worked incorrectly. Updating the system often brings new styles of watches and bug fixes.
If you’ve just purchased a new flagship or mid-range device from Xiaomi, chances are the feature is already built into the system. you don’t need to install third-party apps that may conflict with the shell. the built-in mechanism is optimized to minimize power consumption and work properly with the notification system.
How do you know exactly the type of matrix?
Basic activation of Always On Display in settings
The standard path to enabling the feature is the same for most current smartphone models: you need to open the main settings menu and find the section responsible for the appearance and lock. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the logic remains the same.
Follow the step-by-step instructions to activate the mode:
- ⚙️ Open the settings of your smartphone.
- 📱 Go to the Lock Screen section (sometimes called Wallpaper and Personalization).
- 🕒 Find Always-on screen or Always-on display.
- 🔘 Move the slider to the position Included.
Once the slider is activated, the screen will light up for a few seconds, showing the default watch style. Now, when the display goes out after a timeout, it will remain static or animated. Don't worry if in the first minutes you notice a slight change in brightness - this is automatic adjustment depending on the lighting in the room.
☑️ Verification of activation AOD
Schedule settings and display modes
The display, even when it's economical, consumes battery power. To keep the smartphone running longer without recharging, the system offers flexible use cases, so you can choose when the screen should light up and when to completely go out.
In the AOD settings menu, three main modes of operation are available:
- ⏰ Scheduled: The screen turns on and off at a time you have set (for example, from 8:00 to 23:00).
- 🤲 When lifting: The display only lights up when sensors detect that you have taken the phone in your hands.
- 👆 When touched: information is displayed a few seconds after a short tap on the screen.
Scheduled mode is the most popular, because it saves energy at night when the phone is on the nightstand. You don't have to worry about the glow of the screen in a dark room, which also has a positive effect on sleep quality. To set up, select this item and set time intervals.
When lifting requires calibrating the sensors. If the function is not working properly, try recalibrate the proximity sensor through the engineering menu or simply restart the device. Sometimes a software failure prevents the light and distance sensor from transmitting the correct data to the system.
Personalization: watch styles and signatures
One of the main reasons for AOD's popularity is its customization capability: HyperOS shell and MIUI offer a vast library of dials. You can choose minimalist numbers, complex animations, or even live wallpaper that adapts to the background.
To change the look, go to the style selection menu inside the Always On Display settings. There are categories available: classic, anime, nature, abstraction. Some styles are paid or require a Xiaomi account login, but free options are more than enough for every taste.
You can also add a personal signature or a picture, which can be a motivating phrase, a favorite team logo, or a pet photo, and the system will automatically darken the image so that it doesn't burn out pixels or interfere with reading time.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Static dial | Fixed numbers and date | Low. |
| Animated style | Moving elements, second hand | Average. |
| Live AOD wallpaper | Complex graphics, reaction to events | High. |
| Castomy photo | Your image with auto-blackout | Average. |
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Use dark themes and black wallpaper for the main screen. This not only visually combines the interface with AOD, but also significantly saves battery power on AMOLED-matrixes, since black pixels when turned off do not consume energy.
Displaying notifications and information
The functionality of Always On Display is not just about showing the time; the smartphone can inform you of missed calls, messages from messengers and battery level, which allows you to control the background information without unlocking the device.
In privacy settings, you can choose how notifications will be displayed, such as hiding the text of a message by showing only the app icon, which is especially true in the office or public transport when you don't want outsiders to read your correspondence.
⚠️ Attention: If on screen AOD static interface elements (messaging icons) burn constantly for many hours without changing position, theoretically the risk of pixel burnout is possible. While current Pixel Shift technology minimizes this risk, it is recommended not to keep static bright screen notifications for days.
Also worth noting is the battery indicator. Some Redmi and POCO models display the percentage of charge in large numbers, which is very convenient. However, if the phone is lying screen-up on the table, this feature may be less noticeable than on curved flagship screens.
Impact on the battery and optimization of work
The main question that users are concerned about is how much AOD puts down the battery? The actual energy consumption depends on many factors: brightness, style chosen, frequency of updates and the state of the battery itself. On average, the function increases the charge consumption by 5-10% per day.
Xiaomi's system uses algorithms to reduce brightness in the dark if auto mode is on, which helps save energy at night. If you notice that the phone is running out too quickly, try turning off animated styles in favor of static ones.
For maximum savings, use the Uplift mode, in which case the screen only burns when it really needs to. The rest of the time it's completely black, which is equivalent to an AMOLED-matrix-off state, which is the best balance between functionality and autonomy.
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The optimal mode for saving charge is "When lifted" combined with a static dial, which reduces energy consumption to almost the level of the screen off, while maintaining the availability of information.
Problem Solving and Troubleshooting
Despite the system's fine-tuning, users may encounter situations where AOD is not working or acting strangely, most often the problem is energy saving settings or conflicting design themes. Let's look at the main causes and ways to fix them.
If the feature is on but the screen goes off immediately after turning it off, check the active themes. Third-party themes from Themes store can override the system lock settings. Try applying the standard Classic or Default theme and check AOD again.
⚠️ Warning: Some “lightweight” versions of memory cleanup applications may force the system process to close the miui-screen-on-service, resulting in a shutdown AOD. Add this process to exceptions or auto-start if you use such utilities.
It’s also worth checking for security updates. Light sensor errors are often patched. If nothing works, resetting the screen to factory settings (not completely resetting the phone!) can bring back functionality.