How to Enable Black and White on Xiaomi: Hidden MIUI Settings and Alternative Ways

Why Xiaomi Users Are Switching to Monochrome Screen – and How to Do It Right

The black and white mode on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a retro-style tribute, but a full-fledged tool to improve productivity, save battery power, and even protect vision. Research shows that monochrome interfaces reduce cognitive load by 23% by reducing visual stimuli. But in MIUI, this feature is hidden deeper than in stock Android — and here’s why.

The manufacturer deliberately restricts access to Gradation mode in bulk firmware, leaving it only for special versions of the software (for example, for example, for the first time, MIUI However, workarounds exist and they work on 90% of the brand’s devices, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Xiaomi 13T. In this article, you will find 3 proven methods for activating monochrome mode, including hidden modes. ADB-A team that is not even written about 4PDA.

One way to warn you is to unlock the bootloader, which would cancel the warranty, but for most users, standard MIUI tools will suffice, if you know where to look, and let's start with the simplest.

Method 1: Enable via "Special Opportunities" (operates on MIUI 14+)

This is an official method that does not require superuser rights or PC connectivity, suitable for devices with MIUI 14 and later firmware (including HyperOS), the main disadvantage is that the feature may not be available on European versions of the software.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Select the Color Filter section (or Color Correction on some models).
3. Activate the Gray Gradation switch.
4. Set the intensity of the effect with a slider (the recommended value is 70-80% for comfortable reading).

If the Color Filter item is not on the menu, then your firmware does not support this out of the box function, in which case move on to the next method.

Make sure the version MIUI less than 12.5|Check the battery charge (minimum 30%)|Turn off the power saving modes|Make a backup copy of important data-->

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F4 GT, Redmi K50) activation of the color filter may conflict with Adaptive Brightness. If the screen starts to flicker after the monochrome mode is turned on, turn off the adaptive backlight in the display settings.

Method 2: Hidden ADB-command for forced inclusion (without root)

This method works on all versions of MIUI, but requires you to connect your smartphone to your computer.

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB smartphone
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (You can download from the official Android website)

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC and allow debugging (the phone will have a request).
2. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the ADB folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Execute the activation command for monochrome mode: adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 1 adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer 0 Here. 0 At the end of the second command is the code for gray gradations.
5. Reboot your smartphone.

To return the colors, use the same command by replacing 1 by 0 in the first line.

Savings in battery charge|Reducing eye strain|Increasing concentration|Aesthetic preferences|Other-->

Method 3: Install custom software (for advanced users)

If the first two methods didn’t work, the radical solution is custom software firmware with monochrome support, which is suitable for devices with unlocked bootloader and requires knowledge of working with TWRP or OrangeFox.

Recommended firmware with support for gray gradations:

• 📱 Pixel Experience – pure Android with Color Inversion and Gradation Grades of Grey in Availability Settings.
• 🔧 LineageOS – has a built-in color filter with intensity setting.
• 🛡️ crDroid – supports monochrome mode via Monet module (requires Magisk).

Installation instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through Mi Unlock Tool (the official Xiaomi utility).
2. Install custom Recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. Download the firmware from the XDA Developers website (choose the version for your model!).
4. Sweat the software through the Recovery, having previously made a full backup.

⚠️ Note: Installing custom software will void the warranty and may result in a brick device if you make errors. On models with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra), it is recommended to use firmware based on Android 13+ Avoid problems with the display drivers.

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Before firmware, check the compatibility of custom software with your model on the LineageOS Wiki. Version mismatch can lead to loss of the sensor or camera.

How to Calibrate Monochrome Mode for Maximum Comfort

Just turning on gray gradations is not enough -- you need to adjust contrast and brightness for long-term use.

To fine-tune, use the Screen Balance app (available on Google Play).

• 🎛️ Adjust the intensity of the gray filter in step 1%.
• 🔄 Create a schedule for automatic on/off.
• 📊 View statistics on the use of monochrome mode.

On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) further adjust DC Dimming in the menu Settings → Display to reduce flickering at low brightness.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successful activation of monochrome mode, users encounter bugs, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

1.The screen flashes after turning on gray gradations

Reason: Conflict with Adaptive Brightness or Autocontrast.

Solution: Disable both features in the display settings and restart the device.

2.The monochrome mode is reset after rebooting

Reason: On devices with MIUI 13 and below, special features settings are not stored in energy-saving mode.

Solution: Add the Settings app to the battery optimization exception list (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization).

3. Navigation gestures are not working

Reason: On some firmware, the color filter blocks touch processing at the bottom of the screen.

Solution: Switch to navigation buttons (Settings → Display → Navigation buttons) or upgrade MIUI to the latest version.

4 Colors return when games or videos are launched

Reason: Apps with their own graphics engines (like Genshin Impact or YouTube) ignore the system color settings.

Solution: Use ADB-A command to force the filter to be applied to all processes:

adb shell settings put global force_daltonizer_enabled 1

Attention:

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If, after application, ADB-When commanding monochrome mode is not working, check if it is blocked by an antivirus (for example, Mi Security). ADB Exceptions or temporarily disable protection.

Alternative options: applications for monochrome mode

If the standard methods didn't work, you can use third-party utilities.

1. Gray Scale Mode (Google Play): 🔹 No root. 🔹 Works through overlay (may conflict with some applications). 🔹 Keeps the schedule up.
2. Night Mode + Grayscale: 🔹 Combines a gray filter with night mode. 🔹 There is a widget for quick inclusion.

Tasker + Plugin "Secure Settings"

• 🔹 Allows you to link the inclusion of monochrome mode to time/place.
• 🔹 It requires customization, but gives maximum flexibility.