How to turn on the night mode on Android Xiaomi: full instructions

Modern smartphones emit significant amounts of blue light, which can cause eye fatigue and disrupt the body's circadian rhythms, especially in the evening. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often wonder how to best adjust the screen for comfortable use in the dark. Night mode is not just an aesthetic change, but an important feature for the health of the user.

In the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, engineers have set up several levels of dimming, so you can choose to completely invert colors, turn on reading mode, or simply activate a dark theme, and understanding the differences between these options will allow you to create the perfect environment for working with your gadget after sunset.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the available methods for switching the screen to dark mode. We will look at standard settings, hidden functions of the engineering menu and automation of processes so that your smartphone adapts to the time of day without your involvement.

Differences between Dark Subject and Reading Mode

Many users confuse Dark Mode and reading mode as synonymous, but technically they are different functions with different effects on the display matrix. The dark theme changes the color of the system interface and supported applications to black or dark gray, which saves battery life on AMOLED screens.

Read mode, in turn, adds a warm yellowish filter over the entire image, reducing the intensity of the blue spectrum. Night light (or Night Light) often runs on a schedule and makes the colors softer, but does not necessarily invert the application interface.

To maximize vision protection at night, experts recommend combining these features: Dark background reduces overall brightness, and a warm filter minimizes the load on the retina. In Xiaomi devices, these settings are separated, giving the user flexibility in controlling the display.

⚠️ Attention: Full color inversion (for the visually impaired) makes the phone unsuitable for viewing photos and videos, as the colors turn negative.

It’s important to understand that not all apps support native dark theme. In such cases, the system’s forced dimming function may not work properly, creating artifacts or leaving a white background in individual windows. Checking the compatibility of your core programs is the first step to a comfortable night.

Activating a dark theme through system settings

The easiest and safest way to switch the interface to dark is to use the standard settings menu, which works on all current versions of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS. First, unlock the device and find the Settings icon on the home screen.

In the menu that opens, you need to scroll down the list or search. Find the visual section. Depending on the firmware version, it can be called differently, but the logic of the items' layout remains the same.

Once the main switch is activated, the system will apply the changes instantly. However, for deep tuning, it is recommended to click on the theme name or gear next to the switch. There you will find additional options, such as setting the on time and selecting the degree of dimming.

It is worth noting that some system applications, such as Calculator or Recorder, may not change color immediately, in which case you need to restart these programs or wait for their interface to be updated by the background process of the system.

Setting up the reading and night light mode

If your goal is to reduce eye strain, rather than just change the color of the interface, you'll need a settings section related to the color spectrum. → Find the screen option Reading Mode or Reading Mode.

There are two main options available here: classic and improved. The classic version just adds a yellow filter, whereas the improved one algorithmically rearranges the colors to make the image look like electronic paper, which is especially useful for those who like to read texts from the phone screen before going to bed.

This menu often hides the Unlimited Display feature, which darkens the edges of the display, creating a dip effect and lowering the bright bezels around the content, which is not a full night mode, but a useful addition to using the phone in complete darkness.

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For maximum effect, combine Dark Theme and Read Mode, which will give a black background interface and a warm, eye-safe shade of text.

Use of Control Center and Quick Buttons

You don't have to go deep into the menu every time you turn on night functions. Xiaomi lets you put the right switches into the notification curtain. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the Control Center.

If you don't see the Read Mode or Dark Mode buttons among the active icons, click on the edit button (usually a pencil or gear icon). In the list of available widgets, find the ones you need and drag them to the active zone.

Now, switching between day and night takes one second, which is especially handy when you suddenly decide to read the news in a dark room, and the bright light of the screen cuts your eyes.

⚠️ Note: On some models with customized launchers or after installing themes from Themes store, the fast buttons may not work correctly.

Also in the Control Center is often a brightness slider with an auto-tuning button. Make sure the light sensor is not blocked by a cover or film, otherwise the automatic brightness will not work properly, negating efforts to adjust the night mode.

Automation on schedule and geolocation

Manually turning on mode every evening can forget even the most attentive user. Fortunately, the Android system based on MIUI allows you to automate this process. In the settings of dark theme or reading mode, find the item on schedule.

You can choose a fixed time, for example, from 21:00 to 07:00. In this range, the phone will go into gentle mode on its own. A more advanced option is to use sunrise and sunset. The phone will determine your location and turn on eye protection when it gets dark outside.

To set up the geo-position, the system will need permission to access your coordinates, without which the Dusk to Dawn function will not work, and make sure that geo-location services are enabled for system processes at least.

Automation is the best way to take care of your eye health, because you just forget about the settings, and your smartphone adapts itself to the environment, and this is especially true for people with irregular sleep schedules.

Hidden functions and engineering settings

For advanced users who lack standard options, there are hidden menus, one of which is the engineering menu, which is accessed through a set of special code in the Phone application.

Enter ##6484## or ##4636## (codes may vary depending on model and region) and you can find display tests in the CIT menu that opens, where additional color calibrations are sometimes available, including the intensity of the blue subpixel.

Engineering code for screen check: ##6484##


Single Item Test -> Display -> Color

Be very careful when changing the parameters in the engineering menu. Unnecessarily changing the values can lead to incorrect display of colors in all applications, up to the need to reset the settings. Change only those parameters whose value you fully understand.

Another way is to use screen calibration apps from Google Play that require root rights, which allow you to programmatically change the gamut and white balance at the driver level, creating a unique night profile that is not found in stock firmware.

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Standard MIUI tools are enough for 95% of users, and intervention in the engineering menu is only justified if there are specific problems with the matrix or for experiments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)