How to turn on and adjust screen brightness on Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Why it’s important to set the brightness on Xiaomi

Screen brightness is one of the key parameters that affect the comfort of using a Xiaomi smartphone. Too high brightness not only drains the battery faster by 20-30%, but also creates additional strain on the eyes, especially in the dark. On the other hand, insufficient brightness in sunny weather makes the screen almost unreadable. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to adjust the brightness on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices – from basic to hidden MIUI functions.

The manufacturer offers several options for adjustment: manual adjustment, adaptive brightness, night mode and even automatic change on the schedule. However, many users face problems — for example, the brightness spontaneously changes or the adjuster slider disappears from the control panels, we will tell you how to regain control of the screen and optimize it for your needs.

We will pay special attention to models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K60), where the wrong settings can cause pixels to burn out, and how to circumvent system constraints if standard methods don't work.

Method 1: Manually adjusting brightness through the notification panel

The fastest way to change brightness is to use the notification bar, which works on all MIUI versions (10 to 14) and is suitable for models from the Redmi Note 8 to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

To open the panel, swipe down from top to bottom across the screen, and there's a brightness slider at the top, and if it's not there, it's probably hidden, in which case:

• 📱 Swipe down twice (to open the full panel).
• ⚙️ Click on the icon. ✏️ Edit (pencil) in the upper right corner.
• 🔍 Find the Brightness element in the list and drag it to the active area.
• 💡 If the slider is gray and inactive, then the adaptive brightness is turned on - turn it off (more about this below).

On some models (e.g., POCO F5), the slider may be missing due to customized firmware, in which case use alternative methods in the following sections.

💡

If the brightness slider disappears after the MIUI update, try rebooting the phone – this often solves the problem with displaying panel elements.

Method 2: Setting the brightness in the screen menu

To fine-tune the brightness, go to the basic parameters of the system, and this method allows you not only to change the current value, but also to adjust automatic adjustment, color temperature and other parameters.

Instructions:

1. Open the settings (cog icon).
2. Go to the Screen section.
3. Slip on Brightness.
4. Move the slider to the left (to reduce) or to the right (to increase).

In the same menu you will find additional options:

• 🌓 Adaptive brightness – automatic adjustment to lighting (it is recommended to turn off to save battery life).
• 🌡️ Color temperature – adjusting the screen hue (warm/cold).
• 👁️ Reading Mode – Reduces blue light for eye comfort.
• ⏰ Brightness schedule – automatic change at a given time (available at the time of the MIUI 12+).

Method 3: Adaptive brightness - pros and cons

Adaptive brightness (or Automatic Adjustment) uses a light sensor to adjust the screen to the surrounding conditions, a feature that is useful but has its nuances.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Brightness.
2. Activate the Adaptive Brightness Switch.
3. For calibration, go outside or into a well-lit room - the phone will remember the optimal values.

Advantages:

• ✅ Convenience – you don’t have to adjust the brightness manually.
• ✅ Saving time when changing lighting.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Increased battery consumption (sensor is constantly working).
• ❌ Sometimes it works incorrectly (for example, at dusk).
• ❌ It may conflict with certain applications (e.g. Google Maps).

In the models with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 12/13/14, Redmi K50/K60) Adaptive brightness can cause the matrix to wear unevenly. If you notice that part of the screen has become dimmer, turn off this feature and use manual adjustment.

Method 4: Quick keys and gestures to change brightness

If you are tired of opening the notification bar every time, you can configure gestures or additional buttons for quick adjustment.

Option 1: Double touch on the screen

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13/14), you can enable a double tap brightness change on the top or bottom of the screen:

1. Go to Settings → Special features → Gestures and movements.
2. Turn on Double Touch to adjust the brightness.
3. Select the screen area (top or bottom).

Option 2: Volume buttons

On older models (Redmi 5/6/7) you can assign brightness adjustment to the volume buttons:

1. Open the settings → buttons and gestures.
2. Select Volume Control.
3. Activate the option to Use Volume buttons for brightness.

Option 3: Widget on the desktop

Add the brightness widget to the main screen:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop.
2. Pick the Widgets.
3. Find the Brightness widget and drag it to the screen.

Method 5: Adjust brightness through energy saving modes

The MIUI's energy-saving modes automatically lower the screen brightness to save charge, which is useful when the battery is running out too quickly, but can create discomfort when used.

How to set up:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select a mode: 🔋 Balanced – moderate decrease in brightness. 🌿 Energy saving – a strong limitation (brightness up to 50%). ⚡ Ultra energy saving – minimum brightness (30%) and switching off background processes.

Mode settings

If you need to temporarily turn off restrictions (for example, to watch videos), use the exceptions:

1. In the menu of the mode of energy saving, tap the Applications.
2. Add to the exceptions those programs for which you want to keep the brightness (for example, YouTube or Google Maps).

💡

If after the MIUI update, the brightness began to behave strangely, try to roll back to the previous version of the firmware through Settings → About the phone → System Update → Three points → Selection of the service package.

⚠️ Warning: If after a fall or hit the phone brightness is no longer adjustable, do not try to disassemble the device yourself! this can damage the plume or matrix.

Additional features: Night mode, schedule and DC-dimming

Besides the standard brightness adjustment, MIUI has a few hidden features that will help make your phone more comfortable.

1. Night mode (Eye Comfort)

Reduces the amount of blue light, reducing the strain on the eyes in the evening.

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Night mode.
2. Activate the switch and set up: 🌅 Time of inclusion (automatically or on schedule). 🎨 Intensity (from weak to strong filter).

2. Brightness schedule

Allows you to automatically change the brightness depending on the time of day (available on MIUI 12+):

1. Open the settings → Screen → Brightness → Schedule.
2. Add a rule (for example, reduce the brightness to 30% after 22:00).

3. DC-dimming (only for dimming) AMOLED)

Technology that reduces the flickering of the screen at low brightness, which is useful for flicker-sensitive users, but can increase battery consumption.

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times tap the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Go back to the Settings → Additional → Developer settings.
3. Find the option. DC-dimming and turn it on.