A sudden change in the color rendering of a smartphone display can cause panic in any user. If the screen of your Xiaomi device has turned black and white, chances are you accidentally activated one of the accessibility features or power saving mode. This is not a matrix breakdown, but a software setting that is easy to fix.
In MIUI and the new HyperOS, there are several independent mechanisms that can change the color gamut, most often the cause being the "Electronic Ink" function, which is designed for comfortable reading, or the "Color Correction" mode for people with visual impairments, and understanding the differences between these modes is the first step to solving the problem.
In this guide, we will go into detail all the possible causes of monochrome images, learn how to quickly find the right switches in the settings menu, even if the interface seems confusing, follow the instructions to return bright and rich colors to your display.
Electronic ink mode: the main reason
The most likely culprit behind the disappearance of colors is the E-ink function, which mimics the way e-books work by turning the image into shades of gray to reduce eye strain, often by users turning it on randomly through a control center or sidebar.
To turn off this mode, you need to go to system settings. Find Settings → Screen. Depending on the firmware version, the item may be called Read Mode or Electron Ink. Inside the menu, you will see a switch that you need to deactivate.
Some versions of the shell have a faster way through the control center. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification curtain. Find a tile called "Electronic Ink" or an icon resembling a book. If the tile is active (lit), click on it to turn it off.
It is important to note that newer versions of HyperOS may have different logic, and read mode is often integrated into the Eye Protection settings. If the standard path didn't work, check Settings → Screen → Eye Protection. Make sure the E-Ink slider is in the Off position.
Color correction and availability settings
The second common reason is the activation of features for people with color perception peculiarities. Android allows you to change the color scheme for users with color blindness or other disorders.
To check for these parameters, go to the advanced settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → Advanced settings → Special features → Visual. Here we are interested in the item "Color correction." If it is on, the image on the screen will be distorted.
- 🎨 Turn off the Color Correction switch if it is active.
- 👁️ Check if the Monochrome mode is selected in the list of correction types.
- 🔄 Reset the default color settings if simple switches don't help.
There's also a color inversion feature that makes black white and white black to create a negative image. It's in the same special feature menu. Make sure the inversion slider is off. This is often confused with black and white mode, although the visual effects are very different.
☑️ Checking availability settings
If you use third-party launchers or themes, the problem may be that some custom themes force the system to change the color palette. Try temporarily switching to a standard Classic or Standard theme in the Themes app to rule this out.
Digital Well-Being and Sleeping
Google’s Digital Wellbeing feature, built into the MIUI shell, has a “Go to bed time” mode. When the time is set, the phone automatically switches to black and white to reduce the screen’s appeal and help the user fall asleep.
Check the schedule and settings of this mode through the Settings → Digital Well-being → Sleeping Time. If the mode is active, you will see the icon of the bed or moon in the status bar. To return the colors, you either need to wait for the morning or manually turn off the mode in the same menu.
⚠️ Attention: Sleep time can be automatically on schedule, and if the screen turns black and white every night at the same time, the problem is that point.
It's also worth checking the "Sleep Mode" settings in the "Safety" or "Battery" app. Aggressive power saving settings sometimes limit the color gamut to save charge, although this is less common than software interface constraints.
Why is Xiaomi adopting black and white modes?
Third-party annexes and design themes
Don't discount the impact of third-party software. Reading apps like Kindle, Google Play Books, or specialized "readers" can have their own display settings. If only one particular app becomes black and white, look for settings inside it.
Often users install themes from GetApps or third-party sources that are changing the interface globally. Some of them force monochrome icons and wallpapers. To check this out, go to the Topics → Profile → Topics app and apply the standard Classic theme.
In rare cases, battery-saving applications from third-party developers (not built-in) can cause conflict, and they can intercept the control of the display. If the problem occurs after installing such software, try removing it and restarting the device.
Comparison of display modes on Xiaomi
To better navigate your settings, it’s helpful to understand the difference between the major modes that affect color. Below is a table that will help identify your case.
| Regime. | Location on the menu | Visual effect | Purpose of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic ink | Settings → Screen | Complete lack of color, shades of gray | Reading, reducing the load on the eyes |
| Color correction | Special Opportunities → Visual Opportunities | Color distortion or monochrome | Helping people with color blindness |
| Time to go to sleep | Digital well-being | Black and white screen on schedule | Fighting addiction, helping in sleep |
| Color inversion | Special Opportunities → Visual Opportunities | Negative image (black) ↔ white-coloured) | Accessibility for the visually impaired |
As you can see from the table, the solutions for each mode are different, and the key difference between the E-ink mode is that it is applied to the entire interface instantly and is time-free, as opposed to sleep mode, which helps to quickly diagnose the problem.
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If you can't find the right item on the menu, use the search bar at the top of the Settings section, type in the word "black", "color" or "screen", and the system will suggest the desired switch.
Resetting settings and additional methods
If none of the above methods worked, there may have been a software failure in the GUI, in which case resetting all settings to factory settings can help. Importantly, make sure to back up important data before doing so, as all personal files will be deleted.
There's a softer method, which is resetting the special features. → Advanced settings → Special features and find the reset button (usually in the "three dots" menu at the top) that will return all availability parameters to the original values, without affecting the data.�Your photos and contacts.
- 📱 Restart the device in Safe Mode to check if the third-party app is at fault.
- 🛠️ Check for system updates in the About Phone section → Version. MIUI.
- 🔧 If the problem appears after the update, try clearing the cache of the Settings app».
⚠️ Warning: Do not attempt to disassemble the device or disable the display plume if the screen has turned black and white after falling. 99% of the time, it is a software error, not a physical matrix failure.
In the most difficult cases, when software methods are powerless, it may be necessary to flash the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility. However, this method should be resorted to only by advanced users, since there is a risk of losing the warranty or turning the phone into a “brick” if you do not do it correctly.
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In the vast majority of cases, the problem is solved by simply switching the “Electronic Ink” slider or turning off the “Bedtime Time” mode in the digital well-being settings.