Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones face a situation where the device interface suddenly turns black or dark gray. This is due to the activation of the so-called dark theme, which is designed to reduce the load on the eyes in poor lighting and save battery power on the body. OLED-However, for some people, this mode of operation can be unusual or even uncomfortable, especially if the screen has high contrast.
With MIUI and the new HyperOS, color schema management is flexible, but sometimes standard switches don't work properly or are hidden in unexpected menu locations. To get back to the usual white background and black fonts, you need to do a series of sequential actions in system settings. It's important to understand that turning off theme affects not only desktop wallpapers, but also system applications, settings menus, and sometimes third-party software that supports system themes.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to force the light switch. We will look at standard methods through personalization settings, working with the on scheduler and resetting methods if the standard disconnection does not work. You will get comprehensive information on how to make your smartphone interface bright and familiar again.
Standard Disconnection through Personalization Settings
The easiest and most obvious way to change the color scheme is to use the built-in personalization menu. In modern versions of Xiaomi firmware, this section was put into a separate menu, accessible directly from the home screen or through general settings. First, you need to unlock the device and find the icon of the Themes application.
When you start the app, you'll notice the bottom of the screen where the navigation bar is located, and you'll need to click on the Profile tab, which is usually marked by the little person icon, and in the menu that opens, you'll see the "Setting theme" section, and there's a master switch that activates dark or light mode, and if the slider is on blue or green, the the theme is active.
To turn off completely, you just tap the switch to turn gray. The system will instantly change the switch, and the interface will return to standard light design. In some versions of MIUI, the same switch can be duplicated in the notification curtain. To do this, you need to lower the curtain down twice and find a tile with a crescent or sun image, pressing it also changes the design mode.
- 🌑 Open the Themes app on the home screen of your smartphone.
- 👤 Go to the Profile section at the bottom of the screen.
- 🎨 Select “Setting up theme” to access color schemes.
- 💡 Click on the "Dark Mode" switch to deactivate it.
It's worth noting that after turning off the dark theme, some apps may need to reboot to properly display the interface elements. If you notice that the background on the menu has turned white and the application icons have remained black, try closing and reopening them. This is a standard system behavior that is not an error.
Setting up the automatic mode and schedule
A common cause of black backgrounds being turned on unexpectedly is the activated auto-switch function. Xiaomi smartphones can analyze the time of day or light level and change the topic on their own. If you turn off the theme manually, but after a while it turned on again, it is likely that the schedule is to blame.
To fix this problem, go back to the "Setting Up theme" menu that was discussed in the previous section. Find "Automatically" or "Schedule" and you can choose between "Switch on at sunset," "Time" or "Discolored lighting," and you have to choose "No" or "Always use a light theme" to prevent the system from changing its design on its own.
⚠️ Note: If you use Power Saving mode, your smartphone may force a dark theme to reduce battery consumption. Check your energy saving settings and turn off the theme change option if it is present.
Also worth checking the screen settings in the system's general menu. Go to Settings → Screen. Some firmware versions may have an optional Dark Mode or Read Mode switch that also affects the color gamut. Make sure all automatic scripts are turned off to avoid setting conflicts.
If you want to leave manual switching but take away automation, just make sure the Auto slider is off and the main theme switch is set to the Light position, which will give you full control over the look of the device without any interference from the system algorithms.
Theme management in the new HyperOS system
With the release of the HyperOS operating system, which gradually replaces MIUI on new and updated devices, the location of some settings has changed. The interface has become more minimalist, and theme management has been integrated deeper into the system menu. If you have upgraded to the new version and can not find the usual switches, follow the instructions below.
In HyperOS, theme management is often in the Kit widget or is available through long-term pressing from an empty desktop space. However, the basic path remains the same: Settings → Personalization. Here you will see a large block previewing the current theme, and clicking on it, you will be taken to the style selection menu, where you can turn off the dark version of the design.
HyperOS features a more aggressive integration of color schemes into system applications, which means that turning off the theme in the settings may not immediately change the view of some menus, such as Settings or Explorer, in which case a complete reboot of the device may be required to apply global changes to all system components.
☑️ Checking HyperOS settings
Users also note that the new system has a smarter color adaptation algorithm that can slightly darken the white background at night, even if the dark theme is officially turned off.This is a vision protection feature that can be found in Settings → Screen → Vision Protection. Make sure that the Read or Paper mode is also not activated, as they can visually mimic a dark theme.
Forced resetting of theme settings
There are situations where a software failure causes the theme switch to not respond to clicks or visually turn off, but the interface remains black. This can occur after a failed firmware update or installing third-party themes from unofficial sources, in which cases a deeper approach to solving the problem is required.
The first step is to use a standard theme. Go to the Topics app, go to Profile and select My Topics. Find a theme called Classic, Defult, or Untitled (a standard system theme). Click on it and select Apply. This action will force all visual settings to be rewritten into factory values.
If that didn't work, clear the cache of the Themes app. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the Themes app (or Themes) in the list. Click on it and select Clear → Clear cache. Don't be afraid to delete the cache, your personal data and downloaded themes won't be affected, only temporary files will be reset.
| Action. | Where to find out. | The effect |
|---|---|---|
| Application of the standard theme | Topics → Profile → My Topics | Resetting all visual parameters to factory |
| Clearing the cache of themes | Settings → Applications → Topics → Clean | Elimination of programmatic display errors |
| Rebooting the device | Power button → Reboot. | Full update of system processes |
| Turning off energy savings | Settings → Battery | Ban on auto-change topics for savings |
Once you do this, the system should return to normal operation, and if the problem persists, it may be that the system files are damaged and more serious intervention is required, up to and including factory resets, but this is a last resort.
The impact of third-party launchers and themes
Dark theme issues can be caused not only by system settings, but also by third-party launchers or modified themes you install. Some users install heavy themes from the GetApps store or third-party resources that force the interface to change colors, ignoring system settings.
If you’re using a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher), check its internal settings. They often have their own themes and night mode settings that overlap Xiaomi’s system preferences. Go to the launcher settings and find the “Look” or “Theme” section to switch it to light mode.
⚠️ Warning: Third-party themes downloaded from unverified sources may contain code errors that lead to dark mode sticking.
Also worth paying attention to special features. In the Settings menu → Advanced Settings → Special. features can be activated color inversions or high contrast modes for the visually impaired. These features make the screen black with white text regardless of the theme chosen. Make sure that the "Color Inversion" and "High Contrast Text" items are turned off.
What if the dark theme turns on itself after the reboot?
Solving problems with individual applications
Even after the global blackout, some apps may continue to appear in black, because modern apps (e.g. Telegram, WhatsApp, YouTube) have their own internal theme settings that prioritize the system.
To fix this, you need to go to the settings of each problem application. Usually the path looks like this: App settings → Chat / Making → Theme. Choose the option “Light” or “Classic”. In some cases, the application may offer the option “Like in the system” – if you choose this, the application will follow the settings of the smartphone, but it is better to set a strict limit on light mode.
Google Play, Google Maps and others often ignore system settings if your Google account has a preference. Check your Google account settings on other devices or the web version to make sure there is no forced dark mode.
💡
To quickly check if the application is system or has its own settings, try running it in Safe Mode. If the theme is light in Safe Mode, then the third-party application or settings within a particular software are to blame.
If none of these methods worked, and individual apps stubbornly remain black, try updating them through the GetApps store or Google Play. Developers regularly release patches that fix compatibility bugs with newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS.