Local contrast in Xiaomi: what it is, how it works and why you need it

If you've ever compared images on different Xiaomi screens -- whether Mi TVs or Redmi/POCO smartphones -- you've probably noticed that some devices are flat, while others are literally pulling details out of the shadows and making the colors voluminous, and that's because of local contrast, which is a technology that has become one of the brand's key competitive advantages, but what is it really about?

In this article, we will look at how local contrast works in Xiaomi devices, how it differs from global contrast, what models support it, and most importantly, how to adjust it correctly so as not to spoil the picture. You will learn why sometimes turning on this feature leads to the opposite effect (for example, “lighting” dark scenes), and how to avoid it. And we will also compare the implementation of the technology in TVs and smartphones – because there it works differently!

What is Local Contrast and How Does It Work?

Local contrast (or local contrast, local dimming) is a technology that dynamically adjusts the brightness of individual areas of the screen to improve the perception of detail in the dark and light areas of the image. Unlike global contrast, which regulates the brightness of the entire screen, local contrast works selectively: it can darken the angle with the black sky in the film without affecting the bright scene in the center.

In Xiaomi devices, this function is implemented in two ways:

• 📺 Hardware local contrast (in Mi TVs) TV QLED, Mi TV Master, etc. – uses a matrix with independent zone lighting (for example, Full Array Local Dimming with 128).+ zone).
• 📱 Software local contrast (in smartphones Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ AI algorithms analyze the image and adjust the brightness of pixels on the fly».

The main advantage of the technology is to increase the depth of black to 0.005 nits (in premium models), which is comparable to the depth of black. OLED-But there are pitfalls: if you don't set up the right settings, local contrast can create halos around bright objects or make dark scenes too grey».

⚠️ Note: In Xiaomi budget models (e.g. Redmi) A2 or Mi TV 4A) «Local contrast is often a marketing term for a normal gamut setting. check the specifications of the device before buying!

Hardware vs. software local contrast: what is the difference

Not all Xiaomi devices are equally good at local contrast, depending on the type of technology implementation.

Hardware local contrast objectively gives a better result, but requires an expensive matrix, software is available even in mid-budget smartphones, but its work depends on the power of the processor and the quality of the algorithms. For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro uses a neural network to analyze scenes in real time, which avoids most artifacts.

What Xiaomi devices support local contrast

The technology is not available in all gadgets of the brand, here is the current list of devices with full support for local contrast (data for 2026):

• 📺 TVs: Mi TV Master Ultra 98" (512 backlight zones) Mi TV Q2 QLED (128 zones Xiaomi TV A Pro (32 zones, budget version) Redmi Smart Fire TV (software emulation)
• 📱 Smartphones: Xiaomi 14 Ultra (AMOLED + AI correction) POCO F6 Pro (Dolby Vision) Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (Only in the "Cinema" mode»)

Note that in budget models (e.g. Redmi 12C or Mi TV 4S), the function can be specified in the specifications, but it will work more easily - without zone lighting or with a minimum number of zones (4-8). To check the real support, look at the screen settings: if there is a Local contrast with intensity adjustment (not just on / off), then the technology is hardware.

How to enable and customize local contrast on Xiaomi

The local contrast settings are hidden in different menus depending on the type of device, and below are step-by-step instructions for TVs and smartphones.

📺 Customization on Mi TVs TV / Redmi TV

1. Open the settings → Picture → Additional settings.
2. Select Local contrast (or Local Dimming in English firmware).
3. Set the slider to the Average value (for balance between quality and artifacts).
4. Activate Movie or Dolby Vision for automatic optimization.

Set local contrast to 70%|Deactivate "Auto-brightness"|Enable "Dark Room" mode"|Activate Dolby Vision (if supported)-->

📱 Setting up on smartphones Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO

In mobile devices, the function is most often hidden in the display settings:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Colors and contrast.
2. Select Mode of display → Movie or Saturated.
3. Enable Adaptive Contrast (in some models called AI Contrast).
4. For fine-tuning, use the Screen Test app from the Mi App Store.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with IPS-matrix (e.g. Redmi) 10A) Turning on local contrast can cause the screen to flicker at low brightness, in which case it is better to turn off the function or reduce the intensity to 30%.

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Local contrast is a powerful tool, but if you don't set it right, it can ruin the picture. Here are the typical problems and solutions.

• 🌓 Bright spots in dark scenes ("bluming"): Occurs due to the re-light of adjacent backlight zones. Solution: Reduce the intensity of local contrast to 50% or turn on the Dark Room mode.
• 🎭 Unnatural colors: Often manifested in saturated mode Solution: switch to the Standard or Movie profile.
• ⚡ Screen flicker: Typical for IPS-Solution: Increase the brightness to 40% or turn off adaptive contrast.

If problems persist, try resetting your screen to factory settings (Settings → System → Reset → Reset image settings). In a pinch, a firmware update can help – newer versions of MIUI and PatchWall (for TVs) often fix image processing algorithms.

💡

Before watching a movie in a dark room, turn on the Dark Room mode in the TV settings, which automatically optimizes local contrast for better black perception.

Comparison with competitors: who better copes with local contrast

Xiaomi is not the only brand that uses local contrast technology, but let’s compare it to its main competitors:

Xiaomi occupies an intermediate position: in terms of picture quality, it is inferior to Samsung QLED and LG OLED, but offers the best price/quality ratio. For example, the Mi TV Master Ultra with 512 backlight zones costs 2-3 times cheaper than Sony analogues, while the difference in quality is minimal for most users.

💡

If you want the perfect black color without compromise, choose the right color. OLED-televisions (e.g. televisions, LG C3). If price and quality are important, Xiaomi QLED Local contrast is the best option.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions