If you own a Xiaomi smartphone with a front-facing camera cutout (called a bang), you've probably come across the term "cutout cover." MIUI And it's been asking questions a few years ago, and it's been asking users, what does it actually do? Does it help to get rid of the label in games or apps? Does it affect performance? In this article, we will discuss in detail how the cutout hideout works in Xiaomi, on which models it is available and whether it is worth using it.
Many people mistakenly think that this option physically removes the notch from the screen, but it's more complicated than that: it just masks it software by changing the content display, and it can be useful in some scenarios, but it has its pitfalls, and then you'll learn how to properly configure the notch cover, what applications support this feature, and what alternative solutions exist for owners of "flash" devices.
What is a screen cutout and why you should hide it
Notches (or "brows") appeared in smartphones as a compromise solution for placing the front camera without increasing the screen frames. In Xiaomi, such cutouts are found in models of the Redmi Note series, POCO, Mi (e.g. Mi) 9T, Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 NFC). They come in different forms:
- 📱 Waterdrop notch – a small semicircle at the top of the screen (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro).
- 🔳 Rectangular notch: A wide strip that occupies a significant portion of the upper edge (e.g., Mi 8).
- 🕳️ Punch-hole: A small circular hole (e.g., Redmi) K40).
The problem is that many apps and games are not optimised for cutouts, and instead of streaming content around the camera, they just leave a black bar on top or put an interface on top of the cutout, which is unaesthetic. MIUI.
But it's important to understand that the physical notch doesn't go away. It just tricks apps into telling them that the screen has a standard aspect ratio without notches, and that causes the content to stretch over the entire area available, and the notch area to either be painted over in black or to be placed on a status bar.
How does the cover-up of the cut-out work in MIUI: technical
The function of hiding the cutout in Xiaomi is implemented at the firmware level and works on the following principle:
- Emulation of a “cut-out” screen: the system transmits false screen resolution parameters to applications as if there was no cutout.
- Content Scaling: The application interface is stretched across the entire width of the screen, and the notch area is either ignored or filled in black.
- Adaptive behavior: In some cases, a status bar (notification string) is superimposed over the cutout, masking it.
This is technically implemented through the display settings in MIUI. When you activate the cutout cover, the system adds a flag to the display configuration. force_fullscreen=True, which causes applications to ignore the safe areas around the cutout, doesn't work in all applications, because some games and programs have their own zoom settings.
It is important to note that hiding the notch does not affect the performance of the smartphone, since all calculations occur at the level of the graphics driver. However, in rare cases, this can lead to display artifacts, for example:
- 🎮 Cutting off interface elements in games (for example, control buttons may partially hide behind the cutout).
- 📱 Font distortion in some applications due to incorrect scaling.
- 🔄 Unstable work with apps that actively use the camera (such as Snapchat or TikTok).
On which models Xiaomi is available to hide the cutout
The function of hiding the cutout appeared in MIUI 10 and is saved in all subsequent versions of the firmware, but its availability depends on the model of the smartphone and the type of cutout. Below is a table with popular devices and support for this feature:
| Xiaomi model | Type of cutout | Support for concealment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10 Pro | Punch-hole | Yes. | It works steadily, but artifacts are possible in games. |
| POCO X3 NFC | Waterdrop (waterdrop) | Yes. | Some applications require manual adjustment. |
| Mi 9T | Retractable chamber (without cutout) | No. | There is no function because there is no physical cutout. |
| Redmi Note 9 Pro | Rectangular (notch) | Yes. | It can lead to the trimming of the interface in games. |
| Mi 11 Lite | Punch-hole | Yes. | Supports adaptive hiding depending on the application. |
If your model is not in the table, check for the function as follows:
- Open the Settings → Display.
- Scroll down and find Hiding the Notice (or Full Screen Display in English firmware).
- If there is no point, then your model does not support this function at the firmware level.
On some devices, the notch hiding may only be available for individual applications, in which case it can be activated via Settings. → Annexes → Application management → [select the application] → Full screen mode.
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If the cutout hiding doesn’t work in a particular application, try enabling Game Turbo mode in Settings. → Special facilities → It sometimes helps force the interface to stretch.
Step-by-step instruction: how to turn on the cover of the cutout
There are several ways to activate the cutout concealment in Xiaomi. Consider the most versatile method that works on most models with a high-end design. MIUI 11 and newer.
Open "Settings" on your smartphone|Go to the "Display" section"|Find the "Hide of the Cut" option (or "Full Screen Display")|Select the "Hide the Notch" or "Stretch the Screen" mode"|Restart the device to apply changes-->
If your firmware does not have a separate item to hide the cutout, try an alternative method:
- Open the Settings. → The phone.
- Tap the MIUI version several times to activate the developer mode.
- Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → for developers.
- Find the option. force_fullscreen (or Full Screen Display and turn it on.
- Reboot your smartphone.
On certain devices (e.g, POCO F3 or Redmi K40) Hiding the cutout can be configured separately for each application:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select the desired application (for example, a game or messenger).
- Slip it on Full Screen Mode.
- Choose the option to hide the cutout or stretch.
Once the function is activated, check how the content in the applications is displayed. If the interface is stretched incorrectly or controls are hidden behind the cutout, try disabling the function and using alternative methods (we will discuss them later).
What if after turning on the cutout cover, the application began to work incorrectly?
Pros and cons of hiding the cutout: is it worth using
Like any feature, hiding the notch in Xiaomi has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's go through them in detail so you can make an informed decision.
Advantages ✅
- 🎯 More screen area: Content takes up the entire width of the display, which is especially noticeable in games and videos.
- 🎨 More aesthetic appearance: there are no black stripes or ugly flowing around the neckline.
- 📱 Universality: Works with most applications, even if they are not optimized for cutouts.
- 🔧 Setting flexibility: You can turn on/off the function separately for each application.
Deficiencies ❌
- ⚠️ Interface trimming: In some games, control buttons may be hidden behind the cutout.
- 🖼️ Image distortion: Photos and videos can stretch, losing proportions.
- 🔄 Unstable work: in rare cases, applications can fly out or work with errors.
- 📵 Lack of support: Not all apps properly handle forced cutout cover.
Especially careful should be treated to hide the cutout in the following cases:
⚠️ Attention! If you use applications that actively work with the front camera (for example, Zoom, Snapchat, TikTok), hiding the cutout can lead to camera malfunctions or improper display of video.
It is also worth considering that on some devices (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro or the Redmi Note 8 Pro). POCO X3) Hiding the cutout may conflict with split screen function. If you use multitasking frequently, check the compatibility of these features on your model.
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Hiding the cutout is useful for watching videos and games, but can worsen the experience in apps that actively use the front camera.Always test the feature before constant use!
Alternative ways to hide the cutout without built-in features
If your Xiaomi model doesn't support firmware-level notch hiding or the feature isn't stable, you can use alternative methods. Let's look at the most effective ones.
1. Use of third-party applications
There are several utilities that allow you to hide the cutout programmatically.
- 📱 Nacho Notch (requires root): allows you to hide the cutout in any application, adjust its shape and color.
- 🎮 Game Tools (built-in to the MIUI): In some firmware there is an option of forced full-screen mode for games.
- 🖥️ Full Screen Immersive Mode: An application to activate immersive mode that hides the status bar and cutout.
Example of settings via Nacho Notch:
1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. provide root access (if required).
3. Select the type of cutout (notch, punch-hole).
4. Activate the "Hide Notch" option.
5. Reset the device.2. Manual editing build.prop
For power users, there is a way to hide the cutout through editing the system file build.prop. This requires root rights and can be dangerous if you do the wrong thing.
Instructions:
- With a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer), open the file /system/build.prop.
- Add a line: qemu.hw.mainkeys=1
- Save the changes and restart the smartphone.
⚠️ Attention! Incorrect editing of the build.prop file can cause the device to fail.Before making changes, back up the file and make sure you have the option to restore the firmware via Fastboot or Recovery.
3.Use of ADB-team
If you don’t have root rights, you have access to ADB, You can try to hide the cutout with commands:
adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen 1To get it all back, do this:
adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen 0This method doesn’t work on all devices, but it can be useful for testing.
4. Customization in games and applications
Many popular games (for example, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, Genshin Impact) have built-in settings for adapting to the cutouts. They are usually in the Settings section. → Graphics or Settings → Look for options like this:
- 🎮 Full Screen Mode (Full Screen Mode)
- 🖥️ Hide Notch (Hide Notch)
- 🔄 Adapt to Notch (Adapt to Notch)
Frequent problems and their solutions
When using Xiaomi notch hiding, users often face problems, and let’s look at the most common ones and how to fix them.
1.The application is not stretched to the full screen
If after activating the cutout cover, the content still doesn’t occupy the entire width of the screen, try:
- 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes changes only apply after a reboot.
- 📱 Check the settings of a particular app: some programs (like YouTube or Netflix) have their own zoom options.
- 🔧 Update the app to the latest version – developers could add cutout support.
2. interface elements are hidden behind the cutout
If the control buttons are overlaid with a cutout in a game or application, try:
- 🎮 Enable the Safe Area mode in the game settings).
- 🖥️ Turn off the cutout cover for this application in Settings → Annexes → Application management.
- 📱 Use navigation gestures instead of buttons – this can free up space at the bottom of the screen.
3. Distortion of images or videos
If after activation of the cover-up, the cutout photos or videos are stretched with distortion:
- 📷 In the gallery or player, turn on the option "Save proportions" or "Size screen".
- 🎬 For video, try using third-party players (for example, VLC or MX Player where you can manually configure scaling.
- 🔄 Turn off the cutout cover for multimedia applications.
4.The cutout concealment function disappeared after the update
After the update MIUI "Hidden cutout" disappeared from the settings:
- 🔧 Check if it's hidden in advanced settings. Sometimes, after the update, the options are moved to other sections.
- 📱 Reset the display settings to standard: Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting display settings.
- 🔄 If the problem persists, try to roll back to the previous version. MIUI Or wait for the next update.
5. Hiding the cutout does not work in a particular application
Some applications (e.g., banking or system utilities) block the forced concealment of the cutout.
- 📱 Check if the application itself has full-screen options.
- 🔧 Use it. ADB-commands to force full screen mode for this application: adb shell am compat enable FULLSCREEN_MODE [package]
- 🖥️ If the application is critically important (for example, banking), it is better not to take risks and leave the cutout visible.