Active screen on Xiaomi: what is this feature, how to turn on and configure

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone, you’ve probably encountered the term “active screen” in your device settings, a feature that often raises questions about how it differs from Always On Display (AOD), how it affects autonomy, and why you need it at all? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what’s behind the “active screen,” how it works on different Xiaomi models, and give practical recommendations for setting up.

The active screen concept came about as a response to users who wanted to get important information from the display without unlocking the phone. Unlike classic AOD, which constantly displays time and notifications, the active screen on Xiaomi works on a different principle — it wakes up only under certain conditions. This solution saves battery power while maintaining convenience. But how exactly is this implemented in MIUI firmware, and what pitfalls should be considered?

What is an Active Screen on Xiaomi and How Does It Work?

Active screen (originally Ambient Display or Lock Screen Notifications) is a feature that briefly turns on the display when notifications arrive or when you pick up the phone. Unlike Always On Display, which is constantly running, the active screen is activated only by triggers:

• 📳 New notifications – the screen lights up for a few seconds, showing the app icon and summary (such as the caller’s name or text of the message).
• 🤳 Movement – triggered when lifting the phone or changing its position in space (use accelerometer and gyroscope sensors).
• 🔔 Alarm clock/timer – the screen is turned on in advance so you don’t miss an important event.
• 🔋 Charging – when connected to the network, the battery level and charging status can be displayed.

Technically, the function is implemented through low-level interaction with the display: instead of fully turning on the screen, Doze Mode (Android sleep mode) is used, which consumes a minimum amount of energy. AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K60) The active screen looks like a dim glow of pixels, and IPS (like POCO X5) — muted.

It's important to understand that an active screen is not the same as an AOD. It works continuously, showing the time, date and notifications even when the phone is on the table. The active screen only wakes up when the event occurs, which reduces battery load, but there are downsides to this approach: if you missed the moment of the screen turning on, you'll have to check the information manually.

Distinguishing Active Screen from Always On Display (AOD)

Many users confuse active screen with Always On Display, but there are fundamental differences between them.

On Xiaomi models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Mi 11, Redmi) K50, POCO F5) Active screen consumes 3-5 times less energy than AOD, And it's covering 80 percent of the user needs for fast access to information. IPS-displays (e.g., Redmi Note 12) the difference in power consumption is less noticeable, and AOD It may even be more practical.

Another key difference is customization: AOD in MIUI allows you to choose watch styles, add animations, and even upload your own wallpaper; the active screen is limited to standard templates and does not support deep personalization; but it works even on models where AOD is not available by default (for example, in the POCO M5 or Redmi 10C).

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO C40) Active screen function may not be available due to hardware limitations, in which case an alternative would be a third-party application like Always On. AMOLED (Requires root rights on some firmware).

What Xiaomi models support an active screen

The active screen feature is available on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, but its implementation depends on the MIUI version and display type.

• 📱 Flagships and mid-segment - all models with AMOLED (for example, Xiaomi 13T, Redmi K60 Pro, POCO F4 GT) It supports an active screen out of the box, and it works as efficiently as possible because of the energy-saving properties of organic displays.
• 💰 Budgetary devices — on IPS-screens (e.g. Redmi Note 12) 4G, POCO M5s) There's an active screen, too, but it can consume more power.
• ⚡ Outdated models – on phones older than 2019 (e.g. Redmi Note 7, Mi 9) the feature may not work well or may not be available in newer versions MIUI.
• 🔄 Castom firmware – on devices with LineageOS, Pixel Experience or other firmware, the active screen can be called Ambient Display and customized via the Android menu, not the Android menu. MIUI.

To check for support on your device, go to Settings → Screen. If there is no Active Screen option, try updating MIUI to the latest version or installing a third-party app (such as AcDisplay from Google Play).

If your model is on the list above, but you want to get similar functionality, consider the following options:

1. Install Always On AMOLED (requires ADB or root for full-time operation).
2. Use Notification LED – LED notification indicator (available on most Redmi).
3. Set up Google Assistant for voice alerts for new messages.

How to turn on and configure the active screen on Xiaomi

You can activate the function in a few steps. The instructions are universal for most devices on MIUI 12-14:

1. Open Settings and go to the Screen section.
2. Select Active Screen (on some firmware – Ambient Display or Lock Screen).
3. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
4. Configure the settings: Show notifications — turn on to see the content of messages; lift to wake up — the screen will light up when the phone moves; New notifications — the choice of applications for which the active screen will fire; Watch style — available 2-3 options (depending on the model).

For a more subtle setting, you can use the Developer Mode:

Settings → About the phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times)


Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Active Screen

Options like Display Time (default 5-10 seconds) or Motion Sensitivity are available here, and some devices (e.g. Xiaomi 12S Ultra) can even customize the color scheme to lock the wallpaper.

Insert “Wake-up to wake-up"|Limit notifications to important applications only|Set the display time for 7 seconds|Disable the function during sleep (from 23:00 to 7:00)|-->

⚠️ Attention: On devices with IPS-With displays (e.g. Redmi 10), an active screen can cause pixels to burn out over long periods of use, and to avoid this, reduce the brightness of the screen in the settings or turn off the function during downtime.

Effect of active screen on battery autonomy

One of the big questions users have is, how much does an active screen reduce battery life? The answer depends on three factors:

1. Display type – AMOLED consumption is minimal (0.5-1% per hour), on IPS can reach 2-3%.
2. Response frequency – if you get a lot of notifications or pick up your phone frequently, the expense will rise.
3. Brightness – the higher the brightness of the active screen, the more energy it consumes.

Decision:

1. Check notification settings for the application in Settings → Apps → Notification management.
2. Turn off Battery Optimization for a problem application.
3. Restart the phone or reset the screen settings to factory.

2. the screen is turned on too often (false positives)

Reasons:

• High sensitivity of the motion sensor.
• The phone is placed on a vibrating surface (e.g. in a car).

Decision:

• Reduce sensitivity in Settings → Screen → Active Screen → More
• Turn off the option to wake up.

3.Active screen is not stable after the MIUI update

This is a typical problem for beta firmware.

• Reverse to the stable version of MIUI via Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Points → Select an Service Pack.
• Reset the screen settings: Settings → Screen → Reset settings.

💡

If the active screen stopped working after the update, check if the permissions for the MIUI System application have lost (Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Auto Run).

Alternatives to the Active Screen on Xiaomi

If you don’t like the active screen (for example, because of high battery consumption or lack of function on your model), consider alternative ways to get notifications:

• 💡 Always On Display (AOD) — Available on flagships (Xiaomi 13, Redmi) K60). Consumes more energy but offers more customization options.
• 🔔 LED lights are on most Redmis and POCO. You can customize the color for different types of notifications through the Light Manager app.
• 🎵 Sound and vibration alerts are a classic way to do this without having to turn on the screen.
• 🤖 Google Assistant – Voice notifications for new messages (e.g., “You have a new message on Telegram»).
• 📱 Third-party apps: Always On AMOLED — emulate AOD AcDisplay is a lightweight alternative to the active screen with flexible settings. Glimpse Notifications shows notifications when lifting the phone (analogue of the active screen for older models).

To install third-party apps, you may need permission to Overlay on top of other windows and Auto Run.Be sure to check reviews and rankings on Google Play to avoid malware.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Always On AMOLED Require constant work in the background, which can increase battery consumption by 10-15% compared to the native active screen, 4PDA or XDA Developers).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's active screen