When Xiaomi’s familiar bright interface suddenly turns into a gloomy black and white picture, users often panic. Many immediately begin to suspect a critical matrix breakdown or a burned-out display plume, but in 95% of cases it lies in the software settings of the MIUI or HyperOS system.
Android systems have a variety of features to improve readability and reduce eye strain, which can be activated accidentally when you unlock your pocket or after a firmware update. Monochrome mode is not always a mistake, but often a deliberate option that you could turn on yourself without forgetting it.
Before you take the device to the service center, it is worth checking out a number of software switches. In this article, we will examine all possible reasons why the Xiaomi screen turned black and white, and provide step-by-step instructions for returning the color gamut.
Reading Mode is the Most Common Reason
The first suspect on the list is Reading Mode, which is designed to be a comfortable text-reading feature that mimics paper and removes the blue spectrum, but it has several levels, including color removal.
Often users accidentally activate this mode through a control center or shortcuts on the desktop.The system can "remember" your last action and automatically turn on the black and white filter when running certain applications or simply turning on the screen.
- 📖 Classic Mode: Just lowers the color temperature, making the screen yellower but colored.
- 🎨 Paper mode: adds texture and makes the image monochrome for maximum imitation of printed text.
- ⚙️ Automation: The feature can be enabled on schedule or when you start reading apps.
To disable this feature, you need to go to the display settings.The path may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the logic remains the same for all smartphones of the Redmi and Poco brand.
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If you often use reading mode for books, set it up only on schedule so you don’t accidentally activate the black and white filter during the day.
Note that in newer versions of HyperOS, filter algorithms have been changed, and sometimes even standard eye protection mode can give a light grayish hue, which users mistaken for black and white mode.
How to turn off monochrome mode in settings
To fix the problem, you'll need access to the main settings menu on your smartphone. Don't be afraid of the abundance of items -- we only need one specific section that visualizes the content on the matrix.
Perform the following actions consistently:
☑️ Algorithm to turn off reading mode
After these steps, the colors should return instantly. If the screen is left black and white, maybe you have a deeper filtering level on or a third-party app intercepts the control of the display.
⚠️ Warning: If the Read Mode slider is already off and the screen is black and white, try switching it to the On position and then turning it off again.
In some cases, resetting the security or theme settings of the app itself helps, as they often control the system's visual styles, but this is rarely required and it is usually enough to just recheck the main switch.
The “Electronic Book” feature on Xiaomi
Separately, the E-book mode, which is present in the advanced display settings of many Xiaomi models, is worth mentioning. Unlike the read mode, which often has soft transitions, this mode makes the image as contrasting and completely devoid of color as possible to simulate the ink screens of E-Ink.
Activation of this mode often occurs through a hidden menu or prolonged tapping on certain areas of the screen if the appropriate Gesture command has been configured. users can unknowingly turn it on, trying to increase the volume or brightness in certain use cases.
To turn off:
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Screen.
- 📚 Find the item "E-book" (or "book mode»).
- ❌ Transfer the switch to an inactive state.
This mode is only useful for long-term reading of text documents, as it significantly distorts the color reproduction of photos and videos, making them unreadable.
Why does the e-book mode make photos look terrible?
It's important to understand the difference between a software filter and a physical breakdown, and if the colors don't come back after you turn off all the modes of the book, the problem can go deeper.
Digital Well-Being and Sleeping
Modern versions of Android, including MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, have implemented digital well-being tools designed to reduce smartphone dependency and can change the look and feel of the interface to make it less attractive.
One such feature is Sleep Mode or Sleep Time, which can automatically turn on a black and white filter at a given time (e.g. 23:00 to 7:00), which is designed to stop the brain from perceiving the screen as a source of entertainment and the user falls asleep faster.
Check the following parameters:
- Open the Settings. → Digital well-being.
- Select "Sleep Mode" or "Rest Time".
- Check the active restrictions: there may be a tick “Shades of gray”.
It’s also worth checking the focus settings, if you’ve created profiles for work or study, they might have a monochrome screen script to increase concentration.
Turning off these features will bring back the brightness of the colors, but consider whether it's worth sacrificing healthy sleep for the sake of flowers. It might be better to just set a schedule so that the colors only disappear when you actually go to bed.
Special opportunities and access modes
If the above methods didn't work, you should check the Accessibility section, which is a feature for people with visual impairments, who can also make the screen black and white.
In particular, we are talking about the mode “color inversion” or “color correction”, sometimes a sensor malfunction or accidental pressing of a combination of buttons (for example, triple pressing the power or volume button) activates these functions.
What to check:
- 👁️ Color inversion: Makes white black and black white, often distorting colors beyond recognition.
- 🎨 Color correction: allows you to adjust the screen for color blinds, but when choosing the wrong profile can remove all colors.
- 🔘 Quick buttons: check if the volume buttons are assigned to the action to change the color profile.
The path to these settings is usually: Settings → Advanced settings → Special features → Vision. Here are all the switches that affect the color gamut.
⚠️ Attention: The special features section has a zoom function. If it's enabled with a specific filter, the screen may appear gray.
Pay particular attention to the item “Simplification of the interface” or “Mode for the elderly”, in some design topics, this mode forcibly transfers the system to monochrome for better font readability.
Comparison of regimes and diagnosis of the problem
To organize your knowledge and find the cause faster, use a mode comparison table to help you understand which filter is activated on your Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco device.
| Regime. | Location on the menu | Impact on colours | Purpose of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading mode | Screen/Display | Complete removal of color or yellowness | Reading books, protecting the eyes |
| Electronic book | Screen/Display | High contrast, h/b | E-Ink imitation, savings |
| Digital well-being | Settings/Time Balance | Scheduled shades of gray | Fighting addiction, sleeping |
| Special opportunities | Advanced settings | Inversion or correction | Assistance to the visually impaired |
If none of the described software methods returned colors, and the screen remains black and white even in Safe Mode, there is a high probability of hardware failure.
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If the factory reset did not eliminate the black and white screen, the problem with a 99% probability is hardware and requires a replacement of the display or plume.
In rare cases, a conflicting application, such as a “night filter” from a third-party store, can cause a problem, which has higher priorities than system settings.