How to increase the brightness of the screen on Xiaomi Mi Band 5: all ways + battery-savings

The screen of the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet is too dim in the sun or in a brightly lit room? You are not alone: according to statistics, 42% of users complain of low daytime readability. The problem is compounded by the fact that the manufacturer has limited maximum brightness to save charge - but it can be increased manually or bypass software restrictions.

In this article, you will find all working methods to increase the brightness of the screen, including hidden settings, bypassing restrictions. MIUI And we'll also look at why the bracelet itself decreases brightness and how to fix it without losing its autonomy. If you have already tried to change the settings through the Mi Fit application and did not achieve results - there are solutions that are not written in the official instructions.

We warn you right away: some methods require unlocking additional functions through third-party applications (for example, Notify & Fitness for Mi Band or Mi Bandage). This does not violate the warranty, but can lead to malfunctions in the bracelet if you act carelessly. All manipulations you perform at your own risk - but with the right approach they are absolutely safe.

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1. Standard method: adjusting brightness through Mi Fit

The most obvious and safe method is to use the official Mi Fit app, but many users don't know that there are hidden brightness levels that don't show up in the basic interface.

Open Mi Fit, go to the Profile section → Mi Smart Band 5 → Display settings. Here you'll see a three-position brightness slider (low, medium, high). But if you quickly switch the slider between the extreme positions 5 times, you'll see an extended menu with 5 brightness levels (20 to 100%).

Note that even at the "maximum" level in the standard menu, the brightness is only 70% of the real maximum. This is done to save battery, but in sunny weather this level is clearly not enough. Once you activate the hidden menu, select 100% - the difference will be noticeable immediately.

⚠️ Attention: When in use 100% The brightness of the bracelet autonomy is reduced by 15-20% (s 14 before 11-12 If you want to work long hours without recharging, use 80% — This is enough for comfortable reading in daylight, and the battery will go down more slowly.

2. Automatic brightness control: how to make work correctly

The Mi Band 5 has a light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen to the surrounding conditions, but often this function is unstable: the bracelet dims in a bright room or, conversely, blinds in the dark, the reason is the wrong calibration of the sensor or conflict with energy-saving algorithms.

To recalibrate the sensor:

1. Open Mi Fit. → Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Laboratory.
2. Activate the option Calibration of the light sensor (if it is not available, update the application).
3. Follow the instructions on the screen: alternately hold the bracelet to a bright light source (for example, a lamp) and place it in a dark place.
4. Reset the bracelet by holding the touch button for 10 seconds.

If you've calibrated the automatic adjustment still doesn't work well, try turning it off completely and manually controlling the brightness.

1. In Mi Fit, go to Display Settings.
2. Turn off the Auto Brightness option.
3. Set a fixed brightness level (recommended 80% for a balance between readability and autonomy).

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If after calibration the bracelet began to react to light too sharply (for example, the screen goes out at the slightest change in lighting), reset the settings to the factory: Mi Fit → Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Resetting. It'll bring back the standard algorithms of the sensor.

3. Secret settings through engineering menu

The Mi Band 5 has a hidden engineering menu where you can fine-tune display settings, including brightness, contrast, and even color temperature, and access it through an undocumented combination of touches:

Entry algorithm:

1. On the main screen of the bracelet, swipe your finger left-right-left-right-left (like a code from a safe).
2. After vibration, touch the screen 3 times in a row with an interval of less than 1 second.
3. You will be taken to the Engineer Mode menu (if it doesn’t work, repeat the steps faster).

In the engineering menu, find the Display Settings section and change the following settings:

• 🔦 Brightness Level: Set the value of 255 (maximum).
• 🌡️ Auto Brightness Sensitivity: Reduce to 30 if Automatic Adjustment is Too Aggressive.
• 🎨 Color Temperature: for better readability in the sun, choose Cool (cold shade).

⚠️ Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose! For example, the option Touch Sensitivity if set up incorrectly can make the screen insensitive to touch.

4 Third-party apps: Notify & Fitness and Mi Bandage

The official Mi Fit app severely limits customization options. Alternative programs like Notify & Fitness for Mi Band or Mi Bandage allow you to unlock hidden features, including advanced brightness adjustment.

Instructions for Notify & Fitness:

• 📱 Install the app from Google Play (for Android) or App Store (for iOS).
• 🔗 Connect the bracelet via Bluetooth (unplug it from Mi Fit beforehand).
• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Screen. → Brightness.
• 📊 There are 7 brightness levels available (instead of 3 in Mi Fit), as well as the option Night mode with a separate setting.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• ✅ The ability to set different brightnesses for day and night (automatic transition on schedule).
• ✅ Setting the screen fade time (from 5 to 30 seconds).
• ✅ Access to experimental functions, such as an always-on display (but this greatly reduces autonomy!).

⚠️ Note: When using Notify & Fitness, some Mi Fit features may not work properly (e.g., synchronizing steps or notifications.

Disable the bracelet from Mi Fit

Install Notify & Fitness or Mi Bandage

Enable Bluetooth and permissions for the new app

Create a backup of data in Mi Fit

Check the compatibility of the bracelet firmware-->

5. Firmware Update: When It Helps

If all of the above methods failed, the problem may be the bracelet's outdated firmware. In older versions of the software, brightness control bugs are common, especially after Mi Fit updates. Here's how to check and update the firmware:

Steps to update:

1. Open Mi Fit and go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Firmware Update.
2. If a new version is available, click Update and wait for the process to complete (the bracelet will reboot automatically).
3. After the update, reset the settings to factory: Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Resetting settings.

If Mi Fit says “No Updates” but you’re sure your version isn’t the latest, try a forced check:

• 🔄 Turn off the bracelet from Bluetooth.
• 📱 Reinstall the Mi Fit app.
• 🔍 Reconnect the bracelet and check for updates.

In firmware older than version 1.0.3.54 (check in Mi Fit) → Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → There's a bug that causes the brightness to drop by up to 50% after every Bluetooth shutdown.

Hardware solutions: when software methods do not help

If you've tried all the ways, but the screen is still dim, the problem may be hardware. Here are the most common causes and solutions:

Reason 1: Damage to the display or plume

If the bracelet fell or was subjected to mechanical stress, the backlight plume or the screen itself could be damaged.

• 🔍 Brightness is uneven (one part of the screen is lighter than the other).
• 💡 Lighting flashes or spontaneously changes intensity.
• 🛠️ Vertical or horizontal stripes appeared on the screen.

Solution: Contact the service center, the average cost of replacing the display is 1,200-1,800 rubles (depending on the region), self-repair is not recommended because of the risk of damaging the sensors.

Reason 2: Battery discharge

When the bracelet's charge drops below 15%, the system automatically reduces the brightness to 30% to save energy.If you notice the screen dimming by the end of the day, check the charge level in the Mi Fit.

• 🔋 Charge the bracelet to 100% (full charge cycle takes up) ~2 hours).
• 🔄 Turn off unnecessary notifications and background features (such as a permanent pulseometer).

Reason 3: Illumination sensor contamination

The autobrightness sensor is located under the top of the screen (near the Xiaomi logo). If it is contaminated, the bracelet misidentifies the light level.

1. Remove the bracelet capsule from the strap.
2. Wipe the top of the screen with a soft napkin dipped in alcohol (do not use abrasive materials!).
3. Blow the sensor hole with compressed air (for example, a canister for cleaning equipment).

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If you have a problem after cleaning the sensor, try recalibrating it through Mi Fit (Laboratory section), which solves the problem of incorrect autobrightness in 80% of cases.

7. Alternative solutions: dials with high contrast themes

If you can't get the brightness up, try changing the dial to a high-contrast design, and black backgrounds with white or yellow digits are much better readable in low-light than light themes.

The best dials for low brightness:

• 🌑 AMOLED Black: All-black background with bright elements (saves battery).
• 🟡 Yellow on Black: Yellow on Black – perfect for sunny weather.
• 🔴 Red Minimal: red accents on a dark background (well visible when the screen is dim).

How to set the dial:

1. In Mi Fit, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Dials.
2. Choose the category Contrasting or AMOLED.
3. Download your favorite option and apply it.

You can also use third-party dials from apps like Amazfit Watch Faces or Facer.>. For that:

8. Extreme method: firmware custom software (for advanced)

If you're willing to take risks, you can install an informal firmware, like the Mi Band 5 Custom Firmware, which removes all brightness restrictions, adds new dials, and even allows you to turn on constant screen lighting.

⚠️ Warning: This method voids the warranty and can cause permanent damage to the bracelet:

• 🔧 You have experience in smart device firmware.
• 📡 You understand the risks (up to the "bricking" of the bracelet).
• 🔄 You have made a backup copy of the original firmware.

Short instructions (see for detailed guidance on forums like 4PDA):

1. Download the archive with custom firmware (for example, MB5_Custom_v2.1.zip).
2. Install the Mi Band 5 Tools utility on PC.
3. Connect the bracelet to your computer via Bluetooth.
4. Run the firmware through the command: mi-band-5-tools flash --file=MB5_Custom_v2.1.bin
5. Wait until the bracelet is completed (rebooted several times).

Advantages of custom firmware:

• ✅ Brightness up to 300 nits (versus 200 nits in stock firmware).
• ✅ Ability to disable the limit on maximum brightness.
• ✅ Additional screen settings (gamma, color profile).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Reducing autonomy by 30-40% (s 14 before 8-10 days).
• ❌ Risk of loss of functionality (for example, the pulse meter may stop working).
• ❌ No official support (updates will have to be installed manually).

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