The Active Screen app on Xiaomi: features, settings and problem solving

If you own a Xiaomi smartphone based on MIUI, you’ve probably come across the term “Active Screen” – a feature that converts a locked display into an interactive panel with notifications, time and quick actions. But what is this application really? Why does it sometimes turn on, slow down the system or disappear from settings? In this guide, we will go through all the nuances of the Active Screen, from basic features to hidden chips and ways to fix typical problems.

Many users confuse Active Screen with the classic Always On Display (AOD), but these are two different mechanisms: One is a dynamic screensaver with gestures and widgets, the other is a static display of time on AMOLED- screens. Moreover, on some models (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Xiaomi 13 Ultra), these functions can conflict, which leads to unexpected bugs. Next, you will learn how to properly configure Active Screen, what hidden commands MIUI allow it to reset to factory settings, and why it may stop working after the system update.

What is an Active Screen on Xiaomi and Why You Need It

Active Screen (Ambient Display in global firmware) is Xiaomi’s proprietary technology that activates the display when you receive notifications or when you pick up your phone. Unlike AOD, it uses not constant lighting, but contextual inclusion with animations and interactive elements. The feature debuted in MIUI 9 and has since undergone many changes.

The main tasks of the "Active Screen":

• 📱 Quick access to notifications without fully unlocking (swipe up opens the app).
• ⏰ Display time, date and weather in minimalist form.
• 🎨 Support for themes and customization (starting with MIUI 12).
• 🔋 Charge savings by operating only when needed (unlike AOD).

On models with AMOLED- screens (e.g. Xiaomi 12T or POCO F5 Pro), the Active Screen can work in tandem mode with Always On Display, but this requires manual adjustment. It is important to understand that the feature is not supported on devices with LCD- displays (e.g. Redmi 10A), where only a simplified version is available instead.

How to turn on or off Active Screen on different versions of MIUI

The activation algorithm depends on the firmware version and the smartphone model. In the latest versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the path to settings has changed, and on some devices (for example, the POCO X5 Pro), the option is hidden in the Additional Features menu.

For MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS:

1. Open the Settings → Screen.
2. Select Active Screen (or Ambient Display in Global Firmware).
3. Activate the Show switch at new notifications.
4. Optionally, turn on the lift for activation or double touch.

For older versions (MIUI 9–11):

• 🔧 Go to Settings → Lock and Protection → More.
• 🔄 Find the Active Screen and turn it on.
• ⚠️ On some devices (e.g., Redmi 5 Plus), the option may be called Screenlight.

If the item is not on the menu, check:

Hidden opportunities: how to configure the “Active screen” for yourself

Few people know, but the Active Screen on Xiaomi supports advanced customization, which is not available through the standard menu, for example, you can change the animation of the awakening, add weather widgets or even replace the time font, you need hidden commands or third-party utilities.

Ways to fine-tune:

• 🎨 Change Style: MIUI 14 has 3 options available — Classic, Digital and Analog. To activate the hidden Minimalist style, type the..12345+= combination in the Calculator app and select Test Ambient.
• ⏱️ Timeout setting: By default, the screen goes out after 5 seconds, but this value can be changed by ADB: adb shell settings put global ambient_display_timeout 10000 (where 10000 is time in milliseconds).
• 🔄 Disable animation: If you are annoyed by smooth transitions, perform: adb shell settings put global ambient_display_animation 0

For advanced users, there is a Magisk module called MIUI Ambient Customizer that allows you to:

• 🌈 Change the color and gradients of the backlight.
• 📱 Add custom icons for notifications.
• 🔋 Optimize battery consumption by disabling unnecessary triggers.

💡

If after customization, the Active Screen stopped working, reset its settings through the command adb shell cmd power set-mode 1, then restart the smartphone.

Typical problems and their solutions

Despite its usefulness, Active Screen is often a source of bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

Particularly noteworthy is the problem with the constant discharge of the battery. If after activation of the "Active Screen" smartphone began to sit down faster, check:

1. Whether unnecessary triggers are active (e.g., lifting to activate in your pocket).
2. Does the function conflict with Google Assistant (the MIUI 13 had a duplicate notification bug).
3. Are there pirated themes that load the processor?

The difference between the Active Screen and Always On Display (AOD)

Many users confuse the two features, but they work differently and are designed for different scenarios.

On devices with AMOLED- screens (e.g., Xiaomi 13T or POCO F4 GT) you can use both functions simultaneously, but this is not recommended: they will conflict, which will lead to:

• ⚡ Accelerated battery discharge.
• 🐢 Slowing down animations due to GPU overload.
• 🔄 Unintentional shutdown of one of the functions after restarting.

If you need both notifications and constant time, the best option is to leave only the Active Screen and set it to schedule (for example, every 10 minutes).

1. Activate the Active Screen in the settings.
2. Turn off Always On Display.
3. Turn on the option to show periodically and set the interval.

How to remove Active Screen (for power users)

If you don't need a feature or it causes critical bugs (like a smartphone's permanent reboots), it can not just be turned off, but completely deactivated at the system level, which requires superuser rights (root) or ADB.

Method 1: Through ADB (without root):

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.ambient

To return the function back to:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.ambient

Method 2: For root-access users:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/AmbientDisplay.
3. Rename the AmbientDisplay folder to AmbientDisplay_bak.
4. Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Warning: Removing system components may cause MIUI to be unstable, including notification service failures. Before manipulation, back up via Settings → System → Backup.

If after deactivation you notice that:

• 🔕 Notifications from some apps have stopped coming – check the access settings in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Auto Run.
• 🔄 The smartphone has become slower to wake up — clear the system cache in Settings → Memory → Clean up.

Compatible with custom firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience)

On Xiaomi smartphones with unofficial firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the Active Screen may not work properly or at all, because the feature is integrated into MIUI and depends on Xiaomi’s proprietary libraries.

Possible scenarios:

• 🔧 Firmware based on AOSP (e.g. Pixel Experience): Active Screen has been replaced by Google's standard Ambient Display. To return the original feature, you need to install the Magisk MIUI Ambient Enabler module.
• 🛠️ LineageOS: No default feature, but it can be emulated through Always On AMOLED from the Play Market (required) AMOLED-screen).
• ⚠️ Firmware like xiaomi.eu: "Active Screen" usually works, but may conflict with Google Feed. The solution is to disable Discovery in the launcher settings.

If you are faced with an endless reboot after installing custom firmware with Active Screen enabled, follow the following steps:

⚠️ Warning: On some custom firmware (e.g. Corvus OS), the Active Screen may overheat due to unoptimized code. If the CPU temperature exceeds 50°C in idle, disable the function immediately.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's "Active Screen"