The appearance of mysterious English phrases on the smartphone screen, not like standard system notifications, often causes panic among Xiaomi owners. One such phrase is “fill empty cells”, which can occur at the most inopportune moment, blocking access to the desktop or settings menu. Users immediately rush to search engines, trying to figure out whether it is a virus, a sign of a breakdown or a hidden function of the system.
In fact, fill empty cells is a technical term associated with calibrating a display matrix or working with certain system applications that display the interface. In most cases, this inscription does not mean a fatal device failure, but requires immediate attention, as it may indicate a software failure or the beginning of the process of recovering broken pixels.
In this detailed guide, we will look at all the possible causes of this label on Redmi and Poco devices, how to distinguish software glitch from physical screen damage, what steps you need to take to resolve the problem yourself, and when you need to contact the service center. We will look at both standard reboot methods and deeper settings through the engineering menu.
The nature of the inscription on the display
To effectively combat a problem, you need to understand the source of the problem: the phrase "fill empty cells" literally translates as "fill empty cells." In the context of mobile electronics, this can refer to two main scenarios. The first scenario is the operation of screen calibration algorithms that try to restore the uniformity of the glow of the matrix; the second, more rare, is associated with interface rendering errors, when the system cannot correctly display the element and output debugging information.
Often, users experience this after updating firmware or installing third-party themes. MIUI or HyperOS may conflict with cached data from old display settings. As a result, when you try to redraw the desktop, the processor is commanded to fill in "empty" (undefined) areas with data, and instead of a graphical object displays a text description of this process.
⚠️ Note: If the label "fill empty cells" is accompanied by the appearance of colored stripes, flashing of the screen or a complete lack of reaction to touch in a certain area, this may indicate physical damage to the display plume or the matrix itself.
It is also important to note the role of third-party software: some image quality applications or “accelerators” may implement their overlays that conflict with system processes, in which case the inscription is simply an erroneous message from such an application that requires filling in the memory buffer or screen coordinates.
Technical details of the matrix
Diagnostics: software failure or hardware
The first step is always to make an accurate diagnosis. Don't rush to repair your phone until you rule out software reasons. There's a simple test that helps you determine if the problem is hardware or software. You need to take a screenshot of the screen when you see the "fill empty cells" label.
Then, carefully examine the image, and if the screenshot doesn't have a label, it means that the problem is the physical display or its plume, which is an artifact of the matrix that the camera doesn't capture because it's above the software layer, and if the label is clearly visible in the screenshot, it means that it's a software bug operating the system or a particular application.
To do a deeper check, you can use Xiaomi’s built-in diagnostic tools, which allow you to start testing all the components of the device, including the screen, to help identify broken pixels or touchscreen problems that can cause erroneous messages.
Also, consider the conditions under which the message appears, if this happens only when you run heavy games or video editors, it is possible that the phone lacks RAM, and the system resets graphics buffers, displaying service text, in which case the problem is solved by cleaning the memory or closing the background processes.
Removal methods through reboot and safe mode
The easiest and often most effective way to get rid of the label is to completely restart the system. However, a simple shutdown and turn on may not help if the process causing the error is written into autoboot.
Safe Mode triggers a phone with all third-party apps disabled, and if the "fill empty cells" tag disappears in that mode, it means that one of the apps you installed is the culprit, which could be a launcher, a weather widget, or a battery optimizer.
To enter safe mode on most Xiaomi models, you need:
- 📱 Press and hold the power button until the turn off menu appears.
- 🖱️ Press and hold your finger on the “Switch off” icon on the screen.
- ✅ Confirm the entry to safe mode in the pop-up window.
Once you load in Safe Mode (usually there will be a sign in the corner of the screen), check if the defect has disappeared. If the screen is clean, start methodically removing newly installed applications. Pay special attention to programs that have access to special features or display rights over other windows.
☑️ Checklist of diagnostics in safe mode
Screen calibration and engineering menu
If the problem is hardware in nature but not a critical breakdown, screen calibration can help. Xiaomi devices have a hidden engineering menu that is accessed through code in the Phone app. This menu allows you to control the display parameters at a low level.
To enter the engineering menu, dial the code ##6484## or ##4636##. In the CIT (Customer Information Test) menu that opens, select the item associated with the display (usually called "Display" or "Screen"), and you can run a broken pixel test or reset color settings here.
Sometimes resetting touchscreen and display calibration helps. Some firmware versions have a "Touchpanel" or "Color" clause. Pressing the reset button or recalibrating can remove artifacts associated with misdefining the boundaries of the active areas of the screen, which is sometimes interpreted by the system as "empty cells."
| Parameter | Normal value. | Problem | Action. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color rendering | Natural, no stripes. | Inversion, stripes. | Calibration in CIT |
| Touchscreen response | Instant. | Delays, ghosts | Line drawing test |
| Brightness | Stable. | Twinkle. | Checking the light sensor |
| Frequency of update | 60/90/120 Hz | Hertzovka horse racing | Resetting screen settings |
⚠️ Warning: Do not change the values in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose. Incorrect calibration can lead to incorrect operation of the touch screen or battery overrun.
After all the manipulations in the engineering menu, be sure to restart the device in the usual way. If the inscription "fill empty cells" was caused by a failure in the color or coordinate matching tables, this step should eliminate it.
Resetting settings and flashing the device
When soft methods don’t work, the radical solution is a complete hard reset, which will delete all user data, so make sure to back up important files in the cloud or on your computer before starting the procedure.
Reset via the Recovery Mode menu, turn off the phone, then press the button combination (usually Volume Up + Power) and select Wipe Data -> Wipe All Data from the menu that appears, which will return the phone to factory status by removing any software conflicts that cause the lettering.
💡
Before performing a full reset, try simply clearing the cache of the system application "Themes" or "Wallpaper", as they are often responsible for filling the desktop cells.
Even if a complete reset didn’t help, the problem could be that the system partition of the firmware was damaged, in which case only a complete flashing of the device through the computer using the Mi Flash Tool utility would help, and this is guaranteed to replace all system files with the original ones, excluding any software errors.
When flashing, it's important to choose Clean All mode to fully format your internal memory. Using a firmware image that matches your model and region is critical. Inappropriate firmware can exacerbate the display problem.
💡
Complete data reset eliminates 95% of the software causes of the "fill empty cells" label associated with interface configuration conflicts.
When repairs are needed in the service center
There are a number of situations where software methods are powerless: If the word "fill empty cells" appeared after a phone fell, moisture hit or a severe impact, it is likely that the display controller is damaged or the plume has detached, in such cases physical intervention is required.
Also a sign of hardware breakdown is the appearance of the inscription immediately after turning on the phone, even before loading the MIUI logo. This indicates that the error is fixed at the level of the BIOS or the initial bootloader, which is often associated with memory degradation or problems (motherboard).
In the service center, specialists will carry out the following procedures:
- 🔍 Visual inspection of plumes and connectors under a microscope.
- 🔌 Replacement of the display plume or the matrix itself in the presence of artifacts.
- 💻 Programming of a power controller or display (rebolling).
- 🌡️ Checking fees for microcracks after falls.
You should not delay the appeal to the masters if you notice that the area with the inscription is growing or changing color. OLED-The LCD screen's layer detachment, or progression, can save the display from being completely replaced.