Black and white screen on Xiaomi Poco: 7 working ways to bring back colors

Why Xiaomi Poco’s screen is black and white – the main reasons

The black and white screen on Xiaomi Poco smartphones is a problem faced by users of models from Poco F1 to Poco F5. 80% of the time it is not due to hardware failure, but to software failures or incorrect settings. Most often the color disappears after updating MIUI, installing custom firmware or activating Reading Mode.

It is important to distinguish between a full black and white mode (when the system is working but the colors are missing) and a hardware failure (the screen flickers, artifacts appear or the phone does not respond to touch). In the first case, the problem can be solved independently, in the second case, you will need to diagnose in the service center. For example, on the Poco X3 Pro and Poco F3, the black and white screen often appears after the color filter function is turned on in the special features settings.

If your smartphone responds to taps but only displays shades of gray, check first:

  • πŸ”„ Read mode – it may have been activated accidentally through the notification panel or on a schedule.
  • πŸ“± Color filters - in Settings β†’ Special facilities β†’ Color filter.
  • πŸ”§ System updates – the failure could have occurred after a recent update MIUI.
  • πŸ’₯ Fall or impact – physical damage to the display plume or motherboard.
πŸ“Š What Xiaomi Poco model has a black and white screen?
Poco F1/F2
Poco F3/F4
Poco X3/X3 Pro
Poco F5/Pro
Another model

Method 1: Turn off Reading Mode

The most common reason for black and white screens is to activate the read mode, which is designed to reduce eye strain, but sometimes it turns on accidentally. On Xiaomi Poco, you can do this:

  • πŸ“² Through the notification panel – swipe down and find the reading icon (book with a magnifying glass).
  • βš™οΈ Through settings: Screen β†’ Reading mode.
  • ⏰ Scheduled – if you have previously set up automatic overnight switch-on.

If the screen is black and white, but the sensor is working, try turning off the blind mode:

  1. Swipe down twice to open the notification bar.
  2. Swipe your finger left or right along the top line of the icons until you find Reading.
  3. Slip the icon – if the mode is active, it will light up in blue.

β˜‘οΈ Checking the reading mode

Done: 0 / 4

On some MIUI firmware, the read mode can block the change of settings.

⚠️ Warning: If the reading mode is off, don’t try to reset through Recovery – check the color filters first (method 2). F1, Poco X3 NFC).

Method 2: Deactivation of color filters in special features

The MIUI Color Filter feature is designed for people with color blindness, but sometimes it is switched on accidentally. On Xiaomi Poco, it can overlap the standard color rendering, making the screen monochrome, to turn it off:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Special features β†’ Color filter.
  2. Select the option Unplugged.
  3. If the filter is active but the screen is not responsive to touch, use Google’s voice assistant.
Okay, Google β†’ Open Settings β†’ Special features β†’ Turn off the color filter

On the Poco F3 and Poco X3 Pro, color filters can conflict with read mode. If the screen remains black and white after the filter is turned off, reboot:

  • πŸ”„ Press the power button for 10 seconds.
  • πŸ“± After vibration, let go and wait for the switch on.
Xiaomi Poco ModelTypical Cause of Black and White ScreenQuick fix
Poco F1MIUI 10/11 firmware conflict with display driversReverse to stable version via Fastboot
Poco X3 NFCActivate the color filter through Google AssistantVoice command: "Disable the color filter"
Poco F3Failure after upgrade to MIUI 13Resetting screen settings in Settings β†’ System β†’ Resetting settings
Poco F4 GTDamage to the plume during disassembly (a common problem after battery replacement)Diagnostics in the service (checking the contacts of the plume)

πŸ’‘

If the screen is touch-responsive, but you can't see the interface because of the black and white filter, connect your smartphone to your TV via HDMI (via a USB-C to HDMI adapter) to help turn off the filters through the external display.

Method 3: Reset screen settings (without data loss)

If previous methods didn't work, try resetting the screen settings, and it won't delete your files, but it will return factory brightness, color temperature and filters.

  1. Open the Settings β†’ Screen.
  2. Scroll down and select Additional screen settings.
  3. Tap Reset screen settings and confirm the action.

On the Poco F2 Pro and Poco X3 GT, this item may be called Restore Default Settings. If you don't return color after reset, check:

  • πŸ”§ System Updates – A Patch for Display Drivers May Be Required.
  • πŸ“¦ Other topics – some topics from MIUI Themes conflict with color rendering.

⚠️ Attention: On Poco F1 firmware MIUI 12.5+ Resetting the screen settings can cause the backlight to flicker. If it does, roll back to the version. MIUI 12.0.3 via Fastboot.

Method 4: Update or roll back firmware (for advanced)

The black and white screen after the MIUI update is a common problem on Xiaomi Poco. For example, on the Poco F3, the color rendering bug appeared in MIUI versions 13.0.4-13.0.6.

Option 1: Upgrade to the latest stable version

  • πŸ“₯ Download the firmware from the official Xiaomi website (select model and region).
  • πŸ“ Move the.zip file to the phone’s root folder.
  • πŸ”„ Go to Settings. β†’ The phone. β†’ Updating the system β†’ Select a firmware file.

Option 2: Reverse to the previous version via Fastboot (unlocked bootloader required)

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img


fastboot reboot recovery



In recovery, select "Install update" and specify the firmware file
How to unlock the bootloader on Xiaomi Poco?
Unlocking the bootloader will require official permission from Xiaomi (via the Mi Unlock app).The process takes up to 72 hours and requires you to link your Mi Account to the device. On Poco F1 and newer models, unlocking resets all data!

If the screen is black and white after the firmware is installed, do a full Wipe Data reset in Recovery. On the Poco X3 Pro and Poco F3, this solves the problem 95% of the time, but deletes all the data.

Method 5: Checking the plume and hardware damage

If the software methods did not help, the problem may be physical damage:

  • πŸ”Œ Display plume is a common problem after falls or disassembly (Poco) F2 Pro, Poco X3 NFC).
  • πŸ’» Faulty graphics chip - on Poco F1 (Adreno 630 chip may overheat.
  • πŸ”‹ Bloated battery – presses on motherboard, causing artifacts.

For diagnosis:

  1. Connect your phone to your PC and check if colors are displayed on an external monitor (via USB-C to HDMI).
  2. Light the flashlight on the screen at an angle - if you can see the image, the problem is in the backlight.
  3. Shake the device – if artifacts appear, it’s a sign of plume damage.

⚠️ Attention: On Poco F3 POCO X3 Pro self-replacement of the display plume often results in sensor loss due to fragile contacts.

πŸ’‘

If the black and white screen appears after a fall or moisture, DO NOT turn on the phone – this can aggravate the corrosion of the contacts, immediately remove the battery (if possible) and dry the device in rice for 24+ hours.

Method 6: Alternative methods (if nothing helps)

If the standard methods do not work, try:

1. Reset via Safe Mode (Safe Mode)

  • πŸ”„ Press the power button, then long tap on Turn off β†’ Safe regime.
  • πŸ“± In Safe Mode, disable all third-party apps (especially launchers and themes).
  • πŸ”§ Reboot your phone – if the colors are back, the software was to blame.

2. Check through ADB (for power users)

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 0


adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer 0

These commands will reset color filters at the system level. ADB-Drivers and execute commands in Command Prompt.

Replacement of the display module

On Poco. F5 POCO X5 Black and white screen may indicate a malfunction OLED-The cost of replacing the display:

Poco F33 500 β€” 5 000 β‚½
Poco X3 Pro4 000 β€” 6 500 β‚½
Poco F5 Pro8 000 β€” 12 000 β‚½

How to Avoid Black and White Screens in the Future

So that the problem doesn't repeat itself:

  • 🚫 Do not install custom firmware without checking compatibility with your Poco model.
  • πŸ”„ Update. MIUI Only through official channels (not beta versions!).
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Use depreciation cases – falls most often damage the display plume.
  • πŸ”‹ Avoid full battery discharge – this can cause malfunctions in the graphics chip.

On the Poco F1 and Poco X2, it is recommended to disable automatic MIUI updates, since some updates contain bugs with display drivers.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ About the phone β†’ System update.
  2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner β†’ Update settings.
  3. Turn off Auto Boot.

πŸ’‘

Check the status of the display plume regularly, especially if you notice flickering or "strips" on the screen. On Xiaomi Poco, plumes often wear out after 1.5-2 years of active use.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the black and white screen on Xiaomi Poco

Can I return colors without resetting?
Yes, 90 percent of the time, turning off Read Mode or Color Filter helps. If the problem is firmware, try updating MIUI to the latest stable version. You only need to reset if you have hardware failures.
Black and white screens have been dropped, what should I do?
It's likely that the display plume has gone away or the motherboard has been damaged. Don't turn on the phone, it can make the short circuit worse. Take it to the diagnostic service. On the Poco F3 and Poco X3 Pro, self-repairing the plume often results in loss of the sensor.
The screen is black and white, but the sensor is not working – how to turn off the filter?
Connect your phone to your PC and use it ADB-(see Method 6) if the ADB does not recognize the device, only a hard reset via Recovery (deletes all data) remains).
After the MIUI update, the screen turned black and white. How do you roll back?
Download the previous firmware version from Xiaomi Firmware Updater and run through Fastboot (unlocked bootloader required). On Poco F1 and Poco X3, the Mi Flash Tool is suitable for this.
Black and white screens are only available in some applications – why?
This is not a hardware problem, but an app-specific setting, like YouTube or Chrome, which can include a dark theme with monochrome accents, and check the theme settings in the app itself.