How to remove the circle on the screen of the Xiaomi smartphone: from calibration to replacement of the display

On the screen of your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO Does a strange circle suddenly appear β€” white, black or colored? Does it interfere with the sensor, block icons or just annoy?+), And on older devices (POCO X3, Mi 11: 80% of cases can be eliminated by yourself without visiting a service center.

In this article, we'll look at all the possible causes of a circle on the screen, from software failures to physical damage to the matrix, how to distinguish a touch artifact (when a circle responds to touch) from a hardware defect (when it's just a smudge on the display), and also get step-by-step instructions for each case. For convenience, we've compiled a table of symptoms and solutions that will help quickly identify the source of the problem.

If you've tried to reboot your phone or reset your settings, but you still have a circle, don't rush to carry the device for repair. Most of the time, calibration of the sensor, disabling gestures or updating the firmware. AMOLED-We have prepared a separate section on "broken pixels" and how to mask them.

1. Diagnostics: What circle is your Xiaomi?

Before you start repairing, you need to understand what you're dealing with, and there are three types of mugs on Xiaomi's screens, and each has its own reasons and solutions.

  • πŸ”„ Dynamic circle: it appears when you touch the screen, follows a finger or a stylus, usually translucent, gray/white, and causes a failure in the touch layer or drivers.
  • ⚫ A static black circle is a static spot, it doesn't respond to pressure, often with blurred edges, and it's caused by physical damage to the matrix (blows, falls) or burnt out pixels on the matrix. AMOLED.
  • 🟒 A colored circle (red, green, blue) is a bright spot, visible even against a black background, Caused by a broken pixel or damage to the backlight.

To determine the type of mug exactly, perform a simple test:

  1. Open any application with a dark background (for example, Settings) β†’ Dark subject matter).
  2. Swipe your finger across the screen – if the circle moves with the touch, it’s a touch artifact.
  3. Light a flashlight on the screen at an angle - if the spot is visible when the backlight is turned off, it is physical damage.
πŸ“Š What kind of circle appeared on your Xiaomi?
Dynamic (follows the finger)
Black spot (fixed)
Colored spot (red/green)
Another option

If the circle disappears after the reboot, but then it reappears, it's a software problem. If it stays even after the reset, it's probably the hardware part that's to blame. In the next section, we'll go into detail on the solutions for each case.

2. Software ways to remove the circle (without disassembling the phone)

Start with the simplest methods β€” they help in 60% of cases and require no special skills. All actions are safe for data on the phone (except for a complete reset).

Reloading and resetting the cache

It sounds trivial, but it often works: temporary sensor or graphics driver failures can cause artifacts on the screen.

  1. Press the power button for 10 seconds until the phone turns off.
  2. Wait 30 seconds and turn it on again.
  3. If the circle is left - go to Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ Application management, find the System Interface MIUI and clean the cache.

For deeper cleaning:

1. Turn off the phone.


2. Press the <power button> + <volume button> at the same time.




3. From the Recovery menu, select "Wipe Cache Partition" (use volume buttons for navigation).




4. Confirm the action and restart.

β˜‘οΈ Preparation for cache dumping

Done: 0 / 4

Calibration of the touch screen

If the circle is moving behind your finger or when you touch it, the problem may be the sensor's de-juncture.

  1. Open the Phone app and dial ##4636##.
  2. Select Sensor Test (or Touch Screen) from the test menu.
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen – usually touch the crosses several times in different corners of the display.

For models POCO and the new Redmi (starting with the MIUI 13) the other way:

Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ MIUI Version (Tap 5 times) β†’ Additional β†’ Sensor Test

πŸ’‘

If after calibration the circle became smaller, but did not disappear - repeat the procedure 2-3 Resetting time between attempts.

Disabling gestures and checking for updates

Sometimes the artifacts on the screen are associated with a conflict between the navigation gestures and the touch driver.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Display β†’ Navigation panel.
  2. Select the button mode instead of the gesture.
  3. Reboot your phone and check if the circle is gone.

Also, be sure to update the firmware:

Settings β†’ About phone β†’ System update β†’ Check for updates

If an update is available MIUI In recent versions, Xiaomi has fixed many sensor bugs for Redmi Note 12 models, POCO F5 Xiaomi 13T.

3. Hardware reasons: when to change the screen

If the software methods didn't work, the problem is probably physical damage to the display.

  • ⚠️ The circle is visible even on the boot screen (before the system is turned on).
  • ⚠️ The spot changes color when the screen is tilted (backlight defect).
  • ⚠️ Appeared after a hit, fall or hit by moisture.
  • ⚠️ The screen does not respond to touch in the circle area.

In these cases, you will need to replace the touch glass, matrix or plume of the display.

Xiaomi modelSensor replacementReplacement of the matrix (AMOLED/LCD)Replacement of the plume
Redmi Note 10/111 500 β€” 2 500 β‚½3 500 β€” 5 000 β‚½800 β€” 1 200 β‚½
POCO X3/X41 800 β€” 3 000 β‚½4 000 β€” 6 000 β‚½1 000 β€” 1 500 β‚½
Xiaomi 12/132 500 β€” 4 000 β‚½6 000 β€” 10 000 β‚½1 500 β€” 2 000 β‚½
Redmi A2/A31 200 β€” 2 000 β‚½2 500 β€” 3 500 β‚½700 β€” 1 000 β‚½

Important: on models with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 11T, POCO F4 GT, Redmi K50) Black circles are often burned out pixels – they can not be eliminated by replacing the sensor, only the matrix.

How do you check if it’s a broken pixel?
Open a monochromatic image on your phone (white, red, green, blue background) if you see the spot on all colors, it's physical damage, if only one of them has a broken pixel.

Interim solutions for physical defects

If the repair is delayed, and the circle is very disturbing, try:

  • πŸ”§ Hide the stain with wallpaper: Use dark themes and wallpaper with patterns that mask the defect.
  • πŸ“± Change the screen resolution: C Settings β†’ Display. β†’ Select the value below the current (for example, screen resolution, HD+ instead FHD+).
  • πŸ”„ Disable animations: in Settings β†’ Special facilities β†’ Remove animations – it will reduce the visibility of the artifact.

For AMOLED-In broken-pixel screens, there are apps like Pixel Fixer that try to disperse stuck subpixels, but they don't get more than 30 times as effective%.

4. Specific problems of Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi series have birth diseases associated with mugs on the screen.

4.1. Redmi Note 9/10: display plume defect

These models often leave a flexible plume that connects the matrix to the motherboard.

  • The circle appears after a strong bending of the phone (for example, in the pocket of jeans).
  • The spot changes shape when you press the bottom of the screen.
  • Sometimes accompanied by a flicker of light.

Solution: You need to seed the plume or replace it. Average cost is 1,000-1,500. β‚½. Temporary measure: gently press on the lower frame of the screen (from the charging connector) - if the circle disappears, it is the plume that is to blame.

4.2. POCO F3/POCO X3 Pro: Artifacts after the update

After updating to MIUI 14 Many users have encountered "ghost" mugs due to a bug in the sensor driver:

  1. Reverse to the previous version of the firmware via Fastboot.
  2. Install custom recovery (TWRP) and run the corrected version of the kernel.
  3. Turn off the Improved Touch feature in Settings β†’ Display. β†’ Additionally.

4.3. Xiaomi 12/13: "dead zones AMOLED

On the flagships with AMOLED-The mugs are often burned out areas due to prolonged display of static elements (for example, navigation bars:

Settings β†’ Display β†’ Autoturn the screen β†’ Enable β€œHide the navigation panel”

This will reduce the load on one region of the matrix, and it will also help reduce the time of the always-on display (AOD).

5. If nothing helped: a service center or self-repair?

When all the methods have been tried and the circle has remained, it is time to choose between official service, an informal workshop or self-repair.

OptionPlusesConsCost
Official Xiaomi serviceGuarantee 6-12 months, original partsLong time (7-14 days, expensiveFrom 3,000. β‚½
Informal workshopQuickly (1-3 daytimeRisk of poor quality spare parts, no guaranteeFrom 1,500. β‚½
Self-repairMinimum costs, experienceHigh risk of damaging your phone is difficult for beginners500. β‚½ (spare parts)

To replace the screen on Xiaomi, you will need:

  • πŸ”§ Screwdriver Set (Phillips #00, Y00, Spudger).
  • πŸ”₯ Dryer or infrared heating station for uncoupling the screen.
  • πŸ“± New display module (choose with pre-glued sensor).
  • 🧲 Magnetic screw mat.

πŸ’‘

If you’ve never taken your phones apart, don’t take on Xiaomi repairs. AMOLED-The risk of damage to the matrix when unstick is very high!

Step-by-step guides for replacing the screen for popular models:

  • Redmi Note 10
  • POCO X3
  • Xiaomi Mi 11

6.Prevention: How to avoid screen mugs in the future

To prevent the problem from recurring, follow these recommendations:

  • πŸ›‘οΈ Use a cover with screen protection - even a small impact on the corner can damage the plume.
  • πŸ”‹ Do not overheat – high temperature accelerates degradation AMOLED-matrix.
  • πŸ“± Regularly update the firmware in new versions MIUI fix sensor bugs.
  • 🚫 Avoid screen pressure – do not put your phone in tight pockets, do not press it while using it.
  • πŸ”„ Calibrate the sensor once in a while. 3-6 months (see section) 2.2).

For AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 12/13, POCO F4) additionally:

  • Reduce the time of always-on display (AOD) 10 seconds.
  • Turn off static wallpaper – use dynamic or dark themes.
  • Reduce the brightness to 60-70% routinely.

πŸ’‘

On models with 120 Hz screen (POCO F5, Redmi K60) The mugs are more likely to appear because of overheating. FPS In Settings β†’ Display. β†’ Update frequency (select 60 Hz for everyday tasks).

FAQ: Frequent questions about mugs on the screen Xiaomi

❓ The circle came after the phone fell. Can we do without changing the screen?
If the circle is still and visible on the screensaver of the loading - most likely, the matrix or plume is damaged. Temporary measures (change in resolution, wallpaper) will help reduce discomfort, but you will only get rid of the stain completely by replacing the display module. The exception is if the circle disappears when you press the screen (then the departed plume is to blame, which can be soldered without a full replacement).
❓ On my Xiaomi. 13T The only thing that happens is that it only appears in some applications (like a game?
This is a typical sign of a touch driver conflict with a specific application. Try: Clear the cache of a problem application. Turn off gestures in the settings for it (Settings) β†’ Annexes β†’ Special access β†’ Update the app and the firmware of the phone. If it doesn't work, write to the app developers (attach a screenshot of the mug and a phone model).
❓ After calibrating the sensor, the circle became smaller, but it didn't disappear?
Recalibrate the calibration. 2-3 If there is no improvement, try: Reset your phone to factory settings (remember to back up); install alternative firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu) β€” sometimes sensor bugs are fixed in custom builds. Take the phone to the service for the diagnosis of the touch controller (may require replacement).
❓ On the Redmi Note 11, the circle flashes different colors?
A flickering colored circle is a sign of backlight damage or matrix defect. AMOLED-The screens are often "broken" subpixels, on the LCD β€” The problem with the LEDs backlight. AMOLED: Try the Pixel Fixer app (efficiency) ~30%). For LCD: Replacement of the matrix (cost – from 3 000) β‚½). Temporary measure: Reduce screen brightness to a minimum and use a dark theme.
❓ The circle appeared after the update MIUI. How to roll back?
If the problem occurs after updating to MIUI 13/14, You can: Make a rollback through Fastboot. Install custom recovery (TWRP) And then you can flash the old firmware version, and you can call Xiaomi to describe the bug, and sometimes they release hot patches. ⚠️ Warning: rolling back the firmware will reset all data on the phone. β†’ Additionally. β†’ Backup.