You closed the app on Xiaomi’s smartphone, but its “ghost” is still hanging on the screen – a blurred logo, icon or interface fragment that does not disappear even after blocking? – This is not a ghost, but a common problem faced by owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. Artifacts on the screen can manifest themselves in different ways, from a barely noticeable “fingerprint” to bright color spots that spoil the user experience and suggest a breakdown of the display.
In this article, we'll look at 7 main reasons why a program's footprint stays on screen after it's closed, from harmless software failures to serious hardware defects. You'll learn how to distinguish a temporary glitch from an irreversible burn on the matrix, what MIUI settings can provoke artifacts, and what to do if the problem is repeated regularly. And for those who like specific instructions, we've prepared step-by-step solutions, from rebooting to calibrating the screen through an engineering menu.
Spoiler: 80 is not the screen itself, but the software or the wrong settings. But there are exceptions, for example, cheap AMOLED- matrix in budget Xiaomi models (Redmi Note 10, POCO X3) are prone to burnout static elements already through 1-ZH0006QXZ of the year of active use. If you notice a problem on a new device, you may check for an old one.
1. Software glitch: When the system "forgets" to clean the screen
The most common cause of artifacts is a graphics driver or MIUI. When an application is closed incorrectly (for example, through Kill All in the multitasking menu), the operating system may not have time to clear the frame buffer, and the last “shot” of the interface remains on the screen as a translucent trail, especially on devices with AMOLED- screens, where the pixels glow independently.
How it manifests itself:
- 📱 The trace disappears after locking/unlocking the screen or rebooting.
- 🔄 The artifact appears only after the application has been forced to stop.
- 🎨 The colors of the trail are dull, blurred — as if a translucent layer was superimposed.
At risk are MIUI 12-14 smartphones, where optimizing multitasking leaves much to be desired, such as Xiaomi 11T Pro and Redmi K40 users often complain of Genshin Impact (PUBG Mobile) after they are closed, and this is due to aggressive memory management, which kills processes incorrectly.
⚠️ Warning: If the trail only appears in a particular app (like YouTube or TikTok), the problem may be in its cache. Try clearing the app data in Settings → Apps → [Title] → Storage → Clear the cache.
Screen Burn (burn-in): When pixels "remember" an image
A matrix burn is the permanent damage to the AMOLED/OLED- screens, in which static elements (navigation panels, icons, logos) are imprinted into the display due to prolonged display. Unlike software glitches, the burn is always visible, even on the screensaver or in other applications.
- 🕹️ Game interfaces (HP, MP, map in MOBA- games).
- 📺 Logos of streaming services (Netflix, YouTube Premium).
- 📱 System panels (clocks, charge indicators, soft buttons).
According to DisplayMate research, even Xiaomi’s flagship AMOLED- screens (e.g., in Xiaomi 13 Ultra) begin to show signs of burn after 1500–2000 display hours of static elements. For comparison, budget models (Redmi Note 11 Pro) can “burn” already through 800-ZQPH0006QXZ hours.
| Xiaomi model | Screen type | Proneness to burn | Average time before artifacts appear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 13 Pro | AMOLED, 2K | Low. | 2000+ hours |
| POCO F4 GT | AMOLED, 120Hz | Medium | 1200-1500 hours |
| Redmi Note 12 Pro+ | OLED, 120 Hz | Tall. | 800–1000 hours |
| Xiaomi 11 Lite NE | AMOLED, 90 Hz. | Very high. | 500-700 hours |
How do you check if it's a burn or a glitch? Run a screen uniformity test.
- Open any application with a monochromatic background (for example, Google Keep in a dark theme).
- Set the brightness to 100%.
- Look at the angle - the burn will be visible as a dull spot.
⚠️ Warning: If you already have a burn, the only way to reduce the burn's visibility is to use dark themes and dynamic wallpaper, and you can only completely eliminate the defect by replacing the matrix.
3 Misconfigured MIUI settings: why "optimizations" spoil the picture
MIUI is known for its "hidden" settings that can conflict with screen performance. For example, Color Improvement (Settings → Display → Color Mode) sometimes leads to artifacts when rendering, especially on devices with OLED- screens. Another culprit is Adaptive Brightness, which miscalibrates backlight levels.
What to check first:
- 🎨 Color Mode: Switch from Saturated to Standard.
- 🔦 Adaptive brightness: Turn it off and set the brightness manually.
- 🔄 Update frequency: If the screen supports 120Hz, try switching to 60Hz.
- 🛡️ Vision protection: Turn off Reading Mode or Light filter.
On some models (POCO X5 Pro, Redmi K50) the problem is solved by resetting the display settings to the factory.
Settings → System and device → Additional → Resetting settings → Resetting display settingsTurn off adaptive brightness |
Switch the color mode to "Standard" |
Set a fixed refresh rate (60 Hz)|
Clear the system cache in Recovery|
Try the guest mode (without a Mi Account)
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4. Conflict with the shell or launcher: when it is not the screen that is to blame, but the software
If the trail from the program appears only when using third-party launchers (Nova Launcher, Hyperion Launcher) or design themes, the problem lies in their incompatibility with MIUI. The fact is that the Xiaomi shell aggressively caches graphic elements, and some launchers do not know how to properly clean the buffer after closing applications.
How to diagnose:
- 🏠 Return to the standard launcher MIUI (hold your finger on the home screen → Home screen settings → Standard launcher).
- 🎭 Disable all third-party themes in Settings → Themes.
- 🔍 Check if the trail appears in guest mode (without a Mi Account).
If the problem is gone, it's the launcher or theme.
- 🔄 Update the launcher to the latest version.
- 🧹 Clear its cache in Settings → Apps.
- 🚫 Discard animations in the launcher settings (they may conflict with the graphics driver).
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Before installing a third-party launcher, check it for compatibility with your version of MIUI on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forum.Some launchers are optimized for pure Android only and don't work well on branded shells.
5 Hardware problems: when it is not the software that is to blame, but the iron
If the trail from the program is permanent, doesn't disappear after the reboot, and is visible even on the boot logo, it's a hardware malfunction.
(a) Damage to the display plume
A common problem after a smartphone falls or disassembles, the train can be clamped or partially torn, leading to incorrect signal transmission to the matrix.
- 📵 The trail only appears in a certain part of the screen (e.g., at the bottom).
- 🔧 Artifacts are accompanied by flickering or stripes.
- 🛠️ The problem is exacerbated by pressing the body (e.g., bending the device).
(b) Defect of the screen controller
The chip that controls the matrix may fail due to overheating, moisture, or factory defects, in which case the artifacts will be systemic, such as a repetitive pattern or colored spots.
(c) Problems with graphics processing
On devices with Qualcomm chips (for example, Snapdragon 888/8 Gen 1), sometimes there is a defect in the GPU, leading to “hang” of frames.
- 🎮 The trail remains only after 3D- applications (games, ARCore).
- 🔥 The device overheats when artifacts appear.
- 📉 Performance in benchmarks (3DMark, GFXBench) is falling.
⚠️ Warning: If you suspect a hardware malfunction, do not try to disassemble the smartphone yourself - the risk of damage to the plume or matrix is too high.
How to check the plume of the display without disassembly?
6. Viruses and Malware: When the Trail Is Malvari's Work
Rarely, some viruses (adware, spyware) may replace a graphic buffer to display hidden ads or monitor user activity, in which case a trail from the program may be deliberately left by the malware to mask its activity.
Signs of infection:
- 🕵️♂️ The trail only appears in certain applications (e.g., banking or instant messengers).
- 📥 Increased traffic consumption or appeared unknown applications in Settings → Applications.
- 🔋 The battery is discharged faster than usual.
How to check:
- Run the scan through Google Play Protection (Settings → Google → Security).
- Install antivirus (Malwarebytes, Dr.Web) and scan the device.
- Check the list of running processes through ADB: adb shell ps -A | grep -i"suspicious" (replace suspicious with the name of suspicious process).
If a virus is found, do:
- 🗑️ Removal of suspicious applications.
- 🔄 Reset to factory settings (if the virus is deep in the system).
- 🔒 Install security updates (Settings → System → System Update).
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Viruses rarely cause artifacts on the screen, but if the trace appears only in certain applications (banks, social networks) - this is an occasion to check the device for malware.
7.Firmware and Updates: When the bug comes with MIUI
Xiaomi regularly releases updates MIUI, but not all of them are sufficiently tested. For example, in MIUI 14.0.4 for the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, there was a bug that left tabs on the screen after the Google Chrome was closed. And in MIUI 13.0.6 for POCO F3 artifacts appeared when using a split screen.
How to understand that the fault of the update:
- 📅 The problem arose immediately after the new version was installed. MIUI.
- 🌍 On forums (e.g. Mi Community), other users complain of a similar bug.
- 🔄 A rollback to a previous firmware version solves the problem.
Decisions:
- 🔍 Check out the list of known bugs on the official Xiaomi forum.
- 📥 Install firmware beta (if available) — often bugs are patched there sooner.
- 🔙 Reverse to the stable version via Fastboot (instructions on 4PDA).
For power users: If the artifacts appeared after the update, you can try clearing the firmware cache through Recovery:
1. Turn off the device.
2. Press Power + Volume Up to log into Recovery.
3. Select Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache.
4.Reboot.