How to turn off the speaker area on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 4 proven ways

The speaker area on the Xiaomi Redmi 9 is the black bar at the top of the screen that appears when you play audio through an external speaker, and it takes up precious display space, especially when you play games, video or read, and many users want to remove it, but don't know how to do it without risking damaging the smartphone.

In this article, we’ll break down all working methods, from standard MIUI settings to hidden functions and ADB commands. It’s important to understand that removing the speaker area completely can affect the sound quality or performance of some applications. So we’ll also show you how to get it back if something goes wrong.

If you use Redmi 9 with custom firmware or root rights, some methods may not work or require adaptation. For owners of the standard version of MIUI 12/13/14, all instructions are verified and safe.

Why does the dynamic area appear and can it be removed?

The speaker area (or "sound zone") is a MIUI software function that reserves a portion of the screen for system notifications and indicators.

• 🔊 Play music or video through the built-in speaker
• 📞 Calls (even if you use a headset)
• 🎮 Running some high-load games on sound
• 📱 Use Game Turbo or Second Space features

Technically, this area is needed for:

1. Preventing the imposition of sound notifications on content.
2. Optimize the speaker (so that the sound does not distort at maximum volume).
3. Compatible with some applications that require a system sound bar.

Can we take it down? Yes, but with reservations:

• ✅ In most cases, temporarily (until the system is restarted or updated).
• ⚠️ On some versions MIUI — only ADB root.
• ❌ In games of protection (for example, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact – can lead to a ban for “system modification".

Method 1: Disconnect via MIUI settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use built-in MIUI options. It works on most firmware versions, but may vary depending on the regional build.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Scroll down and select the Notification Area Size (or Full Screen Mode in some versions).
3. Activate the switch Hide the speaker area or Expand the screen.
4. Confirm the changes and restart the smartphone.

If there is no such item, try an alternative path:

1. Play any video on YouTube or MIUI Video Player.
2. Swipe down the notification bar and find the Full-screen Mode icon (the icon of arrows in opposite directions).
3. Slip it, the dynamic area must disappear.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make a backup copy of important data

Close all background applications

The battery should be at least 30%-->

⚠️ Attention: Some firmware may lose system sounds (alarm clock, notifications) after switching off the speaker area!

Method 2: Use of the "Developers" mode

If standard settings don’t work, you can try activating hidden options through developer mode, which works on MIUI 12.5+ and doesn’t require superuser rights.

Steps:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version (you will receive a notification "You became a developer").

Settings

Additional → For Developers

USB debugging

Visualization

• Turn off the speaker area (if any)
• Force full-screen mode
• Reset the device.

If there is no option to turn off the speaker area, try:

• 🔍 Turn on GPU-acceleration (may indirectly affect the display).
• 🔄 Switch Windows animation to Off (sometimes helps reset the display cache).

Method 3: ADB-Teams for experienced users

If previous methods didn’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is a more complicated way, but it gives guaranteed results on most versions of MIUI.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB smartphone.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Connect Redmi 9 to your computer and confirm your debugging permission.
3. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type: adb devices Make sure the device is identified (serial number should appear).
4. Execute the command to disable the speaker area: adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen true
5. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

If the dynamic area is still visible, try additional commands:

• For Forced Full Screen Mode in Games: Adb shell settings put global force_fullscreen_for_apps com.example.game (replace com.example.game with your app name package).
• To reset the display cache: adb shell pm clear com.android.systemui ⚠️ Warning: This command will reset the system interface settings (wallpaper, shortcuts, etc.).

adb shell dumpsys SurfaceFlinger --reset

This will return the standard rendering settings without data loss.-->

Method 4: Use of third-party applications (at risk)

If you don’t want to mess with ADB, you can try specialized utilities, but this method can violate Xiaomi’s security policy and lead to blocking some features.

Popular applications:

• 📱 Nacho Notch – hides notches and system panels (requires root).
• 🎮 Game Tools - built-in in MIUI App for gamers (can hide the area of dynamics in games).
• 🔧 Full Screen Immersive Mode – Works without a root, but can conflict with MIUI 14.

How to use Game Tools:

1. Open the Settings → Additional → Game Turbo
2. Add an app where you want to remove the speaker area.
3. Activate options: Full screen mode Disable notifications Block brightness (optional)

Game Turbo

⚠️ Note: Apps like Nacho Notch can cause sensor or graphic problems. Create a restore point in the system before using it. TWRP (if there's a root).

What do you do if nothing helps?

If none of the methods worked, the following reasons are possible:

• 🔄 You have regional firmware (for example, for India or China) where some settings are blocked.
• 🛠️ The smartphone was updated “over the air” with the skip versions, which led to a conflict of settings.
• 🔒 Second Space or Private Mode is activated, which blocks system changes.
• 🐛 In your version. MIUI There is a bug with the speaker area display (often found in beta versions).

Decisions:

1. Reset the settings to factory (don’t forget to make a backup!): Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Install global firmware via MIUI bootloader or Xiaomi Flash Tool.
3. Contact Support: Through the Mi Community app (Feedback section) and tweet Xiaomi with the hashtag #MIUIBug.

Use the workaround

• In games: Enable Immersive Mode in the graphics settings.
• In video: Use gesture-enabled players (such as VLC or MX Player).