Seeing your RealMe 16 suddenly switch to black and white can be alarming. Photos lose color, apps look dull, and the phone feels broken even though it still works. In most cases, this happens because of a setting that was enabled accidentally, not because of a hardware defect.
Why Your RealMe 16 Screen Is in Black and White
- Grayscale or bedtime features are enabled in Accessibility settings.
- Digital Wellbeing focus modes are forcing a monochrome display.
- Power saving features are limiting visual output.
- A system glitch occurred after a software update.
1. Turn Off Grayscale in Accessibility
Grayscale removes all colors from the display to reduce eye strain. If it is enabled, your screen will appear completely black and white even though nothing is wrong with the hardware.
Open Settings, and then tap Accessibility.
Tap Vision or Color correction, and then turn off Grayscale.
2. Check Digital Wellbeing Settings
Digital Wellbeing can force a monochrome screen during focus or bedtime modes. This is designed to reduce phone usage, but it often gets enabled by mistake.
Open Settings, and then tap Digital Wellbeing and parental controls.
Tap Bedtime mode or Focus mode, and then disable any active schedules.
3. Disable Bedtime Mode from Quick Settings
Bedtime mode can also be toggled directly from the notification area. If it is active, your screen may stay gray even during the day.
Swipe down from the top of the screen, and then expand Quick Settings.
Find Bedtime mode, and then tap it to turn it off.
4. Turn Off Power Saving Mode
Some power saving profiles reduce color output to conserve battery. This can make the display look washed out or fully monochrome.
Open Settings, and then tap Battery.
Tap Power saving mode, and then switch it off.
5. Restart the Phone
If the screen turned monochrome after a system hiccup, a restart often fixes it. This refreshes display services and clears temporary glitches.
Open Settings, and then tap Power options.
Tap Restart, and then wait for the phone to boot back up.
6. Reset Accessibility Settings
If multiple accessibility options were changed, resetting them can quickly restore normal colors. This does not delete your personal data.
Open Settings, and then tap Accessibility.
Tap Reset accessibility settings, and then confirm the reset.
A monochrome screen on the RealMe 16 is almost always caused by software settings, not a damaged display. Once the correct option is turned off, colors should return immediately and stay normal.
FAQs
Why did my RealMe 16 screen turn black and white by itself?
This usually happens when Grayscale or Bedtime mode is enabled accidentally, sometimes through Accessibility shortcuts or Digital Wellbeing schedules.
Is a black and white screen a sign of display damage?
No. Hardware display damage usually shows lines, flickering, or dead pixels. A clean monochrome screen is almost always a software setting issue.
Can power saving mode permanently affect screen colors?
No. Power saving mode only limits features temporarily. Once it is turned off, your RealMe 16 should return to full color immediately.
