The Xiaomi 18 Pro privacy display could make one of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s most talked-about features much less exclusive. Samsung introduced a special privacy display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year, giving users a simple way to stop people nearby from seeing their screens.
Now, Xiaomi is bringing a similar idea to its upcoming 18 Pro series. The company has confirmed that its new phones will use special display technology designed to keep screen content private when viewed from an angle.
How Xiaomi’s Privacy Display Works
Xiaomi’s technology uses two types of pixels: standard pixels and privacy pixels. When the privacy mode is turned on, the standard pixels switch off while the privacy pixels remain active.
The result is simple. A person looking directly at the phone can still see the content normally, but viewing the display from the side becomes extremely difficult.
Xiaomi says that at angles beyond 60 degrees, screen brightness can fall to around 1% of its normal front-facing output. This should make the display practically unreadable to someone sitting beside the phone.
The feature could be especially useful on public transport, in crowded places, at airports and when using sensitive apps such as banking services.
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs Xiaomi 18 Pro Privacy Display
| Feature | Galaxy S26 Ultra | Xiaomi 18 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy display | Yes | Yes |
| Side-angle privacy | Yes | Yes |
| App-based control | Available | Supported |
| Automatic privacy options | Available | Location and camera-based options |
| Front-camera detection | Not highlighted in the provided details | Yes |
| Peak brightness | — | Up to 4,000 nits claimed |
Xiaomi Adds Smart Privacy Controls
The Xiaomi 18 Pro series could take the idea further with automatic controls. Users will reportedly be able to activate privacy mode through Quick Settings, a physical AI key or Xiao AI voice commands.
The phone’s front camera can also detect when someone appears to be looking at the screen. Xiaomi says the device can then warn the user and suggest turning on privacy mode.
There is also an option to automatically activate the feature in selected locations. For example, users could configure privacy mode to turn on when they enter a metro station or another public place.
Xiaomi 18 Pro Looks Powerful Beyond Privacy
Privacy is not the only interesting feature expected from the Xiaomi 18 Pro lineup. The phones are reportedly set to use a 2nm-based Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro processor.
Battery capacity could also be a major highlight. Reports suggest the Xiaomi 18 Pro may feature a 7,000mAh battery, while the Pro Max could reportedly have an 8,500mAh cell.
The display is another key area. Xiaomi says its new M11 luminescent material can deliver up to 4,000 nits of peak brightness while improving efficiency.
The Xiaomi 18 Pro family is scheduled to launch in China on September 23, 2026. If the privacy display works as promised, Samsung may no longer be able to call this feature its own smartphone exclusive.
The bigger question is whether other phone makers will follow Xiaomi and Samsung. For people who regularly use their phones in crowded places, privacy may soon become a standard smartphone feature rather than a luxury.
