How to completely disable fingerprint scanner on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Why you should turn off your fingerprint on Xiaomi and when you need it

The fingerprint scanner on Xiaomi smartphones is a convenient feature for quick unlocking, but sometimes it becomes a source of problems. For example, the sensor may not work properly after a phone falls, stop recognizing registered fingerprints or conflict with cases. In some cases, users want to completely delete biometric data for security reasons - especially before selling the device or transferring it to third parties.

Another common situation is that you add a friend's or relative's fingerprint to temporary access, and now you want to remove it, or the sensor starts to fire spontaneously, unlocking the phone in your pocket, and in this article, we'll look at all the ways you can disable the scanner, from standard settings to forced reset through recovery mode.

It's important to understand that simply removing fingerprints from the security menu doesn't always solve the problem. For example, if a sensor is physically damaged, the system may continue to try to initialize it, which leads to slowing down the unlocking of the screen or accidental activations, so in some cases, a complete shutdown of the function at the system level is required.

Method 1: Standard fingerprint removal via MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to remove registered prints through the settings menu, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models running MIUI 12-14 (including hyper versions).

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Passwords and Security section (some firmware may call it Lock and Protection).
3. Select Fingerprint (or Fingerprint Sensor on older versions).
4. Enter the current one. PIN-code, pattern lock or password for confirmation.
5. Click on the basket icon (🗑️) or select Remove fingerprint for each saved template.
6. Confirm the action by pressing OK or Delete.

Make sure you remember. PIN-code|Close all applications that use biometrics (banks, payments)|Check if the Safe Zone mode is active)|Backup important data in case of failure-->

Once all the fingerprints are removed, the sensor will no longer respond to the touch, but the scan function itself will remain active in the system, which means that you can add new prints later if necessary. If the goal is to completely deactivate the sensor (for example, due to a hardware malfunction), move on to the next method.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) After removing all fingerprints, the system can automatically suggest adding a new one. To avoid this, disable the Unlock fingerprint option in the same menu.

Method 2: Disconnect the sensor through developer modes

If standard deletion doesn’t work (for example, the sensor keeps flashing or consumes battery power), you can turn it off programmatically through the developer menu.

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row until you become a developer!
3. Return to the main settings menu and open a new Developer section (usually at the bottom of the list).
4. Scroll down and find the USB Debugging option – turn it on.
5. Next, find the item Disable the fingerprint sensor (or Fingerprint hardware disabled in English firmware) and activate it.

Once the changes are applied, the sensor will no longer respond to touch, and the password and security menu will no longer allow the addition of new fingerprints.

• 🔧 Sensor is physically damaged and causes system errors.
• 🔋 The scanner consumes battery power even in standby mode.
• 🛡️ You want to block biometrics completely for security reasons.

💡

If the item Disable fingerprint sensor is not in the developer menu, try to enter the command via ADB:

adb shell settings put global fingerprint_disable 1

Note that some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global for POCO F4) may not have this option, in which case only resetting or editing system files (mode 4) will help.

Method 3: Forced Resetting via Recovery Mode

If your phone is locked and you don’t remember PIN-The code, or fingerprint sensor, caused the bootloop, will help reset through Recovery Mode, which removes all data from the device, including fingerprints, but requires caution:

1. Turn off the phone with a long press of the power button.
2. Press and hold the Power + Volume buttons up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (usually English or Chinese).
4. Go to Wipe & Reset → Wipe All Data (or Clear Data).
5. Confirm the action by selecting Confirm.
6. After reset, select Reboot → Reboot to System.

⚠️ Warning: Recovery removes all data, including photos, contacts and apps. If your phone has Mi Account enabled and your Xiaomi account is linked, you will need to enter your username and password to unlock it after the reset).

Yeah, for resetting.|Yeah, for custom firmware installation.|No, but I know what it is.|No, and no planning.|I don't know what it is.-->

Method 4: Editing System Files (for Advanced)

If the fingerprint sensor is interfering with the system, but you don't want to reset the phone, you can turn it off by editing the build.prop file. This method requires root rights and is only suitable for advanced users.

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/build.prop.
3. Find ro.vendor.xiaomi.fingerprint.enable=true and replace true with false.
4. If you don’t have a line, add it to the end of the file: ro.vendor.xiaomi.fingerprint.enable=false
5. Save the changes, restart the phone.

And then the sensor will be completely turned off at the system level, and to bring it back, you just need to change it to true again.

• 📱 Devices with a damaged sensor that causes the interface lag.
• 🔒 Phones where the scanner conflicts with custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS or Pixel Experience).
• 🛠️ Models where the sensor is on by default but not in use (e.g. some Redmis for the Chinese market).

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of build.prop can result in bootloop or network loss.Before making changes, back up the file.On devices with Dynamic Partition (e.g., Xiaomi) 12T) This method may not work.

Method 5: Disconnect via ADB (without root)

If you don't have root rights, but you have access to ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can turn off the fingerprint sensor by the command. This method is temporary and resets after the reboot, but is useful for testing:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (see Method 2).
2. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (macOS/Linux) Enter: adb shell settings put global fingerprint_disable 1
3. To return functionality, use: adb shell settings put global fingerprint_disable 0

This command disables event processing from the Android sensor, but doesn't delete the stored fingerprints. Once the device is restarted, the scanner will be active again.

• 🔍 Diagnostics of sensor problems (e.g., checking if it affects battery discharge).
• 🔄 Temporary disabling of biometrics without deleting data.
• 📱 Testing applications where the scanner conflicts with the software.

💡

ADB-The commands only work when the phone is connected to the PC. To permanently turn off the sensor without root, use Method 2 (Developer menu) or Method 3 (Recovery).

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you turn off the fingerprint sensor on Xiaomi, users experience typical errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If neither of these methods worked, the problem could be hardware, such as the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra or Redmi K50 Gaming, which has a fingerprint sensor integrated into the screen, and its malfunction is often associated with damage to the display module, which requires diagnostics at the service center.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions