Xiaomi screen goes out when the camera is closed: reasons and solutions

Did you open the camera app on your Xiaomi, take a picture — and when the app is closed, the screen suddenly went out? Or, worse, does the display turn off immediately after the camera is folded, causing the phone to be unlocked again? This problem occurs on many Redmi, POCO and Mi models, but its causes and solutions are not always obvious.

Most of these behaviors are due to power-saving conflict, incorrect display settings, or even hardware features of a particular model. For example, the Xiaomi 12T Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro+ often trigger an approach sensor that misinterprets camera closure as a signal to lock the screen. And on budget models like the POCO M4 Pro, aggressive MIUI optimization can be to blame, which “strangles” background processes.

In this article, we will discuss all possible causes, from banal settings to hidden firmware bugs, as well as give step-by-step instructions for diagnosing and fixing the problem. AMOLED-screens, where such behavior is often disguised as a "feature" of saving charge.

1.Why the screen goes out when the camera closes: the main reasons

The problem can manifest itself in different ways: the screen dips immediately after pressing the home button, 1-2 seconds after folding the camera, or only when using certain applications (for example, Google Camera instead of the standard).

• 🔋 Aggressive energy saving regime: MIUI By default, limits the camera’s background activity, which can lead to forced-close applications and disabling the display.
• 👁️ Approximation Sensor: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 11 Lite) NE) The sensor is falsely triggered, perceiving the camera closing as the phone approaching the ear.
• 📱 Auto-rotation/auto-blocking settings: Conflict between gyroscope sensor and screen locking algorithms.
• 🐞 Firmware bugs: In versions MIUI 13–14 There were errors with power management when working with the camera (especially on the Snapdragon). 7xx/8xx).
• 🔌 Hardware problems: Faulty plume of the display or sensors (relevant after falls or repairs).

Interestingly, on the POCO F4 GT and Redmi K50 Gaming, the problem is often with Game Turbo mode, which conflicts with camera settings. And on older models like the Mi 9T, the fault can be a worn-out battery - the system forcibly turns off the display at high load.

2. Verification of energy saving and autolock settings

Start with the simplest settings – often the problem is solved in just 2 clicks. Open Settings → Battery and performance and follow the following steps:

Set Performance mode instead of Balanced | Turn off Adaptive Battery |Add the camera app to optimisation exceptions | Check the "Screen Autolock" settings-->

Pay special attention to the "Battery Optimization Exceptions" item, find a standard Camera (or Google Camera if you use GCam) in your application list and set it to No Limits mode. Some firmware has hidden this item, so you'll have to reset your power saving settings to factory.

Also check the settings. → Screen. → Sleep mode: If you set the value of 15 seconds or less, try increasing it to 30 seconds or Never (temporarily, for the test). AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) can trigger an additional feature Always-on Display, conflicting with the camera.

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If the problem has disappeared after the change in settings, but returned after a day, check if the settings reset after the reboot. This is a sign of a failure in the miui.analytics service, which can be disabled via ADB.

3. Approximation Sensor: How it affects screen lock

The proximity sensor on Xiaomi is often a source of false positives, designed to turn off the screen during a call, but sometimes mistakenly activated when:

• 📸 Close the camera (especially if you hold your phone close to your face).
• 🔄 Quick switching between applications.
• 💡 Using a phone in a dark room (the sensor responds to IR radiation).

To check the sensor, perform the test:

1. In the phone app, type ##6484## (some models run ##0*##).
2. Select Proximity Sensor.
3. Close the sensor (usually located next to the front camera) with your finger – the value should change from 5.00 cm to 0.00 cm.

If the sensor does not respond or shows incorrect values, try:

1. Wipe the sensor area with alcohol (dust and fat interfere with work).
2. Calibrate the sensor through the engineering menu (code ##36446337#, but does not work on all models).
3. Disable the sensor programmatically (requires root or ADB).

4. Firmware conflicts and workarounds

If the problem occurred after the MIUI update, it is likely that the power management policy changes were to blame, for example, MIUI 14 added Deep Sleep Optimization, which aggressively closes the background processes, including the camera, to check this out:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and check the relevance of the firmware.
2. If the update is available, install it (sometimes bugs are fixed in the following patches).
3. If the problem persists, try to roll back to the previous version via Fastboot.

Critical information for Xiaomi owners 13/13 Pro: in firmware V14.0.4.0.TMBCNXM and V14.0.5.0.TMBCNXM There is a confirmed bug with display control when using the camera in Pro mode. V14.0.6.0 higher.

Alternatively, you can use Google Camera instead of the standard app. Some GCam modifications (e.g., from BSG or Wichaya) have their own power management algorithms that do not conflict with MIUI. You can download the appropriate version on the 4PDA forum (part of your model).

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If the problem appears after the update, try resetting the camera settings first (Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear data), rather than rolling back the firmware immediately.

5. Hardware malfunctions: when to carry in the service

If the software didn't work, it could be physical damage, and the typical symptoms of hardware problems are:

• 🔌 The screen goes out even in safe mode (Put the power button down). → Safe regime).
• 🔄 The problem appears irregularly, but is aggravated by the heating of the phone.
• 🛠️ Before that, the phone fell or was repaired (especially if the display / plume was changed).

The most vulnerable components:

1. Display plume: On Xiaomi with a retractable camera (like the Mi 9T), the plume wears out faster due to mechanical stress.
2. Approximation Sensor: May be damaged or contaminated (especially after screen repair).
3. Power Controller: On models with Snapdragon 888/8 Gen 1 (e.g. Xiaomi 12), overheating can cause false protections.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is warranty, don’t disassemble it yourself! Xiaomi service centers have internal instructions for diagnosing such problems (for example, a test). PMI 8953-11 Self-repair will void the warranty.

Cost of repair:

• Replacement of the display plume: from 1,500 to 3,000 ₽ (model-wise).
• Cleaning/replacement of the proximity sensor: 800–1,500 ₽.
• Diagnostics of the power controller: 500–1000 ₽ (may require replacement of the motherboard).

6. Alternative solutions: from GCam to resetting settings

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these workarounds:

• 📷 Install modified GCam: Some versions (e.g. GCam 8.4 from the Parrot043) have separate power management settings. In the settings, enable the option Disable screen off when closing (if any).
• 🔄 Use gestures: Set the swipe down to fold the camera instead of the back button - sometimes this bypasses the lock bug.
• 🔧 Resetting camera settings: Go to Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data. Attention: this will remove all user settings (e.g. manual settings in Pro mode).
• 🛠️ Factory backtrack: Extreme method, but helps 80% of the time.Previous backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

For advanced users, there is another way to change the camera configuration file. On some models (for example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro), the problem is solved by editing the file /system/vendor/build.prop.

ro.camera.close.screenoff=false

But this method is risky – improper editing of system files can lead to bootloop.

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Before resetting, check to see if you have Developer Mode on (Settings → About Phone → MIUI → 7 times tap) and sometimes the problem disappears after you turn off the Do Not Turn Off screen while charging in the developer settings.

7 Prevention: How to avoid recurrence of the problem

To prevent the problem from returning after the correction, follow these recommendations:

• 🔄 Update your firmware regularly (but don’t install betas unless you’re bug-ready).
• 📵 Avoid using magnet covers – they can affect the proximity sensor.
• 🔋 Do not allow battery discharge below 15% – on some models this causes failures in power management.
• 🛠️ After replacing the screen or battery, calibrate the sensors (at the service center).

If you use Google Camera, keep an eye out for updates to the libpatched.so module – legacy versions may conflict with MIUI. Also avoid running simultaneously apps with camera access (e.g. Snapchat + standard camera).

⚠️ Note: On models with an infrared camera (for example, Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra), the problem may be exacerbated when you activate night mode.

Frequently asked questions