“Amulet screen” on Xiaomi: a hidden feature that you did not know

If you've ever noticed that your Xiaomi screen suddenly wakes up without touch — it shows notifications, time, or even random swipes — it could be the screen amulet (or Ambient Display in global firmware). This little-known feature runs in the background, but its behavior often raises questions: Why does the smartphone turn on the display itself? How does it affect the battery? And most importantly, can it be turned off?

Many users confuse the “amulet screen” with an always active display (Always-On Display, AOD), But these are different technologies. The first one is activated only by event (notification, phone lifting), and the second one is constantly working. In this article, we'll look at how the function is arranged at the system level, what models are used to do it. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO It is supported, and we will give clear instructions on setting up – including hidden parameters, which are not written in official manuals.

Spoiler: In some firmware, the screen amulet cannot be completely turned off through the standard menu – you will need to edit the system settings via ADB. But don’t worry: we will show you a safe way to do this without the risk of “bricking” the device.

What is an amulet screen and why you need it

The term “amulet screen” (from English. ambient – “around”) is the informal name of the function of waking the screen by events, which is present in Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI. Its main task is to show key information (time, notifications, missed calls) without fully turning on the display, saving battery power.

Unlike Always-On Display (which constantly displays time and icons on the display). AMOLED-The amulet only works in three cases:

1. Notification (SMS, messengers, calls);
2. Lifting the phone or changing its position in space (thanks to the accelerometer sensor);
3. Double tapping on the screen (if the function is activated in the settings).

In practice, it looks like this: you put your smartphone down, you get a message on Telegram, and after 2-3 seconds, the display wakes up for a split second, showing the notification icon. Or you take the phone off the table, and it already "knows" that you need to show the time. Comfortable? For someone, yes. Irritating? For many, that's right.

It is important to understand that the feature works even when the Always-On Display is turned off and is not dependent on it. Moreover, in some MIUI firmware (especially on budget Redmi models), the screen amulet is on by default and does not have a separate switch in the menu.

How to distinguish between Always-On Display (AOD) and Always-On Display (Amulet Screen)

Users often confuse the two, but they have different operating principles and energy consumption.

Another caveat: the screen amulet can work even when the AOD is turned off, whereas the reverse is not true. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro, you can turn off Always-On Display, but the phone will still wake up to notifications - this is the work of the amulet.

To accurately identify which function is interfering, do a test:

1. Put the phone down on the table with the screen.
2. Send a message to it from another device.
3. If the screen blinks and goes out, it's an amulet. If it's still on, it's AOD.

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In the models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F5) «The screen amulet may conflict with AOD, This is a double awakening, and in this case, it is recommended to leave only one function.

What Xiaomi models support the “amulet screen”

The feature is available on all Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO smartphones running MIUI 12 and later, but its implementation depends on the firmware version and screen type.

• ⚡ Devices with AMOLED: The function is smoother, but may conflict with AOD.

On models older than 2019 (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro or Mi 9), the screen amulet often works unstablely – the screen can spontaneously turn on due to motion sensor errors, in which case only disabling the function or updating the firmware will help.

You can check the support as follows:

How to turn off the “amulet screen” on Xiaomi: 3 ways

If the feature is annoying, you can deactivate it, and the methods depend on the model and version of MIUI.

Method 1: Through standard settings (for most models)

1. Go to Settings → Display → Additional settings.
2. Find the options: “Wake up at notifications” – turn off; “Raise to wake up” – turn off; “Double touch to wake up” – turn off (optional).

Reset the device.

Method 2: Through ADB (for hidden settings)

If there are no switches on the menu, but the screen still wakes up, you will need an ADB command:

adb shell settings put global ambient_display_always_on_enabled 0

For this:

1. Turn on USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times).
2. Connect the phone to the PC and execute the command above.

Method 3: Through Third Party Applications

Apps like MacroDroid or Tasker can block the screen from waking up from events, such as macros.

• 🔹 Trigger: Screen on»;
• 🔹 Action: Turn off the screen (with a delay of 1 second).

The disadvantage of the method is an increased battery consumption due to the application background.

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On some models (Xiaomi 12 Lite, Redmi K50), disabling the amulet through the ADB is reset after the MIUI update, in which case you will need to repeat the procedure or install custom recovery.

Why the screen amulet can interfere and how to fix it

Despite the convenience, the feature often causes problems:

• 🔋 Battery consumption: even a short-term screen turn on discharges the battery by 5-10% per night;
• 🤯 False positives: motion sensor responds to vibrations or accidental touches;
• 🔒 Privacy: The screen can show notifications in a public place;
• 🛠️ Shell conflicts: on POCO Launcher or Nova Launcher function is not working properly.

Decisions:

1. To save battery, turn off “Wake up at notifications” and leave only “Raise to wake up.”
2. If the screen is triggered in your pocket, check the proximity sensor sensitivity in Settings → Special features → Physical buttons.
3. On models with AMOLED (Xiaomi 13 Ultra), replace the amulet with Always-On Display, which consumes less power.

⚠️ Note: Redmi Note 11 and POCO X4 Pro with firmware MIUI 13.0.2-13.0.4 is a bug that causes the screen amulet to ignore settings and switch on arbitrarily. MIUI 14 or roll back on MIUI 12.5.

Alternatives to the screen amulet: what to use instead

If the function is not satisfied, consider alternatives:

For owners of POCO F4 GT or Black Shark, there is a unique option called “Game Awakening”, which only includes the screen when you start games. You can configure it in Settings → Special Features → Game Features.

If you want a balance between convenience and battery savings, try the combination:

• 🔄 Turn off the amulet screen»;
• 🔔 Enable “Notifications on the locked screen»;
• ⏰ Use Always-On Display at night (on schedule).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the screen amulet on Xiaomi