Dims the screen on Xiaomi: 7 reasons and how to set up

Have you noticed that your Xiaomi screen suddenly goes out while watching a video, reading or even talking? This problem is common on all models, from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14. 80 percent of the time, software malfunctions are to blame, not hardware defects. But how do you tell a bug from a system feature?

In this article, we will look at all the possible reasons why the screen on Xiaomi goes out, and give step-by-step instructions for setting up timeouts, proximity sensors, energy saving mode and other parameters. You will learn how to turn off automatic screen shutdown, check the performance of sensors and even return factory settings if the problem is associated with firmware. And for owners of older models (Redmi 4X, Mi A1), we will give some recommendations – their software often conflicts with new versions of applications.

1.Why the screen goes out on Xiaomi: the main reasons

The problem can manifest itself in different ways: the screen goes out after 5 seconds, turns off during the call, does not respond to touches after waking up, or completely stops turning on.

• ⏱️ Too short screen timeout – by default MIUI 30 seconds are set, but some apps (like Google Play Books) reset it to 10 seconds.
• 📱 Faulty proximity sensor – if the screen goes out during the call and does not turn on until you take the phone away from your ear, the sensor is to blame (a frequent problem on the phone). POCO X3 Redmi 9).
• 🔋 Aggressive power saving mode – in the battery settings, you can turn off the screen at low charge (even on the battery). 30-40%).
• 🐞 Application conflict – messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) or launchers (Nova Launcher) sometimes block the display.
• 🔄 Failure after update MIUI — This is especially true for beta versions of the firmware (for example, MIUI 14.0.5.0 on Xiaomi 12T).

If the screen only goes out in a particular app (like YouTube or TikTok), the problem is likely to be the settings of the software itself, and if the phone turns off completely (rather than going to sleep), it could indicate a battery or motherboard malfunction.

2.How to set up screen timeout on Xiaomi

The most common reason for prematurely shutting down a display is a misconfigured timeout, which can be changed globally for the entire system and for individual applications in MIUI.

To change the total waiting time:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select Sleep Mode (or Screen Timeout in newer versions).
3. Set the value from 15 seconds to 30 minutes (recommended 2 minutes for the balance between convenience and power consumption).

For individual apps (for example, to keep the screen from going out while reading Google Play Books):

1. Start the application where you need to turn off the timeout.
2. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
3. Tap the No Sleep icon (or Don’t Turn Off the Screen) – it will only appear in supported apps.

Important: Some models (Redmi 8, POCO M2) may not have the option of Sleepless, in which case use third-party utilities like Keep Screen On (available on Google Play).

Checking the proximity sensor and autorotation

If the screen goes out during the call and doesn't turn on until you take the phone away from your ear, the problem is the proximity sensor. On Xiaomi, it can be tested and calibrated without special tools.

How to check the sensor:

1. In the phone app, type the code ##6484## (works on most models).
2. Select Proximity Sensor (proximity sensor).
3. Close the top of the phone with your hand, the value should change from 5.00 to 0.00. If the numbers do not change, the sensor is defective.

If the sensor is working, but the screen is still going out during the call:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → System applications → Phone. → Incoming challenges.
• 🔄 Turn off the Approach Sensor option (in some firmware it is called Automatic Screen Shutdown).
• 📱 Install a third-party call app (like Google Phone) where you can manually adjust sensor sensitivity.

Also check the autorotation settings — sometimes they conflict with the proximity sensor. Turn off autorotation in the notification curtain or along the Settings path → Display → Autorotation.

4. Energy conservation and background activity

MIUI aggressively optimizes power consumption, which can lead to premature shutdown of the screen, especially on models with a small battery (Redmi 9C, POCO C31).

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
2. Select Settings → Select Mode and install Balanced (not Super Power Saving!).
3. In the Background Limitation section, add applications that should not turn off the screen (e.g. Waze or Yandex Navigator) to the exceptions.

Critical feature of MIUI 13/14: Newer versions of the firmware have a hidden option called Adaptive Energy Saving, which automatically reduces the screen timeout when the charge is low, and to turn it off, you need to:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the option Background Limitation to save charge and disable it.

5. Application and launcher conflicts

Some programs can block the screen, and most often, the fault is:

• 📱 Third-party launchers (Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher) – they can reset timeout settings.
• 💬 Messengers (Telegram, Viber) – in their settings there are options for automatically turning off the screen during calls.
• 🎮 Game Turbo – They can force the display to be turned off to save charge.

How to diagnose the problem:

1. Launch your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button → Safe Mode). If the screen doesn't go out, one of the apps installed is to blame.
2. Turning to remove recently installed programs, starting with launchers and optimizers.
3. Check the settings of messengers: in Telegram it is Settings → Calls → Screen during the call.

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If the problem occurs after installing the launcher, try resetting it to standard. To do this, delete the application data in Settings → Applications → Application Management → [launcher name] → Storage → Clear data.

For POCO Launcher and MIUI Launcher, there is a separate setting:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the main screen.
2. Select Launcher Settings → Additionally.
3. Turn off the option of optimizing the lock screen.

6. Resetting and flashing

If none of these things worked, it might be the system files, and then resetting or flashing it will help.

Soft reset (without loss of data):

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset all settings (do not delete all data!).
3. Confirm the action - the phone will reboot with factory settings of the display and energy saving.

Hard reset (if the screen goes out immediately after switching on):

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

If the reset didn't work, it's left to flash.

1. Download the latest stable version of MIUI for your model from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Rename the file to update.zip and place it in the root of the phone’s memory.
3. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Select the firmware file.

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Reflashing through Recovery deletes all data, including photos and messages. Pre-backup via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset or using Mi PC Suite.

7. Hardware malfunctions: when to contact the service

If the screen goes out even after resetting and flashing, the problem may be in the hardware.

• 🔋 Battery worn out – if the phone is turned off 20-30% battery needs replacement (average service life — 2-3 year-end).
• 📱 Display plume is a common problem after falls or self-disassembly.
• 🔌 Power controller malfunction – the screen goes out when charging or loading is connected.

How to check:

• Connect your phone to charging – if the screen only turns on when the cable is on, the battery is to blame.
• Light a flashlight on the display turned off - if you see a dim image, the problem is in the backlight.
• Check if the phone is responding to charging (sound, indicator) – if not, the controller is faulty.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 11/12/13, POCO F4) A dim image when illuminated with a flashlight may indicate a failure of the matrix. 50-70% phone-price.

Cost of repairs in service centers:

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen issue on Xiaomi