How to change the time of automatic screen shutdown on Xiaomi: all ways

Screen time on Xiaomi smartphones is a parameter that determines how many seconds the display will go out if you do not act. An incorrectly configured value can drain the battery (if too long) or interfere with reading (if too short). In this article, we will discuss all the ways to change the time of the screen off on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices, from standard settings to hidden functions for power users.

The MIUI feature is that the manufacturer often moves the settings menu between firmware versions, and we have taken this into account and prepared the current instructions for MIUI 14/13 (2023-2026), as well as for older versions. If you do not find the right item on the menu, check the section "What to do if you do not have settings."

Method 1: Standard settings through the display menu

It’s the simplest method that works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, and is suitable for smartphones with pure MIUI without custom firmware.

Open Settings → Display. Depending on the firmware version, the path may be different:

• 📱 MIUI 14/13 (2023–2026): Additionally. → Sleep after
• 📱 MIUI 12.5 and below: Screen lock → Sleep after
• 📱 POCO Launcher: Settings → Lock screen → Sleep after

In the window that opens, select the appropriate interval from the list: 15 seconds to 30 minutes. The optimal value for the balance between convenience and battery savings is 1-2 minutes. If you often read long articles, you can increase to 5-10 minutes, but remember that this will reduce battery life by 10-15%.

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On some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro), an additional Adaptive Sleep switch will appear after the time is selected, and turn it on so that the system automatically adjusts the timeout depending on activity (for example, when reading a book, the screen will stay on longer).

Method 2: Change through Developer Mode

If the standard settings don't work (e.g., you need to set a non-standard value like 45 seconds), you can use the developer mode.

Activate the Developer Mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times in a row on the MIUI version (you will be notified “You became a developer”).
3. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.

In the developer menu, find the Sleep After option (could be called screen timeout). Extended values are available here, including Never (the screen will not go out automatically). AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi) 12T Pro, Redmi K60) Constant display illumination can cause pixels to burn out after 1-2 years of active use.

Activate the developer mode (7 taps according to the version) MIUI)|Check for the “Sleep After” item in the Developer menu|Set a value other than “never” for AMOLED-screen|Reboot the phone after the changes (recommended)

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Method 3: Use ADB-Teams (for advanced teams)

If you need to set a custom value (for example, 27 seconds) that is not available in the standard settings, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer.

Download and install Google’s Platform Tools. Then execute the following commands in the terminal (command line):

adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 30000

Where 30,000 is millisecond time (30,000 ms = 30 seconds) to return the standard value, use:

adb shell settings delete system screen_off_timeout

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience) may be ignored ADB-In this case, you will need to edit the system files manually, which can lead to loss of warranty.

Method 4: Applications for automatic screen control

If you need to flexibly adjust the screen time to turn off depending on the app or time of day, use third-party utilities.

• 🔧 Keep Screen On – Keeps the screen on for selected apps (e.g. Google Maps or YouTube).
• 🔧 Screen Timeout Settings – allows you to set different timeouts for horizontal and vertical orientation.
• 🔧 Tasker is an advanced tool for creating rules (e.g., “increase timeout to 10 minutes if headphones are connected»).

Before installing, check the application permissions: it must request access to System Settings and Special Features. On MIUI 14, some utilities may not work due to manufacturer restrictions, in which case you will need to disable MIUI Optimization in the developer settings.

I do not use third-party utilities.|Keep Screen On|Screen Timeout Settings|Tasker|Other-->

What to do if the settings are not working or not working

Sometimes the "Sleep" item disappears from the menu.

• 🔄 Update MIUI — After a major update (for example, from 12.5 to 13) the menu can be moved.
• 🛠️ Custom firmware – some builds (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) remove this item.
• 🔒 Enterprise Policy – If the phone is managed via Android Enterprise, the administrator can block the change in timeout.

Decisions:

1. Check the Settings menu → Special features → screen timeout (on some firmware, the item is moved there).
2. Reset the display settings: Settings → Display → Reset settings.
3. If nothing works, use ADB (see Method 3).

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On MIUI devices for POCO (e.g., POCO X5 Pro), the “Sleep After” item may be referred to as “Screen Time Out” and may be located in the “Screen Lock” section.

Table: Optimal timeout settings for different scenarios

⚠️ Note: On Always-On Display (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi) K50 Pro: Too short a time out (less than 30 seconds) can lead to frequent backlighting on notifications, which will increase (rather than reduce!) battery consumption.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users experience problems after changing their timeouts, and consider common mistakes:

• ❌ The screen goes out immediately after unlocking - check the settings → Display. → Adaptive brightness: If the function is on, it may conflict with timeout.
• ❌ Timeout resets after rebooting, which is typical of custom firmware. Solution: Set the value through ADB flag-headed --user 0:

adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 60000 --user 0

• ❌ The screen doesn’t go out at all – check out apps that can block sleep (like the one that’s not going out, VLC Or Twitch. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Change system settings and revoke the rights of suspicious programs.

If the smartphone starts to overheat or discharge quickly after the changes, return the standard settings. On some models (Redmi Note 11 Pro+), an incorrect timeout can cause battery overruns due to constant processor activity.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions