How to set up screen rotation on Xiaomi Redmi 9: from basic settings to hidden features

Xiaomi Redmi 9 is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but even its users sometimes face non-obvious problems, one of them is the incorrect operation of the auto-turn of the screen or the need to forcefully fix the orientation. In this article, we will analyze all the ways of controlling the rotation, from standard settings to hidden MIUI functions and bypass solutions for a faulty gyroscope.

You'll learn how to turn on/off the autorotor, what to do if the screen flips itself, and why sometimes the smartphone doesn't see the change of position. And we've tested 5 applications for forced rotation and made a table of their pros and cons, which will help you choose the best tool if the standard tools do not work.

Why does the screen on Redmi 9 not turn automatically?

Before you set the turn, it is important to understand how it works. In Redmi 9, the orientation of the screen is:

• 🔄 Accelerometer sensor – determines the angle of inclination of the device.
• 📱 Gyroscope – Complements accelerometer data for accuracy.
• 🤖 System software – processes sensor signals and manages the interface.

If the autoturn does not work, the problem may lie in:

1. Disabled function in settings (the most common reason).
2. Failure of sensors after falling or getting moisture.
3. Conflict of applications blocking the turn (for example, launchers or games).
4. Outdated firmware - MIUI 12.5 and below were bugs with autorotation.

💡 Quick Test: Open the Compass app (available in standard utilities) MIUI). If the arrow doesn't respond to the phone's turns, the sensors are the problem. If it does, but the screen doesn't turn, the settings or the software are to blame.

Method 1: Enabling autorotation through the notification panel

The easiest method is to use a quick panel. It works on all versions of MIUI (including MIUI 14 for Redmi 9):

1. Swipe your finger down the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the Autoturn icon (usually a phone icon with an arrow around).
3. Tap the icon – if it lights up in blue, the function is active.

⚠️ Note: on some firmware, the autoturn icon may be hidden under the button ⋯ («More. To add it to the main panel:

1. Press. ⋯ → Edit.
2. Drag the Autoturn icon to the top of the screen.
3. Save the changes.

Is the notification panel open?

Is the auto-turn icon activated?

Have you tried restarting your phone?

Have you checked the work in different applications?-->

If the screen still doesn’t turn after turning on, move on to the next method – perhaps the problem is in the system settings.

Method 2: Configure autorotation in system parameters

Sometimes the quick panel fails due to MIUI failures, in which case you need to manually activate the function in the settings:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select the Autoturn screen option (in some versions of MIUI it is called Screen Turn).
3. Activate the switch.

🔧 Additional options: you can configure the same menu:

• 🔒 Turn-blocking for individual apps (e.g. YouTube or TikTok).
• 🎮 Game mode – some games are forced to fix orientation.
• 📱 Sensor sensitivity (not available on all firmware).

Redmi 9 with MIUI 12.0.8 and below has a bug: once updated via OTA, autorotor may reset. To avoid this, disable the feature before upgrading, and turn it on again after restarting.

Method 3: Forced rotation through the engineering menu

If standard methods don't work, you can use a hidden engineering menu, which is suitable for power users, because the wrong actions can disrupt the sensors.

📌 Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. In the menu that opens, select Testing.
4. Go to the Sensor section.
5. Check the Accelerometer readings – when you turn the phone, the values should change.
6. If the sensor is working but the screen is not rotating, go back to the main menu and select Usage statistics → Disable auto-rotation (turn off if the feature is active).

💡

If after leaving the engineering menu, the screen stopped responding to touches, restart the phone in safe mode (press the power button → “Reboot in safe mode”).

⚠️ Warning: Do not change other parameters in the engineering menu without understanding their purpose. For example, resetting the sensor calibration (Clear calibration) can lead to incorrect operation of the compass and gyroscope.

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

If the system tools don't work, Google Play apps will come to the rescue, and we tested 5 popular utilities and made a comparison table:

🔹 For most Redmi 9 users, Rotation Control is free and does not require root rights. If you need advanced settings (for example, different modes for games and messengers), pay attention to Ultimate Rotation Control.

💡

Third-party applications may conflict with system settings. Before installing, turn off autorotation in standard MIUI settings to avoid bugs.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after setting up the autorotation, Redmi 9 users are faced with typical errors.

1.The screen turns on its own

Reasons:

• 🧲 Hall sensor failure (if phone in magnet case).
• 🐞 Application conflict (often Nova Launcher launchers or launchers are to blame) POCO Launcher).
• 🔄 Incorrect calibration of the gyroscope after falling.

Solution: Calibrate the sensors through the engineering menu (#4636## → Sensor → Calibration) or reset the display settings.

2. Autoturn only works in some applications

This is normal behavior, with many programs (such as Instagram or WhatsApp) blocking the turn for user convenience.

• 🔧 Use Rotation Control for Forced Turning.
• 📱 Enable the “Screen Rotation” option in the application settings (if any).

3.The autoturn stopped working after the update

MIUI sometimes resets after updates.

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Reset the settings Settings → Annexes → Application management → Settings (⚙) → Resetting settings.
3. If it doesn’t help, roll back to the previous firmware version via the Mi Flash Tool.

💡

Before resetting, back up your settings via Settings → About Phone → Backup. This will save your data, but not system settings.

Calibration of sensors: when and how to do

If the screen is turned with a delay or incorrectly, it may require calibration of the sensors.

• 💥 Phone drops.
• 🔋 Strong battery discharge (below 5%).
• 🔄 Firmware updates.

📌 Calibration instructions:

1. Place your phone on a flat surface (such as a table).
2. Open the engineering menu (#4636###).
3. Go to Sensor. → Accelerometer.
4. Press Calibration and follow the instructions on the screen.
5. After calibration, restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: If the sensors show incorrect values after calibration (e.g. X: 0, Y: 0, Z: 0 at any position of the phone), this indicates a hardware malfunction.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions