How to turn off the light sensor on Xiaomi: the full guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face situations where automatic screen brightness control is not working correctly, and the screen can suddenly dim when reading a book in the dark or, conversely, blind their eyes with maximum brightness in a dark room, due to the calibration of the light sensor located next to the front camera or under the display.

Turning it off is not just a whim, but a necessity for those who prefer full control of their device. The light sensor is designed to save battery power and save the eyes, but in practice, the MIUI or HyperOS algorithms do not always guess the user's wishes. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to deaktivatsii (disable) this feature, from standard settings to advanced methods through the engineering menu.

Now, it's worth noting that you can't completely shut down the sensor without physical intervention, which is not recommended, but software-based defying of the sensor's readings is a doable task, and you can learn to adjust the autobrightness so that it doesn't interfere, or you can completely shut it off.

Why Users Need to Turn Off Auto Brightness

The main reason users are looking for a way to turn off the light sensor on Xiaomi is because of the unstable operation of the algorithms, which can dramatically change the level of backlight, which is annoying when watching videos or reading, especially on devices with AMOLED arrays, where the brightness differences are noticeable.

Another important aspect is energy savings: While autobrightness should save charge, constant surges in backlight and sensor operation in the background sometimes lead to the opposite effect.

⚠️ Warning: Ignoring the sensor completely can cause the screen to be too dim in the sun or too bright in the dark, which is harmful to vision.

There are also use cases where automation interferes, such as when using the phone as a navigator in a car where lighting changes constantly, or during games where a sudden blackout of the screen can spoil the experience of the process.

Standard method of disabling through MIUI settings

The easiest and safest way is to use the operating system's built-in tools, and in the MIUI 12, 13, 14 shells and the new HyperOS, the path to settings is almost identical, and you don't need superuser rights or a computer connection.

First, you need to unlock the screen and go to the main menu. Find the Settings icon, which usually looks like a gear. In the list that opens, look for the section responsible for the display. In different versions of the firmware, it can be simply called "Screen" or "Screen and brightness."

Inside the menu, you'll see a brightness slider, and there's often a Brightness switch next to it, and if you activate it, the system will control the backlight itself, and to turn off the sensor, you just have to put the switcher inactive, and then the slider will be available for manual adjustment.

It's important to understand that a standard shutdown doesn't physically block the sensor. The system just stops using its data to change the brightness. However, some applications may have their own brightness settings that will override system values.

Using the Engineering Menu for Deep Customization

If standard methods don't work, or if you want to check the sensor itself, you can use the engineering menu, which is a hidden part of the system that's designed to test hardware components, and it's accessed through a set of code.

Open the Phone app and type in the combination ##6484##. If the code works, the CIT (Customer Interactive Testing) menu will open. Here is a long list of tests for all components of the device.

The procedure for entering the CIT:


1. Open the dialer (bell ringer).




2 Enter ##6484##




3. Select the Light Sensor from the list.

Inside the test, you can see the current sensor readings in the suites. When you close the top of the smartphone with your palm, you should see a sharp change in values. If the values do not change, the sensor may be contaminated or defective. Some firmware versions also have a calibration option available here, which can help if the sensor is not working properly.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change the settings in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose.

Comparison of disconnection methods and their effect on the system

Different ways of controlling the sensor have implications for the smartphone, and here is a table comparing the main methods in terms of degree of interference and security.

The use of standard settings is the safest option, but it does not always prevent the system from interfering in critical situations (for example, when overheating), the engineering menu allows you to diagnose the problem, but does not always provide the possibility of a complete shutdown.

Third-party solutions require caution, and Google Play apps can request redundant permissions, but they allow brightness profiles to be created that ignore the built-in sensor, override its readings in software.

Problems with the proximity and illumination sensor

Users often confuse the light sensor with the proximity sensor, although in modern Xiaomi smartphones they are often combined into one module or located nearby. If you do not turn off the screen during a conversation or, conversely, the phone hangs a bell when you bring it to your ear, this sensor may be the problem.

Contamination of the protective glass or improperly pasted protective film are common causes of failures. If the film closes the area above the speaker, the sensor can lock, in which case no software settings will help until you remove the physical obstacle.

And there's also the Pocket Mode feature, which uses a proximity and light sensor to block random taps, and if you turn off the sensors, that function stops working, and the phone can do things from the pocket.

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Wipe the top of the screen with a soft cloth before important calls. Fat marks can distort the sensor readings, making the phone think it is in the dark or in your pocket.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The optimal solution for most users is to simply disable the AutoBrightness slider in standard settings, which guarantees the stability of the system without the risk of errors.