How to turn off the light sensor on Xiaomi: all the ways for smartphones and smart devices

The light sensor in Xiaomi devices is a useful feature that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen depending on the ambient light. However, for many users it interferes: the screen spontaneously dims in dark rooms, and in brightly lit ones it becomes too aggressive for the eyes. In addition, the sensor can work mistakenly if it is covered by a cover or fingers, in this article we will discuss how to completely disable the light sensor on Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones. POCO, and also on smart watches and other gadgets of the brand - taking into account the features MIUI 14/15 And the new HyperOS firmware.

It's important to understand that the manufacturer doesn't always provide a direct option to deactivate the sensor, and in some cases, you'll have to use hidden settings, ADB-We'll look at all the methods, from the simplest to the most advanced, and also explain what the consequences of disabling the sensor can be for the device to work. If you’re looking for a way to get rid of automatic brightness adjustment once and for all, this guide is for you.

Why does the light sensor interfere?

On paper, automatic brightness control seems like a convenient feature, but in practice it is often annoying. Here are the most common problems faced by Xiaomi users:

• 🔄 Sharp jumps in brightness when moving between rooms (for example, from room to corridor), the screen begins to “blink”, which tires the eyes.
• 🌑 Too dim in the dark, even if you prefer higher brightness for comfortable reading.
• ☀️ Excessive brightness under the sun that eats up battery power and is not always justified (for example, in a car with tinted glass).
• 📱 False positives due to cover, dirt on the sensor or features of the location of the sensor (on some models it is located next to the front camera).
• 🔋 The light sensor, like any other sensor, consumes energy, even if it's slightly.

In addition, on devices with AMOLED-And the fact is that when you have low brightness, you can automatically adjust the brightness, and you can wear the matrix irregularly, because when you have low brightness, the pixels burn out more slowly, and when you have high brightness, they burn out faster. If the sensor changes the settings all the time, it accelerates the degradation of the display.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) The light sensor is used not only for the screen, but also for color temperature adjustment (Vision Protection function.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI/HyperOS settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in options of the system. Unfortunately, in the latest versions of MIUI and HyperOS, the direct option to turn off the light sensor is often absent, but it can be bypassed through brightness settings.

Instructions for most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO smartphones:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Slip the slider "Brightness" (do not move it, just click on the slider itself).
3. In the window that opens, uncheck the box from Automatic Brightness Adjustment (or Adaptive Brightness in HyperOS).
4. Confirm the action if the system requests permission.

On some devices (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi K60), the path may be slightly different:

Settings → Display → Additional settings → Automatic brightness

If the brightness changes by itself after the shutdown, the light sensor is still in the background, and then move on to the following.

Is adaptive brightness turned off in the display settings

Is there a cover or film covering the sensor?

Is the firmware updated to the latest version?

Reset screen settings to factory (if the problem appeared after the update)-->

Method 2: Using the Developer Mode

If standard settings don’t work, you can try deactivating the sensor through developer mode, a method that works on most Android 10 and later devices, including MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS.

Steps to shut down:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version (or HyperOS Build Number). Enter password/pattern lock if required.

Settings

Additional settings → Developer parameters

Disable sensors

Simulate color space

Light sensor.

Disconnected.

Reset the device.

If there is no item Disable sensors, try an alternative way:

Settings → Additional settings → Special features → Settings for developers → Disable sensors

⚠️ Note: On some HyperOS firmware, disabling the sensor through developer mode may cause the screen to fail. If the brightness becomes incorrect (too high or low) after the reboot, return the settings to the original state.

Xiaomi 13/14 Series

Redmi Note 11/12/13

POCO F/X series

Redmi K50/K60

Other-->

Method 3: ADB-commands to completely disable the sensor

If the previous methods did not work, you will have to use debugging. USB and ADB-This is a method that is suitable for advanced users and requires connecting the smartphone to the computer.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (You can download from Android. SDK).
• ⚙️ Developer mode enabled and debugging by USB smartphone.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and unpack platform-tools (the archive will contain files adb.exe, fastboot.exe, etc.).
2. Connect your smartphone to your computer and select File Transfer (or MTP) mode.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal in macOS/Linux) and go to the folder with ADB:

cd path to folder platform-tools


For example: cd C:\Users\Username\platform-tools

1. Check the connection of the device:

adb devices

If the smartphone is determined (its serial number will appear), execute a command to turn off the light sensor:

adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 0

This command turns off the adaptive brightness. To fully deactivate the sensor, use:

adb shell su -c "echo 0 > /sys/class/sensors/light_sensor/enable"

If the second command fails (permission denied), then your device has no root rights, in which case only the first option or editing system files (method 4) will help.

💡

Before using ADB, back up your data. In rare cases, incorrect commands can cause the system to crash.

Method 4: Editing System Files (for Advanced)

This method is only suitable for users with unlocked bootloader and root rights, and allows you to completely disable the light sensor at the system level, but requires caution: wrong actions can lead to a “brick” of the device.

Instructions:

1. Install a root-enabled file manager on your smartphone (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Follow the path:

/system/vendor/build.prop

1. Find the line:

ro.lge.proximity_sensor=1

Or (depending on the model):

persist.sys.light_sensor=1

1. Replace 1 by 0 and save the file.
2. Reset the device.

If the build.prop file is not available or there are no lines, try editing:

/system/vendor/overlay/framework-miui-res/values/config.xml

Find the parameter:

<bool name="config_autoBrightnessAvailable">true</bool>

And replace true with false.

⚠️ Warning: Changing system files without a backup can lead to loss of warranty and device inoperability.If the smartphone does not turn on after editing, you will need to flash through Fastboot.

Method 5: Disabling the sensor on smart watches and fitness bracelets Xiaomi

The light sensor is not only in smartphones, but also in some smart devices Xiaomi, for example:

• 🕒 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro
• 🏃 Mi Band 7/8 Pro
• ⌚ Redmi Watch 3 Active

Unlike smartphones, the sensor is used to automatically adjust the brightness of the screen and determine the time of day (for example, to activate night mode), you can turn it off via the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app:

Instructions for Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro:

1. Open the Zepp Life app on your smartphone.
2. Select your watch from the list of devices.
3. Go to Settings → Display and brightness.
4. Turn off the automatic brightness option.
5. To completely disable the sensor, find the Sensor → Light Sensor and deactivate it.

For the Mi Band 7/8 Pro:

1. In the Mi Fitness app, select a bracelet.
2. Go to the device settings → Screen.
3. Turn off Auto Brightness.
4. If there is no option, update the bracelet firmware through Settings → Software Update.

On some models (e.g. Redmi Watch 2 Lite), the light sensor cannot be switched off programmatically, leaving only the physical closure of the sensor with an opaque sticker (but this can affect the operation of other sensors).

What to do if the light sensor does not turn off?

If none of these methods worked, the problem may be as follows:

If you suspect a hardware problem, check the sensor with the test mode:

1. Type the code on your phone keyboard: ##6484## (for sensor test).
2. Or use the code: ##4636## → Phone info → scroll down to the Sensors block.
3. So, look at how the Light sensor graph behaves when the light changes, and if the values don't change or if they jump randomly, the sensor malfunctions.

💡

If the light sensor doesn't turn off software, but tests show it's working, it's probably the firmware problem, so try resetting to factory settings or reflashing the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off the light sensor