How to completely disable the proximity sensor on Xiaomi 10 Pro: official and hidden methods

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro is a flagship smartphone with an advanced sensor system, but sometimes users are faced with the need to turn off the proximity sensor. This feature is responsible for automatically turning off the screen during a conversation, but can work with failures: the screen goes out for no reason, does not respond to gestures or interferes with the use of cases. In this article, we will discuss all the working methods of deactivating the sensor, from standard settings to the engineering menu and ADB commands.

It is important to understand that turning off the proximity sensor can affect the usability of calls: the screen will not lock when the phone is applied to the ear, which increases the risk of accidental tapping. However, in some cases (for example, when the sensor malfunctions or using the smartphone in non-standard scenarios), this is justified. We will also consider alternative solutions from calibration to firmware replacement.

Why to turn off the proximity sensor on Xiaomi 10 Pro

The Mi 10 Pro's proximity sensor uses an infrared sensor to determine the distance to objects.

• 📞 Turns off the screen during the call to avoid accidental taps.
• 🔄 Saves battery power by reducing display activity.
• 🎧 Automatically switches the audio route to the speaker when the phone is away from the ear.

However, users often face problems:

• 🚫 The screen does not turn on after the call (reboot is required).
• 🔄 False positives when using covers or protective glasses.
• 📉 Increased battery consumption due to constant sensor activity.
• 🛠️ Incorrect work after updating MIUI or smartphone crash.

⚠️ Warning: If the sensor is running randomly, try calibrating it first - this can solve the problem without completely shutting down.Deactivating the sensor deprives you of protection from accidental pressing during calls.

According to service centers, up to 15 percent of the calls on the Mi 10 Pro are due to proximity sensor malfunctions, and in most cases, software failures are to blame, not hardware failures, so you should try all available shutdown methods before visiting the workshop.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

The easiest way is to use built-in options. MIUI. It's suitable for temporarily shutting down the sensor without making any deep changes to the system. MIUI 12–14:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Permissions.
2. Select Additional Permits → Sensors.
3. Find the Approximation Sensor and turn off the switch.

If this is not the case, try an alternative route:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Additional settings.
2. Choose Special Opportunities → Physical buttons.
3. Activate the option to turn off the screen when approaching (if any) and uncheck it.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI Mi 10 Pro may not have these settings due to Xiaomi’s policy to restrict access to system features in recent updates.

If the standard method didn’t work, move on to more advanced methods, and note that after the phone is rebooted, the settings can reset, which is a feature of MIUI on flagship models.

Method 2: Engineering menu (codes and hidden settings)

The engineering menu allows you to directly control the hardware components of the smartphone. There are two ways to get there for the Mi 10 Pro:

Method 1: Through code ##

Enter the combination in the phone application:

##6484##

Then the MIUI Hidden Testing menu will open.

1. Proximity Sensor (Proximity Sensor)
2. Press Disable (Disable).
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

Method 2: Through the Application "Equipment Test"

If the code doesn’t work, use the built-in app:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 5 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Activate the Equipment Test and select the Approach Sensor.
5. Click Disable and save the changes.

Important: Some firmware may have the engineering menu blocked, so if nothing happens after you enter the code, your version of MIUI is restricting access to these features.

💡

If the engineering menu doesn’t open, try entering the code through the Calls app in airplane mode — sometimes this bypasses the limitations of MIUI.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method is suitable for permanently disabling the sensor without root permissions. You will need a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled.

Step 1: Preparation

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive.
2. On the phone, activate it: 🔧 Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times for the Developer Mode). 🔌 Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.

Mi 10 Pro

Step 2: Execution of commands

Open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB and type:

adb shell


settings put global proximity_sensor_disabled 1

To check the status of the sensor:

settings get global proximity_sensor_disabled

If the command returns 1, the sensor is disabled. To bring it back, use:

settings put global proximity_sensor_disabled 0

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu) may ignore this command, which requires editing the build.prop file, which requires root rights.

The advantage of ADB is that the changes persist after the reboot, but when you reset or update the firmware, the sensor can be activated again.

💡

ADB-commands are the most reliable way to turn off without root rights, but requires initial setup and a computer.

Method 4: Calibrate the sensor instead of turning off

If the sensor isn't working properly, but you don't want to shut it down completely, try calibrating it. This can solve the problem of false positives or screen freezes.

Calibration through the Engineering Menu

1. Open the engineering menu with the code ##6484##.
2. Select Proximity Sensor.
3. Press Calibrate (Calibrate).
4. Follow the instructions on the screen (usually you need to close the sensor with your hand and remove it on command).

The sensor itself (module) is ~800–1500 ₽.