How to disable the proximity sensor on Xiaomi Redmi 8T: all ways

Why users want to turn off the proximity sensor on the Redmi 8T

The proximity sensor on the Xiaomi Redmi 8T is a small but important element that automatically shuts down the screen during a phone call. When you bring the device to your ear, the sensor registers the obstacle and extinguishes the backlight to prevent accidental pressing. However, many owners face problems: the screen does not turn on after a call, the sensor is triggered with a delay or, conversely, turns off the display for no reason. This is especially true for the Redmi 8T, where the hardware calibration of the sensor sometimes leaves much to be desired.

Disabling the proximity sensor may be required in several cases:

• 📞 The screen does not turn on after the call is completed, and you have to restart the phone.
• 🔄 The sensor is triggered chaotically, extinguishing the display while dialing or viewing contacts.
• 🛠️ You use a protective glass or cover that interferes with the correct operation of the sensor.
• 🎧 Often talking on the phone through a headset where automatic screen shutdown is not necessary.

It is important to understand that completely turning off the sensor has a downside: during a conversation, the screen will remain active, which can lead to accidental tapping of the cheek or ear. So before you start settings, we recommend checking alternative solutions - for example, calibrating the sensor or updating the firmware.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard phone settings

The easiest and safest method is to use built-in MIUI options. Unfortunately, in the latest firmware versions for Redmi 8T, the direct option to disable the proximity sensor may be hidden, but it can be activated through the special features menu.

Follow the instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Scroll down and select System Settings.
3. Find the item Disable sensors (some firmware may call Sensor Management).
4. Activate the switch next to the proximity sensor.
5. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

If this item is missing, it means that your version of MIUI does not support such a disablement via the GUI, in which case you will have to use alternative methods described below.

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the version. MIUI customized|Battery charge of at least 50%|Turn off the screen lock (if desired)-->

Method 2: Use of the Engineering Menu (code ##)

The Engineering Menu is a hidden settings section that allows you to test and calibrate the hardware components of a smartphone. For the Xiaomi Redmi 8T, it is accessed through a special code. Attention: improper actions in the engineering menu can lead to malfunctions in the phone, so follow the instructions carefully.

How to open the engineering menu and disable the sensor:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##6484## (or #4636## for the alternative menu).
2. In the window that appears, select Hardware Testing → Sensor.
3. Find Proximity Sensor (approximation sensor) in the list.
4. Click on it and select Disable or Turn Off.
5. Save the settings and restart the device.

If the sensor is activated again after the reboot, it means that the changes are not saved in the permanent memory, in which case only disabling through ADB (described in the next section) will help.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed, the most reliable, but also the most difficult, method is to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting the phone to a computer and executing commands through the terminal, the advantage of which is that the changes will persist even after the restart.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Activate Developer Mode on your phone: go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
4. Connect Redmi 8T to your PC and confirm debugging permission.
5. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell settings put global proximity_sensor_disabled 1

Once you've done the command, restart your phone. To get the sensor back to work, use the same command, replacing it with 1 by 0.

adb shell


su




mount -o rw,remount /system




echo "ro.proximity.disable=1" >> /system/build.prop




reboot

Attention.

root

Possible problems and solutions

Turning off the proximity sensor doesn't always go smoothly. Below we've collected typical errors and ways to fix them.

Important: On some firmware, Xiaomi blocks changes to system settings through ADB. If the command doesn’t work, try rooting first or using alternative methods, such as Magisk modules.

Alternative solutions: if you can not turn off the sensor

If none of these methods have helped, or you don’t want to risk the stability of the system, consider alternative options:

• 🔄 Sensor calibration: sometimes the problem is solved by resetting the sensor settings. To do this, select Proximity Sensor from the engineering menu. → Calibration.
• 📲 Fixing apps: Google Play has utilities like Proximity Sensor Reset or Sensor Disable that temporarily disable the sensor.
• 🔧 Replacement of protective glass: If the problem is caused by thick or poor quality glass, try removing it or using a thinner glass.
• 🔄 Reset to factory settings: in extreme cases, return the phone to the original settings (don’t forget to make a backup!).

It's also worth checking if the problem is hardware, and if the sensor doesn't respond even after calibration, it might be physically damaged, and if it's a replacement module at the service center, it's going to help.

💡

Before drastic measures (reset, firmware, disassembly), always try software solutions. 80% of the time, the proximity sensor problem on the Redmi 8T is solved without interference with the hardware.

Frequently asked questions

If none of these methods solves your problem, consider updating your firmware or contacting a service center. In rare cases, a proximity sensor malfunction is associated with hardware defects that cannot be fixed software.

💡

Before you visit the service, check if your Redmi 8T warranty is valid, and if so, self-interference with the system can cancel it.