The proximity sensor problem on Xiaomi smartphones is quite common. The screen goes out during a conversation, and you can't complete a call or turn on speakerphone. It's annoying, but often solved by software. The owners of the Redmi 9 Pro are not immune to these sensor failures.
There are several ways to disable the proximity sensor on the Xiaomi Redmi 9 Pro. You can use the engineering menu, hidden developer settings or third-party applications. The choice of method depends on the version of the MIUI firmware and the user's personal preferences. We will look at each option in detail so that you can restore the normal operation of the phone.
The sensor at the top of the display is responsible for locking the screen when you bring the phone to your ear, but if the calibration is knocked down or the protective glass overrides the sensor, false positives occur, which interferes with full communication, and in some cases, you need to completely turn off the function to make the device comfortable.
Before we go to radical measures, we should rule out physical causes, see if the protective glass is too high, often it blocks the infrared sensor, if the physical condition is okay, we go to software settings.
⚠️ Warning: Changing system settings may affect other phone features.Be careful when you enter commands and change settings in the engineering menu.
Check the operation of the sensor through the engineering menu
The first step is always diagnostics, and the MIUI has a built-in engineering menu to test the hardware, so you can see if the sensor hardware is working or if the problem is software, and you don't need root rights to access the tests.
Open the Phone app and dial ##6484##. The CIT menu will appear on the screen. Find the "Proximity Sensor" or "Proximation Sensor" item in the list. Click on it to run the test.
If you palm the top of the screen and remove it, if it changes from 5.0 to 0.0 (or vice versa), then the sensor is physically healthy. If there is no reaction, you may need to calibrate or replace the part. The test menu often has a Calibration button that you should use when drifting readings.
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Before calibration, be sure to remove the protective glass if it covers the speaker area to avoid readout errors.
- 📱 Enter the code ##6484## in the dialer to enter the diagnostics.
- 🔍 Select Proximity Sensor in the Test List CIT.
- 🖐️ Cover the top of the screen with your hand and check the response values.
- ✅ Press the Calibration button if the readings are not reset to zero.
Using codes to disable a function
There's a special code that allows you to directly control the state of the sensor, and it's the fastest way to disable the Xiaomi Redmi 9 Pro proximity sensor without installing any additional software, but it doesn't work on all Android and MIUI firmware versions.
Enter the code ##77265226##. If the system supports this command, a notification will appear on the screen that Proximity Sensor is disabled. Re-entering the code should return everything to its original state (Enabled), a temporary solution that is reset after rebooting.
If the code doesn't work, your version of MIUI is blocking it, so you'll have to use alternatives, like through the developer menu, and don't worry if the code doesn't work, which is normal for new security updates.
Why can't the code work?
Setup through the Developer Menu
A more reliable method is to use a hidden developer menu, and you can find a setting that forcibly disables the sensor. First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About your phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI version.
Once activated, go to Advanced Settings → For developers. Scroll down to either Enter or Sensors. Find Disable Proximity Sensor. Activate the switch.
This is the most stable software solution, it doesn't require third-party applications and it works at the system level, but in some MIUI builds, this item can be hidden or renamed, and then you should look for replacement applications.
☑️ Activation of the developer mode
Application of third-party applications
If the built-in tools don't work, Google Play apps come to the rescue, and they use Accessibility to intercept sensor control, and one of the most popular is Proximity Sensor Reset/Fix or Less Phone Distraction.
Install the application, give it the permissions you need. In the settings, select your device model or sensor type (usually GP2AP00200F or similar), the application will programmatically block the signal from the sensor, keeping the screen from going out.
Using third-party software has drawbacks. These applications can consume extra battery power because they are constantly hanging in the background. They can also conflict with other MIUI optimization services.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering code | Low. | High (temporary) | No. |
| Developer menu | Medium | Tall. | No. |
| Third-party annexes | Low. | Medium | There is. |
| Removal of the protective glass | Low. | Depends on the case. | No. |
Solving problems with protective films
A common cause of false positives is a poor-quality protective glass, so if it closes the area of the auditory speaker, the sensor constantly receives a signal that the screen will go out, even if the phone is lying on the table.
Carefully examine the top of the display. The black bar above the screen is where the sensor is located. If the glass has a cutout smaller than necessary or is offset, the problem is guaranteed. In such cases, software shutdown is only a temporary measure.
Replace the protective coating with a special one labeled "for Xiaomi" or with the correct notch under the sensor, and you can also try to reglue the current film, moving it lower to allow access to the infrared beam.
⚠️ Note: Using thick glasses with full adhesive base (Full Glue) often leads to sensor problems, as the adhesive layer can distort the signal.
Resetting and calibration
If nothing works, you may have lost your system configuration files. Try resetting your sensors. You can do this through the engineering menu by selecting Single Item Test -> Proximity Sensor -> Calibration. Put your phone on a flat surface and press the calibration button.
In extreme cases, a full Wipe Data reset helps, which will delete all applications and files, but return the system to the state of “out of the box”.
After reset, don't restore all the applications at once. Check the sensor on the clean system. If the problem disappears, then the conflict caused one of the installed applications. Install the programs one by one to identify the culprit.
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Calibration through the engineering menu often solves the problem without the need to completely shut down the sensor, keeping the phone functional.
Why does the screen go out only when talking through messengers?
Does the magnetic case affect the sensor?
Can the sensor driver be permanently removed?
To sum up, the safest and most effective way to do this is to use #77265226# or the developer's settings, which do not require any suspicious software installation and are easily reversible, and if the problem is caused by a physical defect or film, no adjustments will completely eliminate the inconvenience.
Check system updates regularly. Xiaomi engineers often release patches that fix sensors. Follow the news in the About Phone section and update Redmi 9 Pro to the latest available version.