Disabling the proximity sensor on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: a complete guide with risks and life hacks

The proximity sensor on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 is a small but important element that automatically turns off the screen when you hold the phone to your ear. However, many users experience its incorrect operation: the screen goes off too early, does not respond to the phone's withdrawal or fires falsely when using the case. If you are tired of these problems, this article will help you completely turn off the sensor or adjust it to your needs.

Before you start deactivating, it's worth understanding that the proximity sensor is not just a "superfluous feature"; it saves battery power, prevents accidental taps during a conversation, and protects against facial heat. But if the benefits don't outweigh the inconvenience, you have 5 proven ways to turn it off, from standard settings to deep system interventions, and we'll break down each method with step-by-step instructions, warnings, and alternatives.

Important: Some methods require developer rights or PC connectivity. If you’re new to Android setup, start with the simplest options (sections 2–3) and then move on to the more complex manipulations.

1.Why the proximity sensor may interfere: typical problems

On the Redmi Note 8, the proximity sensor is located at the top of the screen next to the front camera, and its operation is based on infrared radiation: when an object (like your ear) approaches a distance of 2-5 cm, the sensor sends a signal to the system and the screen goes out. In theory, it is simple, but in practice, users are faced with:

• 🔄 False positives: The screen turns off when the phone is tilted, in your pocket, or when using transparent cases.
• 🕒 Delayed on: after removing the phone from the ear, the screen does not respond 1-3 seconds.
• 📵 Complete failure: the sensor stops working after a fall, update MIUI glass-replacement.
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption: if the sensor is constantly “glutting”, the system spends resources on processing false signals.

Most often, problems are associated with contamination of the sensor (dust, greasy prints), damage after repair (for example, when replacing the display) or software bugs in the MIUI firmware. Before turning off the sensor, try to wipe its area with a soft tissue with alcohol - sometimes this is enough to restore work.

⚠️ Warning: If the sensor stops working after a fall or impact, turning it off may be a temporary solution. In the long term, diagnostics at a service center are recommended - there may be damage to the plume or motherboard.

2. Method 1: Disconnect via call settings (without root)

The simplest and safest method is to deactivate the automatic screen shutdown function during a conversation, which does not physically turn off the sensor itself, but blocks its effect on the screen, and is suitable for users who are only hampered by the display quenching, not the sensor itself.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → select Settings.
3. Go to the Calls section → Additional settings.
4. Find the option to turn off the screen during the call (or similar) and deactivate the slider.
5. Save the changes and restart the phone.

After that, the screen will not go out when you hold the phone to your ear, but the sensor will continue to work in the background (for example, for some applications or gestures).

Is the screen turned off when you test the call?| Do the touch buttons work while you talk?| Is there a delay when you return to the screen?| Are the settings still in place after you restart?

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Method 2: Deactivation through the engineering menu (hidden settings)

If standard settings don't work, you can go to the engineering menu, the hidden MIUI section where low-level sensor settings are available, which doesn't require root rights, but it does require caution: incorrect changes can disrupt other functions.

How to open the engineering menu on Redmi Note 8:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code ##4636## (Testing menu opens).
3. Select Sensor Information (or Sensor Test)
4. Find the Proximity Sensor string and click on it.
5. In the window that opens, uncheck the Enable box or set the value 0 in the Threshold field (the trigger threshold).

If the menu is in English, look for items with the words proximity, disable or off. After changes, be sure to restart the phone - some settings apply only after the reboot.

⚠️ Note: In the engineering menu there are parameters that affect the operation of the network, GPS Don't change other settings unless you're sure they're there, for example, turning off the Gyroscope will cause problems with the screen turning around.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed, you can disable the sensor at the system level using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a PC connection and basic command line knowledge, but gives a hundred percent result.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools.
• ⚙️ Initiated Debugging Mode USB phone-on.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification “You’re a Developer” appears. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer and enable USB Debugging.

Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS).

adb devices

(Serial number device should appear)

adb shell settings put global proximity_sensor_enabled 0

Reboot the phone.

To get the sensor back to work, use the same command by replacing 0 by 1. This method completely disables the sensor at the Android level, so the screen will not go out even in applications using the sensor (for example, in some games or gesture programs).

Yes, often |Tryed 1-2 times |No, but I want to learn |No, and I don't plan |I don't know what it is

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5. Method 4: Using calibration applications (without root)

If the sensor isn't working properly, but you don't want to shut it down completely, try recalibrating it with specialized utilities, which help you reset the sensor to factory settings or set the trigger threshold.

Top.-3 calibration:

How to Calibrate the Sensor in Proximity Sensor Reset:

1. Install and open the application.
2. Press Reset Proximity Sensor.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen (usually close the sensor with your hand for 5 seconds, then remove it).
4. Reboot the phone.

If calibration fails, the sensor may be physically damaged, in which case turning it off (in ways 2–3) is the only solution.

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Before calibration, wipe the sensor area with a dry wipe - greasy spots or dust can distort the sensor readings.

6. Method 5: Completely disable via build.prop editing (requires root)

For users with root rights, there is a radical method - editing the system file build.prop. This method permanently disables the proximity sensor at the software level, but requires caution: an error in the file can lead to a bootloop (locked phone turn on).

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/build.prop.
3. Open the file in the text editor and add the following line at the end: persist.sys.proximity.disable=1
4. Save the changes, set the rights 644 (rw-r-----).
5. Reboot the phone.

To get it back, delete the added line or replace it with 1 by 0, a method that is suitable for power users, as it requires an understanding of how Android works and the ability to restore the system in the event of a crash.

⚠️ Note: Editing build.prop can cause problems with OTA-Updates (over-the-air updates) Before changing the file, back up through TWRP or other recovery.

7. Consequences of disabling the proximity sensor: pros and cons

Before you finally deactivate the sensor, evaluate the pros and cons. We've put together the key implications in a table:

Alternatively, a partial shutdown is possible, for example, if you leave the sensor on, but set a minimum threshold for activation through the engineering menu (mode 3), so that it will only respond to a close distance (1-2 cm), ignoring false signals.

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If you make frequent calls in the car or use a headset, turning off the sensor may be justified.For the rest of the cases, try calibrating or adjusting the trigger threshold first.

8. Frequent questions and problem-solving