The light sensor (or light sensor) in Xiaomi devices automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen to adjust to the surrounding conditions. For most users, this feature is convenient, but sometimes it works incorrectly: The screen dims in a brightly lit room or, conversely, blinds at dusk, and the sensor can interfere with the use of the device. VR-glasses, video shooting or working with graphics applications where stable brightness is important.
In this article, we will discuss how to completely or partially disable the light sensor on different Xiaomi devices – from smartphones to smartphones. MIUI You'll learn what settings are responsible for automatic adjustment, how to get around the limitations of the system and what to do if standard methods do not work, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and others.
Why turn off the light sensor on Xiaomi?
Auto-brightness seems like a useful feature, but in practice it is often annoying, and here are the most common reasons why users want to deactivate it:
- 🔄 Unstable operation: the sensor responds to foreign light sources (such as solar glare or lamps), causing brightness to jump while watching videos or games.
- 👓 Discomfort for vision: when reading or working with text, constant changes in brightness tire the eyes, especially in the evening.
- 🎮 Problems with games and VR: In dynamic scenes (for example, in shooters or simulators), auto-regulation can interfere, reducing the visibility of important details.
- 📸 Color distortion: When shooting a photo/video or working with graphics, automatic brightness adjustment distorts the perception of shades.
- 🔋 Battery savings: Contrary to popular belief, the light sensor consumes energy itself, and turning it off can extend battery life by 5-10%.
In addition, on some Xiaomi devices (especially the budget Redmi models), the light sensor does not calibrate perfectly from the factory, which makes the screen too dim even in normal lighting.
How to turn off the light sensor on Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI)
In most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, the light sensor is controlled through screen settings. The process of turning off autobrightness depends on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14), but the overall scheme is similar.
MIUI 14 (Android 13/14)
The latest versions have simplified interfaces, but some menu items may differ depending on the model, for example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and POCO F5, the path will be as follows:
- Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
- Go to the Screen section.
- Slip on Brightness.
- Turn off the Auto Brightness switch (or Adaptive Brightness on some models).
- Manually set the desired brightness level with the help of a slider.
MIUI 12/13 (Android 11/12)
On older versions of firmware, an additional step may be required:
- Go to Settings → Screen → Brightness.
- Uncheck Auto Brightness.
- If there is no item, try the path: Settings → Additional → Special features → Autobrightness.
- On some models (such as the Redmi Note 10), you must first turn off Adaptive Brightness in the Battery and Performance section.
☑️ Verification of the light sensor disconnection
If after turning off the autobrightness, the sensor still affects the screen, the reason may be:
- 🔄 Update MIUI: After the update, the settings are sometimes reset.
- 🤖 Third-party applications: Some programs (such as Lux Auto Brightness) intercept brightness control.
- 🔧 Calibration failure: The sensor may be physically contaminated or damaged.
💡
If your Xiaomi model doesn’t have “Auto-Brightness” in the screen settings, try searching through the search bar at the top of the Settings menu. Type “Brightness” or “Light Sensor.”
Disabling the light sensor via the engineering menu (for power users)
If standard methods fail, you can try deactivating the sensor through an engineering menu (Engineer Mode), which is suitable for advanced users, as incorrect actions can disrupt the device.
Instructions for most Xiaomi smartphones:
- Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
- You will be taken to Engineer Mode. Go to Sensors.
- Find the Light Sensor and tap it.
- Some versions of the menu will have a Disable or Calibration option. Select Disable if available.
- If there is no option to disable, try resetting the sensor calibration (Clear Calibration).
- Reboot your smartphone.
⚠️ Warning: The engineering menu contains parameters critical to the operation of the device. Do not change other settings unless you are sure of their purpose. For example, incorrect calibration of the proximity sensor can lead to a malfunctioning screen during calls.
| Xiaomi model | Engineering menu code | Options to disable the light sensor |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 12/13, POCO F4/F5 | ##36446337## | Available (in the Sensors section) |
| Redmi Note 11/12 | ##4636## | Partially (calibration only) |
| POCO X3/X4 | ##364463337## | There is, but it may need root. |
| Xiaomi Mi 10/11 | ##36446337## | There (in the Light Sensor submenu) |
If the engineering menu does not have the ability to turn off the sensor, there are two options:
- Use third-party applications (more about this in the next section).
- Get root rights and edit system files (for example, /system/build.prop, line ro.lge.proximity_sensor=0). However, it is risky and gives no guarantees.
What to do if the engineering menu is not opened?
Third-party applications for brightness control
If Xiaomi's built-in settings don't allow the light sensor to be completely turned off, third-party utilities will come to the rescue. They offer flexible brightness settings, including forced auto-regulation shutdown.-3 tested applications:
- 📱 Lux Auto Brightness (free, with premium options): allows you to create your own brightness profiles, ignore the light sensor and even emulate its readings. Supports Xiaomi based on Android 10 and newer.
- 🌓 Velocity (paid, ~150 rubles: offers smooth brightness adjustment gestures, block autobrightness and night mode without using a sensor.
- 🔧 Tasker (free): Power users can create a task that will force a fixed brightness when running certain applications (like games or cameras).
Example of Lux Auto Brightness setup:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- When you first start, grant permissions to access the sensors and brightness settings.
- In the main menu, select Disable auto-brightness.
- Set the manual mode (Manual brightness) and adjust the slider to your preferences.
- In the application settings, turn off the Use Light Sensor option.
⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Lux) require Write secure settings permission, which can only be provided through the ADB Without that, they can't completely block the light sensor. ADB:
adb shell pm grant com.vito.lux android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGSAlso note that after updating MIUI or resetting settings, you may need to reconfigure the application.
💡
Third-party applications are the most reliable way to turn off the light sensor if the standard MIUI settings don't work, but they can conflict with system services, so back up your data before using it.
Disabling the light sensor on Xiaomi smart lamps (Yeelight, Mi Home)
Light sensors are used not only in smartphones, but also in Xiaomi smart devices such as Yeelight lamps, Mi LED lights or motion sensors. If you need to turn off automatic brightness control in these gadgets, follow the instructions below.
Yeelight smart lamps
Yeelight lamps can automatically change brightness depending on the time of day or the light in the room, to turn off this feature:
- Open the Mi Home or Yeelight app.
- Select your lamp from the list of devices.
- Go to Settings. → Automation.
- Turn off the options: 🌅 Scheduled autobrightness 🌡️ Adaptive brightness (by sensor) 🔄 Follow the Sun mode"
Manually set the desired brightness and color temperature.
Xiaomi Motion Sensors (Mi Motion Sensor)
If you have a Xiaomi Mi Motion Sensor installed, it can turn on the light when activity is detected, to turn off this automation:
- In the Mi Home app, go to Automation → Scripts.
- Find a scenario associated with the motion sensor (e.g., “Switch on the lights while moving”).
- Turn off the script or delete it.
- If the sensor is connected to a smart lamp, check the settings of the lamp itself (as described above).
⚠️ Note: Some Yeelight smart lamp firmwares have hidden the autobrightness option. To see it, you may need to update the Mi Home app to the latest version or reset the lamp to factory settings (hold the 5-second switch on).
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even after the light sensor is turned off, some users are experiencing problems, so let's look at typical situations and how to fix them.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The brightness changes on its own. | Third-party app intercepts control | Check permissions in Settings → Applications → Special Access → Change system settings |
| No "Autolight" item in the settings | Outdated version of MIUI or custom firmware | Update the firmware or use the engineering menu |
| After the MIUI update, the auto brightness turned on again | Resetting settings when updating | Turn off autobrightness again and forbid system applications to change brightness settings |
| The light sensor does not switch off on the POCO X3 | Feature of firmware for gaming smartphones | Use Lux Auto Brightness or revert to an older version of MIUI |
If none of these methods worked, the problem may be a hardware malfunction of the sensor, which can be checked using the Sensor Test app (available on Google Play), and run the Light Sensor test: if the readings don't change when the lighting changes, the sensor is defective and needs to be replaced.
Important: Some Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 9 Pro) have a light sensor integrated with the proximity sensor in one module, and if you turn it off software, the automatic screen shutdown during calls may stop working.