How to turn off the screen dimming sensor on Xiaomi

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face situations where automatic brightness control is not working correctly, the screen can suddenly go out when reading a book or, conversely, blind their eyes in the dark, due to the calibration of the proximity sensor and lighting located in the upper part of the case.

Many users mistakenly believe that the brightness slider in the notification curtain is enough for complete control. However, the background MIUI or HyperOS algorithm can ignore manual settings if the adaptive function is enabled. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to block manual settings and prevent the system from interfering with your comfort.

Not only will this feature be more usable, but it can also have a positive impact on the device’s autonomy if the sensor often gets the brightness wrong. Let’s look at the step-by-step instructions for different firmware versions.

Basic setting through the notification curtain

The fastest way to affect the display is in the quick access zone. Swipe your finger from the top edge of the screen down to open the control panel. Here you will see a brightness slider, often with an Auto button or sun icon next to it.

If the icon is on or illuminated in blue, it means that the automatic brightness is active, and if you press it, it should turn gray or disappear, which signals the transition to manual control mode.

However, in some versions of the MIUI shell, simply turning off the switch doesn't give 100% guarantee. The system can remember your preferences and after a while suggest that you turn on the adaptation again, so it's important to check the additional settings in the menu.

• 🌞 Click on the sun icon next to the brightness slider.
• 👆 Hold your finger on the slider to see the extended menu.
• ⚙️ Check if the lights are blue.
• 📉 Set a comfortable lighting level manually after switching off.

⚠️ Note: On some models with AMOLED-screens at low brightness can be observed flickering (PWM), if you turn off automatic adjustment and unscrew the slider to a minimum.

It's worth noting that this is a primary, but not always definitive, method, and energy-saving algorithms can force the brightness to drop when the battery is dead by ignoring your settings in the curtain.

Deep settings in the screen menu

For a more reliable result, you need to go to the system settings. Find the Settings section and go to Screen (or "Screen and brightness"), and this is where the key switches that control the behavior of the matrix are.

Inside this menu, find the brightness level line. Next to the slider should be the "Auto-Tune" or "Adaptive Brightness" switch. Put it inactive. Now the system will stop polling the light sensor.

This section often hides the Read Mode or Vision Protection feature, which can also darken the screen by mimicking paper. Make sure it is turned off or customized to your liking to avoid setting conflicts.

Pay attention to the item Calibration sensor, if it is available in your version of the software. In rare cases, resetting the calibration helps eliminate false alarms even when the autoset is turned off.

Features of work in the mode of energy saving

Users often complain that the screen goes out even when the autobrightness is turned off, and the culprit is the power saving mode, where the battery charge drops below 20% (or another set threshold), the system forcibly reduces the brightness and refresh rate.

To avoid this, go to Settings → Battery, where you can adjust low-charging behavior, turn off the "Decline brightness" option, or select "No Limits" mode for important applications.

There is also an "ultra-mode" economy, which radically changes the interface and greatly darkens the display for maximum performance in. Out of this mode returns normal brightness, but it is better to control its activation.

• 🔋 Open the battery settings in the main menu.
• 🚫 Find the switch "Energy saving mode".
• 📉 Uncheck the box from "Automatic Including".
• 📱 Check the settings for individual applications in the "Activity Control" section".

It is important to understand that ignoring these settings will cause the phone to become virtually unreadable in the sun at a critical moment due to artificially limiting maximum brightness.

The specifics of the "In the pocket" regime

The Mode in the Pocket feature is designed to prevent accidental tapping when the phone is in your bag or pocket, but it often uses the same sensor as autobrightness.

If the sensor is contaminated or closed with a low-quality security glass, the phone can "think" it's in your pocket and turn off the screen. You can turn off this feature along the way: Settings → Lock and Protection → Mode in your pocket.

⚠️ Warning: Turning off mode in your pocket can lead to occasional calls or apps running when the phone is lying screen down on the table.

Once this function is disabled, the sensor will stop responding to nearby objects by abruptly dimming, especially for models with subscreen sensors that are sensitive to any film.

Comparison of methods of disconnecting sensors

Different methods have different degrees of effectiveness depending on the version of Android and shell. Below is a table to help you choose the best way to solve the problem.

As you can see from the table, standard methods work in conjunction. To be fully controlled, you need to check all the points, especially in older models, where the hardware implementation of sensors is less accurate.

Using the engineering menu (code ##6484##) allows you to test the sensor, but it doesn't always allow you to completely disable it at the software level without root rights.

Engineering menu and hidden settings

For advanced users, you can access hidden features through the engineering menu, and type in the code ##64663## (or #4636## on some models) to the phone, and this will open the hardware testing menu.

You can find the Common or Version Information section here, where sensor settings are sometimes available, but be careful: changing the settings in this menu can lead to unstable system operation.

If standard methods don't work, you can try resetting all apps through the recovery menu, but this is an extreme measure, and most often the problem is solved by software update or replacement of the security glass.

• 🔢 Enter the access code in the Phone application.
• 🛠 Select the "Single Item Test" to check the sensor.
• 👁 Close the top of the screen with your hand to check the reaction.
• ❌ Leave the menu without saving unknown options.

Remember that in modern versions of HyperOS, access to deep calibration of sensors is limited for security reasons, so relying on manual brightness adjustment remains the most reliable option.

Influence of protective glasses and covers

And don't forget the physical impact, because cheap security windows often have a black bezel that covers the light sensor, and as a result, the phone sees "darkness" and reduces the brightness to a minimum.

Check if the sensor is closed. On most Xiaomi models, it is in a narrow strip above the screen or built directly into the matrix. Wipe this area with an alcohol napkin.

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Use protective glass with a sensor cutout or a transparent stripe at the top, which will eliminate false blackouts.

Also, some cases with thick sidebars can create shadow at a certain angle of inclination, so if the problem is only in the case, then it is the mechanical overlap of the light.

Frequent Questions (FAQ)

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Comprehensive screen, battery and physical obstacles (glasses) ensure that the problem with incorrect dimming is solved.

In conclusion, sensor management on Xiaomi requires careful attention, combining the settings in the curtain, the screen menu and you will achieve a perfect display of the picture in all lighting conditions.