How to turn off screen dimming when calling Xiaomi: all ways

Why does Xiaomi’s screen go out or darken during a call?

Have you ever encountered a situation where, while talking on a Xiaomi phone, the screen suddenly goes out, darkens or locks? This is standard MIUI behavior designed to save battery power and prevent accidental taps. However, for many users, this “behavior” becomes a real problem — especially when you need to turn on speakerphone, switch to another contact or use notes right during a call.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can turn off screen dimming when calling in and out on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, from standard MIUI settings to hidden engineering menu features. The instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 and Android 13/14 firmware versions, but most of the methods work on older devices as well.

Before we get to the settings, it's important to understand that the problem is not the hardware of the phone, but the software constraints. The manufacturer has specifically implemented this feature to extend battery life, but if it bothers you, it can be completely deactivated or customized to your needs.

Method 1: Configure the screen timeout in the call menu

The simplest and most obvious method is to change the time to automatically turn off the display right in the settings of the phone app, which works on most Xiaomi models (including the Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Mi 11, etc.) and does not require superuser rights.

Here's how to do it:

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to Incoming Calls or Call Settings (the name may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
4. Find the screen item during the call or timeout of the screen.
5. Set the value Never or maximum available time (usually up to 10 minutes).

If you don't have one, don't worry. Some firmware (e.g., global versions for Europe) have it hidden, so move on to the next one.

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On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13T), the path to settings may look like this: Phone → Settings → Additional → Screen during call.

Method 2: Disabling the proximity sensor (advanced method)

The approach sensor, a small sensor next to the front camera, detects when the phone is pressed to the ear and turns off the display to avoid accidental touches, and if the sensor is not working properly (for example, it works too early) or you just don't need this feature, you can turn it off.

Warning: this method requires activation of the developer mode. If you haven't already turned it on, do it beforehand:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on MIUI Version 7 times in a row until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
3. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional settings → For developers.

Now we start to disconnect the sensor:

• 🔧 In the Developer Menu, find the item Disable sensors (or Turn off proximity sensor).
• 📱 Alternative path: Settings → System and device → Sensors. → Approximation sensor.
• ⚙️ Transfer the slider to the off position. or uncheck the tick.

Call your phone from another device

Put your hand on the top of the screen (where the sensor is)

The screen must remain on.

Try to remove your hand – the display should not go out.

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⚠️ Warning: Once the sensor is turned off, the screen will remain active even when you put the phone to your ear, which can lead to random button presses during a conversation.

Method 3: Use of an engineering menu (for power users)

If standard settings don’t work, you can go to the engineering menu, a hidden section where low-level system settings are available, which is suitable for Xiaomi models based on Qualcomm processors (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro, Poco F4).

Instructions:

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##6484##
2. You will be taken to the MMI Test menu. Select Proximity Sensor.
3. In the new window, find the Proximity Delay (sensor delay) setting.
4. Set a value of 0 or the maximum available (e.g. 255).
5. Save the changes and restart the phone.

If the code doesn’t work, try alternatives for your model:

⚠️ Warning: Unknown changes to the engineering menu can cause your phone to malfunction. If you are not sure about your actions, skip this method or back up your data before experimenting.

Standard phone settings

Disabling the proximity sensor

Engineering menu

Nothing helped, I'm looking for another way.-->

Method 4: Reset sensor settings (if the screen goes out on its own)

Sometimes the problem is not the settings, but the failure of the proximity sensor, if the screen goes out arbitrarily (even when the phone is not in the ear) or behaves unstable, recalibration of the sensors will help.

How to do this:

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##6484##
2. Select Proximity Sensor.
3. Press Calibrate (calibration) or Reset (reset).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.
5. Reboot the phone.

If the engineering menu is not available, try an alternative method:

• 📱 Install Sensor Reset from Google Play.
• 🔄 Run the sensor scan.
• 🎯 Find Proximity Sensor and perform reset.

After reset, check the screen during the call, if the problem persists, the sensor may be physically damaged (for example, after the phone falls), in which case only the replacement of the sensor in the service center will help.

Method 5: Using Third-Party Applications

If none of these methods worked, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, allowing you to flexibly adjust the behavior of the screen during calls, including completely disabling the dimming.

Top.-3 tested applications:

• 📱 Proximity Sensor Fix - fixes sensor failures and allows you to force it to disable.Google Play link.
• 🔧 Sensor Disabler – temporarily deactivates the proximity sensor (rights required) ADB).
• 🛠️ Tasker is an advanced automation tool, and you can create a task that keeps the screen on while you're making calls.

Example of settings in Tasker:

1. Create a new profile (+ → Status → Phone → In the Call).
2. Add the task (+ → Display → Time-out display).
3. Set the value of Never or the time you need.
4. Save and activate the profile.

⚠️ Note: Apps like Sensor Disabler require permissions ADB, Install them only from trusted sources (such as Google Play or APKMirror) to avoid viruses.

Additional tips: how to avoid accidental pressing without turning off the sensor

If you want the screen to stay on, but you are afraid to accidentally press buttons during a conversation, there are compromise solutions:

• 🔒 Use a lock gesture: during the call, swipe your finger across the screen from top to bottom (on some models, this blocks the sensor, but leaves the display active).
• 📱 Enable the mode in your pocket: Settings → Screen. → It's in your pocket mode, and it'll prevent accidental touch, but you'll see the screen.
• 🔄 Set up a double tap to wake up: so you can quickly turn on the screen, even if it is turned off.

Another useful life hack: if you need to use your phone frequently during conversations (for example, for notes or notes), try wireless headphones, in which case the phone will not be pressed to your ear, and the proximity sensor will not work.

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Turning off the proximity sensor is not the only way to solve the problem, often just increase the screen timeout in the phone settings or use gestures to control during a call.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen dimming on Xiaomi