Why the screen goes out when you call Xiaomi and how to fix it

Have you ever encountered a situation where, during an important phone conversation, your Xiaomi screen suddenly goes out? It's not only annoying, it's uncomfortable to constantly touch the screen to see the control keys or notes, and the reason for this behavior is because of the MIUI power saving settings, which by default optimize the display to save battery power. However, for many users, this "optimization" becomes a real problem.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to turn off automatic screen dimming when calling on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12-14 firmware. You will learn what settings are responsible for this behavior, how to change them without root rights, and what to do if standard methods do not work. and also why some models (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi Note 11) solve the problem differently than on older devices.

Why the screen goes out during the call: technical reasons

Automatically turning off the display during a conversation is not a bug, but a feature of energy saving, embedded in the MIUI firmware. It works according to two main scenarios:

• 🔋 Battery savings: The display is one of the main consumers of energy, and turning it off during a call extends the smartphone’s life by 5-15%.
• 👂 Approximation sensor: When you hold your phone to your ear, the infrared sensor fires, and the system thinks that the screen is not needed (to avoid accidental pressing).

In practice, however, this logic often fails:

• 📞 The screen goes out immediately after dialing, even before you hold the phone to your ear.
• 🔄 After disabling the proximity sensor, the problem remains - the Screen settings are to blame → Sleeping mode.
• 📱 In some models (for example, POCO F4) screen dims even when using a headset or hands-free.

Interestingly, Xiaomi with Android One (for example, Mi A3) such a problem is not – there is a “clean” Android without energy-saving “chips” MIUI. This confirms that the fault is firmware, not the hardware.

Method 1: Disabling the proximity sensor (the fastest method)

If the screen only goes out when you hold the phone to your ear, the proximity sensor is to blame, and you can turn it off without root permissions through a hidden engineering menu:

1. Open the phone app and dial the combination: ##6484##
2. Select Proximity Sensor (Proximity Sensor).
3. In the new window, click Disable.
4. Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Warning: After the sensor is turned off, the screen will not go out when talking, but there may be occasional tapping of the cheek or ear. To avoid this, use the locking of the screen with the power button before the call.

On some models (e.g. Redmi 9 or POCO X3), the engineering menu may not open.

1. Install the Manual Sensor Test app from Google Play.
2. Run the proximity sensor test.
3. If the sensor reacts to obstacles (shows NEAR when closed with the hand), but the screen still goes out – the problem is in the settings of the MIUI, not the hardware.

Method 2: Change the screen’s time to fall asleep in settings

If the proximity sensor is turned off, but the screen still goes out after 5-10 seconds, the sleep settings are to blame. In MIUI 12-14, you can change them like this:

1. Go to Settings. → Screen.
2. Select Sleep Mode.
3. Set the value of 30 seconds or Never (if this option is available).
4. Return to Settings → Screen → Additional and turn off the option Adaptive Brightness.

🔹 Important: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T) You can never be absent, in which case you can choose the maximum time of 10 minutes.

If, after this manipulation, the screen still goes out during the call, the problem may lie in optimizing the Phone application.

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To quickly turn on the screen during the call, double tap the display or press the power button. Some models have a "raise to wake up" gesture.

Method 3: Disable optimization for the Phone application

MIUI aggressively optimizes background applications, including the standard Phone, which can cause the screen to go out even when you call actively, to fix this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Phone app (or Contacts on some models).
3. Select Battery Limitation.
4. Set the value without limits.
5. Go back and turn on the Auto Start option.

🔹 If you have a Google Phone installed (for example, on the POCO F4 GT), Repeat the same steps for this application.

Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 for Xiaomi 12) may also require:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Back to the settings → Additional → for developers.
3. Find the option Do not turn off the screen while charging and turn it on (yes, this works for calls too!).

Method 4: Using third-party apps (if nothing helps)

If the standard methods don't work, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, and we recommend two proven solutions:

1. Keep Screen On (for all models)

The app forcibly keeps the screen turned on during calls:

• 📥 Install from Google Play.
• 🔧 Launch and select Calls in the list of triggers.
• ⚡ Activate the option to Keep the screen on.

2. Proximity Sensor Fix (if the sensor is falsely triggered)

Useful for devices where the proximity sensor is not working properly (e.g., Redmi 7 or POCO M3):

• 🛠️ Download it. XDA Developers (requires permission to install from unknown sources).
• 📊 Start and calibrate the sensor manually.
• 🔄 Set the screen shutdown delay for 10 seconds.

⚠️ Note: Applications will require Special Access Rights (C Settings) → Annexes → Permissions. Without them, they won't be able to block the screen from turning off.

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The app side is the last option. Try all the standard methods first, as they don't require additional permissions and don't affect autonomy.

Method 5: Reset screen settings (if the issue is after the update)

Sometimes the screen starts to go out during calls after the MIUI update, which is due to a conflict between the old settings and the new software.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset screen settings (not a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, reset the brightness, sleep mode and proximity sensor (see Methods 1–3).

🔹 Important: This method does not delete your data (photos, contacts, messages), but it will reset your data:

• 🎨 Settings of brightness and color of the screen.
• ⏱️ Sleeping time.
• 🔄 Always on Display (if supported).

If the problem persists, it may be the fault of a particular version of MIUI, in which case only:

• 📥 Reverse to the previous version of the firmware (via Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select a Service Package).
• 🔧 Handheld firmware via Fastboot (for experienced users).

Additional tips: how to avoid accidental pressing

After turning off the automatic screen dimming, you may encounter false touches with your cheek or ear.

• 🔒 Lock the screen with the power button before holding the phone to your ear.
• 📱 Use the "In your pocket" mode (includes in Settings) → Screen. → Locking in your pocket).
• 🎧 Connect a wired or wireless headset – while the proximity sensor does not work.
• 🔄 Set up gestures: for example, double touch to wake up (in Settings) → Screen. → Gestures).

🔹 For owners of Xiaomi with AMOLED-screens: If you make frequent calls in the dark, reduce automatic brightness in Settings → Screen. → Adaptive brightness, which will reduce eye strain and reduce the risk of accidental pressing.

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On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) works function "Smart lock": if the screen went out during the call, just hold the phone to your ear - it will turn on again when you move away.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen settings during calls