How to turn off the curtain on the locked screen Xiaomi with MIUI 12: the complete guide

Notification curtain on locked Xiaomi screen with shell MIUI 12 is one of the most controversial features among users: on the one hand, it provides quick access to important alerts without unlocking the device, on the other hand, it can accidentally activate in your pocket, lead to false touches, or simply annoy you with constant pop-ups. This is especially true for smartphone owners. AMOLED-screens, where even the minimum lighting curtain significantly reduces battery life.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can turn off the curtain on a locked screen, from the standard MIUI 12 settings to the hidden developer settings. It’s important to note that the interface may vary slightly depending on the model (Redmi Note 9 Pro, POCO X3, Mi 10T, etc.) and regional firmware. However, the overall logic remains the same. If you use a newer version of the shell (e.g. MIUI 13/14), some menu items may be renamed, as we’ll mention.

Why does the curtain appear on the locked screen?

The feature of displaying the notification curtain on the locked screen was introduced in MIUI 12 as part of the concept of a "live lock screen", as intended by the developers, this was to improve the user experience by:

• ⚡ Quickly access notifications without unlocking (for example, to view messages on WhatsApp or Telegram).
• 🔔 Controlling music or alarm clock directly from the lock screen.
• 📱 Integration with Always On Display (for supported models).

However, in practice, many users face problems:

• 🤯 Accidental taps in your pocket lead to camera activation, calls, or apps opening.
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption due to constant illumination of part of the screen.
• 👤 Risk of leakage of confidential information (notifications may contain personal data).

In addition, in MIUI 12, the shutter defaults all notifications, including those coming from system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Browser), which creates visual noise and makes it difficult to focus on the really important alerts.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI 12 settings

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in system settings. It does not require superuser rights (root) and is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models based on MIUI 12.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to Always on Screen and Lock (some firmware may call it Lock Screen).
3. Select Notifications on the lock screen.
4. Click on the Notification Style and set the value of Do Not Show Notifications.
5. Go back and turn off the slider Show the notification curtain (if such item is present).

If your MIUI 12 version does not have a separate curtain switch, try an alternative path:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots (menu) → Special permissions → Show on top of other windows

Find the System UI (or Launcher) app here and turn off the display permissions on top of other windows. Attention: this method may affect other system features, so use it with caution.

Method 2: Using the Developer Mode

If standard settings don't work, you can use the hidden settings of the developer mode, which is more flexible, but requires care - incorrect changes can lead to interface failures.

Algorithm of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Find the MIUI Version and click on it 7 times in a row until the notification You became a developer appears!
2. Return to the main settings menu and open a new Developer section (usually located at the bottom of the list).
3. Scroll down to the Debugging block and turn off the following settings: Show sensor operations (may affect screen sensitivity); Enable HCI Operations log (optional, but sometimes interferes); USB debugging (if you don't use a PC connection).

Turn off the flashing notification indicator

Restart the device to apply the changes.

Critical: In some MIUI 12 firmware for China ROM, the shutdown point may be hidden behind additional authentication. If you see a password request from your Mi Account, make sure your phone is not tied to the regional version of the software, otherwise you will need to reset.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level device management tool that requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Enable USB debugging on your phone (see previous section).
3. Connect your smartphone to your computer via cable and confirm your trust in the device.
4. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type: Adb devices Make sure your phone appears in the list.
5. Execute the command to turn off the curtain: adb shell settings put global lock_screen_show_notifications 0
6. Reset the device.

To return the curtain back, use the same command, replacing 0 by 1.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause a system crash if you type the wrong command. Don't experiment with other settings put unless you're sure they're there. Also make sure you have official Xiaomi drivers installed for your model.

Comparison of methods: which way to choose?

Each of the described methods has its pros and cons. Below is a comparative table that will help determine the choice:

For most users, the best solution is a combination of standard settings and developer mode. The ADB method should be used only as a last resort if other options have not worked. Third-party applications for blocking the curtain (for example, Lock Screen Notifications Disabler) are not recommended due to the risk of data leakage and unstable operation.

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If after turning off the curtain, you have stopped working gestures on the lock screen (for example, swipe for the camera), try resetting gesture settings in the Settings → Lock Screen → Gestures.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you turn off the curtain on a locked screen, users often face unexpected difficulties, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: After the curtains were turned off, notifications stopped coming at all.

Solution: Check the settings of individual applications. You may have accidentally disabled the notifications for all programs. Go to Settings → Notifications → Notifications Management and make sure that the desired applications (for example, Viber or Gmail) are shown on the lock screen.

Problem 2: The curtain is gone, but now the lock screen is not responsive to touch.

Solution: This could be due to a conflict in the sensor settings.

• Disable and re-enable Screen Sensitivity in Settings →
• Perform a reset of the lock screen settings (Settings → Always on screen and lock → Reset).
• Restart the device in Safe Mode (hold the Power button → Restart in Safe Mode) and check if the problem persists.

Problem 3: Settings are reset after the MIUI update.

Solution: Unfortunately, this is a well-known feature of Xiaomi firmware, and after major updates (e.g., from MIUI 12.0 to MIUI 12.5), some settings return to default values.

• Before updating, back up your settings via Settings → About Phone → Backup.
• Use the Mi Mover app to save user settings.
• After updating manually check the settings of the curtain and if necessary, turn it off again.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the methods described may not work.In this case, the shutdown of the curtain is done through the settings of the firmware itself or the build.prop file!

Additional Tips for Optimizing the Lock Screen

Turning off the curtain is only part of setting up the perfect lock screen, and here are some more tips to help make it more convenient and secure:

• 🔒 Disable Sensitive Notifications: In the notification settings for each application, you can prevent sensitive data (such as text messages) from showing on the lock screen.
• 🌙 Always on Display: If your smartphone supports AOD (For example, Xiaomi Mi 11 or Redmi. K40), Choose a minimalist display style (time only and notification icons) instead of a full curtain.
• 🎨 Use third-party launchers: Apps like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair allow you to flexibly adjust the look of the lock screen, including disabling unnecessary elements.
• 🔋 Optimize battery consumption: In the Settings section → Battery → Battery mode select Charge Saving mode and turn off background activity for unnecessary apps.

If you use your smartphone frequently in the dark, we recommend you activate Dark Theme and set up automatic switching as scheduled, which will not only reduce eye strain, but also reduce battery consumption. AMOLED-screen.

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Turning off the curtain on the locked screen does not affect the notifications as a whole – they will still come and appear after unlocking the device.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions