How to permanently turn off the sleep timer on Xiaomi devices: smartphones, TV and watches

A sleep timer on Xiaomi devices is a useful feature to save battery power and protect the screen from burnout, but it is not always convenient. Have you ever gone to read a book on a smartphone and the screen went out in 30 seconds? Or run a presentation on Mi TV and the TV went to sleep in the middle of a demonstration? These situations are familiar to many brand users. Fortunately, you can turn off the automatic display on any Xiaomi device — whether it is a smartphone on MIUI, a Mi Band/Watch smartwatch or a Mi TV TV.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can deactivate your sleep timer, including hidden developer settings, ADB commands for advanced users, and workarounds for devices with limited options. We’ll focus on the nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and HyperOS firmware, and explain why some models don’t work. If you’re tired of constantly waking up your gadget, read on.

Why sleep timers are automatically turned on and can they be permanently removed?

The automatic screen shutdown feature is built into Xiaomi at the system level for two key reasons:

• 🔋 Battery savings: On smartphones and smartwatches, the screen consumes up to 40 percent of the power — reducing the time it lasts longer.
• 🛡️ Burnout protection OLED-matrix. Static elements (e.g., navigation panel) can be imprinted on the screen when running long.
• 🤖 Default optimization. The manufacturer believes that most users don't need constant lighting.

But these arguments aren't always relevant. For example, if you use your smartphone as a navigator in your car or connect your Mi TV to an advertising stand, permanently turning off the screen becomes a problem. Fortunately, all Xiaomi devices (except the most budget models) allow you to turn off your sleep timer completely or increase it to a maximum of 30 minutes.

It is important to understand the difference between:

• 📱 Screen sleep timer (display goes out, device remains active).
• 💤 System sleep mode (the device goes into energy saving, suspending background processes).

⚠️ Warning: On devices with AMOLED- screens (e.g., Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi K60), long periods of time without a sleep timer can cause pixels to burn out. If you want a permanent display, use Always on Screen (AOD) mode with minimal brightness.

How to turn off the sleep timer on Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS)

On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, the algorithm for turning off the sleep timer depends on the firmware version. Consider a universal method that works on 90% of devices:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Select the Sleep Timer (or Sleep Mode in older versions).
3. In the list of available options, select Never or 30 minutes (maximum value).

If you don't have that, your device uses hidden settings.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → Click 7 times on the MIUI version.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the screen timeout option in standby mode and set Never.

On some models (e.g. POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12), the path may be different:

Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management → Sleep Settings

Make sure the device is charged at more than 20%.

Connect the charger if you plan to use it for a long time.

Check if the energy saving mode is on.

Save important data (in case of failure)

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For HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), the interface has changed:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Advanced settings.
2. Select the lock timer and set 30 minutes (the option may never be absent).

⚠️ Warning: On smartphones with a MediaTek processor (e.g., Redmi 10A or POCO M5), after turning off the sleep timer, battery consumption can increase by 15-20%.

Xiaomi (Flagship Series)

Redmi (budget/medium series)

POCO (Gaming Smartphones)

Black Shark (Gaming Devices)

Another model-->

Turning off the sleep timer on Mi TV and Mi Box TVs

On Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV A2, P1, Q2, etc.) and Mi Box S/4K consoles, the sleep timer works differently - it is associated with energy savings and overheating protection.

1. On the remote, press Settings → All Settings.
2. Go to Preferences → Eco Mode.
3. Turn off the Sleep Timer option or set the Off value.

If the option is not on the menu, try an alternative method:

Settings → Device Preferences → Screen Saver → Sleep

For models with Google TV (e.g. Mi TV Q1 2023):

1. Open the settings → System → Energy saving.
2. Select Sleep Mode and set Never.

Some PatchWall firmware (such as the Indian versions of Mi TV) have hidden the option, in which case it will help to reset the settings to the factory or update the software.

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If the TV still turns off after 4 hours, check the parental controls settings. Sometimes the time limit is set there.

Smart watches and fitness bracelets: Mi Band, Mi Watch, Watch S3

On Xiaomi wearables (Mi Band 7, Mi Watch Lite, Watch S3, etc.), the sleep timer is tightly tied to the firmware. You can't turn it off completely, but you can increase the time to a maximum:

For the Mi Band 5/6/7/8:

1. Open the Mi Fitness app (or Zepp Life for new models).
2. Select your device → Screen settings.
3. Set the time to lock for 10 seconds (no longer gives firmware).

For the Mi Watch/Watch S3:

1. In the Xiaomi Wear app, go to Device Management → Display.
2. Select the screen sleep timer and set 30 seconds.

On the Watch 2 Pro (with Wear OS), the algorithm is different:

Settings on the clock → Display → Sleep Timer → 1 minute

⚠️ Warning: On the Mi Band and Mi Watch with AMOLED- displays (e.g., Mi Band 7 Pro or Watch S1 Pro), a constant screen operation without a sleep timer reduces battery life by 2-3 times. Use the Wrist Raising feature to turn on to reduce the number of manual switches.

Hidden methods: ADB- Developer commands and settings

If the standard methods don't work, you can use advanced tools.

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB.
• 📱 Included Developer Mode and Debugging by USB smartphone.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions for smartphones:

1. Connect the device to the PC and open the command line (cmd).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices
3. Turn off the sleep timer command: adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3 Where 3 - "Always on when charging" mode.

To completely turn off the timer (even without charging), use:

adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 2147483647

(The value of 2147483647 is the maximum time possible in milliseconds.)

For Mi TVs with Android TV, the command is suitable:

adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 7

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ADB- commands allow you to bypass the limitations of the firmware, but after resetting the settings or updating the system, they will have to be used again.

If the ADB does not recognize the device:

• 🔄 Reinstall Xiaomi drivers from the official website.
• 🔧 Enable Debugging by USB (security settings) in the developer menu.
• 📋 Check that File Transfer is selected in USB settings (MTP).

Frequent problems and solutions

Even after the shutdown, the sleep timer can continue to work.

If your device is corporate (with MDM- policies), the administrator could block the change in the sleep timer.

1. Check for management applications (such as Mi Enterprise or Intune).
2. Contact the IT- department for unlocking.

On some models (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO C50) after upgrading to MIUI 13, the ability to set a sleep timer for more than 10 minutes is lost, due to optimization for weak processors.

• 📥 Reverse to the previous firmware version.
• 🔧 Use ADB (see previous section).

Alternative ways to keep the screen active

If you can not turn off the sleep timer, you can use the workarounds:

📱 For smartphones:

• 🎵 Play music. Run any track — many Xiaomi firmwares don't turn off the screen while playing.
• 📍 Navigation mode. Activate Google Maps or Yandex.Navigator, the screen will remain on.
• 🔄 Applications -keepalive Utilities like Keep Screen On or Caffeine mimic user activity.

📺 For TVs:

• 🎮 Game mode. Enable it in Settings → Picture → Modes — Sleep timer turns off automatically.
• 🖥️ Connect to HDMI-CEC If the TV is connected to a PC or console, it will follow their sleep settings.
• 📺 Screensaver instead of sleep. Install a slideshow of photos in Screen Saver.

⌚ For a smartwatch:

• 🏃 Exercise mode. Run any activity (like "Walking") -- the screen won't go out.
• 🔋 Constant charging. Connect the watch to the charger, the sleep timer will turn off.

⚠️ Attention: When using -keepalive applications (Keep Screen On and analogues) the load on the processor increases, which can lead to overheating on weak devices (for example, Redmi 8A or POCO C31).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions