How to disable protection from desktop changes on Xiaomi phone

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation where the phone screen stops responding to touch or, conversely, begins to randomly switch apps. This state, commonly referred to as “change protection” or “interface locking,” is actually either an enabled function of Pocket Mode or the result of activating Parent Guide mode. Space/Guest Also, the cause may be a banal software error shell. MIUI HyperOS, which blocks the touchscreen.

It's important to understand that there's no single "Disable Protection" button on the menu, because it's a collective name for several different system constraints. Diagnosing a problem correctly is the first step to solving it. If you accidentally lock a device from children or it's stuck in your pocket, standard unlocking methods may not work. You'll need to consistently check the special features and access mode settings.

In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios of blocking the interface on Xiaomi devices. We will look at both software failures and intentional restrictions set by the user or third-party applications. It is critical to first determine the type of blocking: system (MIUI) or third-party (blocking application), as the methods of disabling them are radically different. Follow the instructions below to regain full control of your gadget.

Diagnostics: Why the screen is blocked

Before we go to radical measures, we need to figure out the nature of the lock. Often users confuse the system freeze with the restricted mode on. If the screen is black, but the phone vibrates or makes sounds when you press the volume buttons, most likely the pocket mode is active. In this case, the proximity sensor located next to the front camera mistakenly thinks that the phone is in the pocket and locks the sensor to avoid false presses.

Another common scenario is to activate Guest Mode or Second Space, in which case your usual widgets are missing from your desktop, and some app icons may be hidden or blocked, creating an isolated password-protected environment that you can't exit with a simple click of the Home button, and it's worth checking if you have a parental control app or ad blocker that intercepts screen control.

For accurate diagnosis, pay attention to the behavior of the notification indicator and the response to physical buttons. If you press the volume buttons change, but the sensor does not work, it is a software glitch or pocket mode. If the interface is changed beyond recognition, you are in the guest profile. Diagnostics should be done calmly, without panic, because in 90% of cases the data is not lost, but simply hidden.

⚠️ Warning: If the screen displays a message saying “device is locked by the administrator” or a requirement to enter an unlock code that you did not install, it is possible that your phone is infected with a locker virus. In this case, do not enter personal data and go to the section on safe mode.

There is also the possibility of physical damage to the touchscreen or display plume, especially if the phone has recently fallen, but if the lock is only manifested in certain applications or after updating the system, it is precisely the software protection of the interface, understanding the source of the problem will allow you to choose the right algorithm of actions and avoid unnecessary data reset.

Disabling Pocket Mode and Approximation Sensor

The most common cause of a dead screen on Xiaomi phones is a false pocket mode alarm, the system locks the sensor to prevent dialing in your pocket, if a pollution sensor or software failure gives the wrong signal, it becomes difficult to unlock the phone, and it requires you to get into the settings to solve this problem, which sometimes requires the use of volume buttons or a voice assistant.

If the sensor is partially responsive, try to quickly swipe from the top edge of the screen down to open the notification curtain, and find the Pocket Mode icon to turn it off. If that's not possible, use voice control. Say "OK Google, open settings" or "OK Google, turn off pocket mode." The voice assistant can often execute a command even when the sensor is locked, as it is processed at the system level.

When you get into the settings menu, follow the following steps to permanently resolve the problem:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Lock screen (or “Always on screen and lock screen»).
• 🔍 Find the item "Pocket mode" and switch the switch to an inactive state.
• 🧹 Check the area around the front camera and top speaker for contaminants that may interfere with the sensor.
• 🔄 If the problem persists, calibrate the proximity sensor through the engineering menu (code ##6484##).

In some versions of MIUI, pocket mode settings may be hidden, in which case cleaning the cache of the Phone and System UI application will help. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find the relevant system processes and click Clean. This will reset temporary files that may have caused sensor conflict.

Exit from the Guest Mode and the Second Space

If your desktop looks unusual and some apps are missing, it's likely that Guest Mode or Second Space is activated, and these are useful features for transferring your phone to other people or separating your work and personal life, but it can be difficult to exit without a password, in fact, it's a complete isolation of the environment, and the system protects its integrity.

To exit Guest Mode, it is usually enough to pull the notification curtain down and click on the user's avatar in the corner, selecting "Owner" or the main account. If this item is hidden or requires a password that you have forgotten, the situation becomes complicated. In the case of Second Space, switching is done through a special icon in the curtain or through settings (Settings → Second Space).

If the standard methods don’t work, you can try the following algorithm:

• 🔙 Try restarting the device. When booting, the system may request a login to the main profile.
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your computer, and sometimes it interrupts the isolation mode and brings back the standard interface. USB-debugging.
• 🗑️ In extreme cases, if the data in the Second Space is not important, you can delete it through the main profile, if you have access to it through a face/fingerprint at the start.

⚠️ Note: Forced removal of Second Space or exit without password may result in complete loss of data stored in this profile (photos, contacts, correspondence.

Often, users activate these modes themselves accidentally, such as when cleaning the screen in their pocket. To avoid a repeat of the situation, turn off the quick profile switches in the notification curtain. Go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Hide content or a similar path in your version of HyperOS, and remove unnecessary controls.

Using a Safe Mode to Remove Viruses

If the screen lock is caused by malware (advertising virus, blocker), the usual methods of disabling it will not work, the virus can block system windows or block clicks, in which case the only safe way to regain control is to run in Safe Mode, in which only system applications are downloaded, which allows you to remove the culprit of the problem.

To enter Safe Mode on Xiaomi, you usually need to press the power button, and when the turn off menu appears, you can press the "Stop" icon on the screen for a long time. You will see a request to go to Safe Mode. If the sensor does not respond at all, you can use a combination of buttons when you boot: pinch "Loudness down" when the Mi logo appears.

While in Safe Mode (the screen corner will have the appropriate inscription), follow the following steps:

• 📂 Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
• 🔍 Sort the list by installation date and find suspicious apps recently installed.
• 🗑️ Remove malware found or those you don’t recognize.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone in the usual way to get out of safe mode.

Once the malware is removed, it is recommended to check the phone with an antivirus built into the system (Security or Security). It is also worth checking whether the device administrator rights have been issued to third-party applications. Way: Settings → Passwords and security → Privacy → Special access rights → Device administrator applications. There should be nothing superfluous here.

Setting up special features and blocking touches

There's a feature in Android and MIUI that completely locks the touch screen, leaving only physical buttons active, designed for people with cognitive impairments or to prevent accidental taps by children, but often turned on by accident, a feature called "Touch Lock" or "App Fixing."

If you have Pinning enabled, you can't log out of your current app. To turn it off, you need to press and hold the Back and Recent buttons (or Home, depending on the model) at the same time, the system will request confirmation or unlock the screen. If that doesn't work, check the settings:

Sometimes users accidentally activate Magnification mode, where a triple tap on the screen buzzes the image, making control impossible. You can turn this off by triple tapping the screen or through volume buttons if such an option is assigned. In the special features menu, make sure that all items related to touch control are deactivated if you are not using them.

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Tip: If you often accidentally turn on special features, add the “Special Features” label to your desktop and keep it off, or turn off calling these features with volume buttons.

Resetting and extreme measures

If none of the above methods worked, and the screen is still locked or behaving inadequately, system files may have been damaged or the operating system has crashed critically, then you have to reset to the factory settings (Hard Reset), which will remove all data from the phone, so it should only be resorted to as a last resort.

To perform a menu reset (if the sensor is partially working): go to Settings → About Phone → Settings → Erase All Data. If the menu is not available, use Recovery Mode. Turn off the phone completely. Then press both the Power and Volume Up button (on some Volume Down models) before the Mi logo appears. In the Recovery menu (manage volume buttons, select power buttons), select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.

When you reset, the phone will go back out of the box. When you first set up, don't install suspicious apps right away and watch for permission requests. If the problem was caused by a software failure, it should disappear. If even after the reset, the screen behaves strangely (part of the sensor does not work, stripes appear), this indicates a hardware malfunction of the display or plume, and repair is required.

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Hard Reset is a guaranteed way to programmatically unlock the phone, but it requires a backup of the data as all the information will be destroyed.

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