Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are equipped with advanced accelerometers and gyroscopes that automatically change the orientation of the image depending on the position of the device. However, users often face a situation where the screen does not respond to the rotation of the case, blocking access to the full functionality of applications or video players. This can occur due to activated orientation blocking, software failures or features of a particular version of the MIUI shell.
There are several methods to address this, ranging from standard system settings to third-party utilities. It is important to understand that automatic rotation is a basic feature of Android, but in the shell from Xiaomi it has its own nuances of control. In some cases, the system can ignore sensor commands, requiring manual adjustment or restarting system processes.
In this article, we will detail how to force or automatically flip an image, what hidden settings affect this behavior, and what to do if the standard methods do not work. You will learn how to manage this setting through the Control Panel, the settings menu, and even using engineering codes if standard paths are not available.
Control of the autoturn through the control panel
The fastest and most common way to change the orientation of the screen on Xiaomi smartphones is to use the notification curtain. In the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, this control is put into a separate quick settings unit. To access it, you need to swipe from the top edge of the screen down. If the icon is not visible immediately, you will need to press the edit button or swipe to the right to open the full list of widgets.
In the menu that opens, you'll find an icon that shows the lock and arrows, or just says "Orientation." Clicking on this item switches the accelerometer mode. When the function is active, the screen will respond to the device's turns. If the lock icon or "Orientation locked" is on, the image will remain in the current position regardless of how you hold the phone.
It's worth noting that newer versions of firmware may have different logics for this switch, and in some cases, activating the button means allowing the turn, in others it means blocking it, a visual indicator (color or icon) will tell you the current status, and if nothing happens after the switch, it's possible that the application you're using doesn't support the change of orientation.
💡
Twice tap the orientation lock icon to quickly switch between portrait and landscape mode without turning the phone physically.
Display settings and orientation lock
If quick access through the curtain does not give the desired result or the icon is missing, you can find the settings in the system menu. The path to these may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the overall structure remains unchanged. First, you need to go to the main settings menu of the smartphone, usually indicated by the gear.
In the list of parameters, you'll find the section that displays the information, which is usually called "Screen" or "Display." Inside this menu are the brightness, refresh rate and, importantly for us, orientation settings, and you can force the behavior of the system to change the position of the housing.
Some users prefer to turn off the autorotor completely to save battery power or to avoid accidental switches when reading in bed. However, to watch videos or use navigation, this feature is better kept active. If you notice that the screen "twitches" or changes orientation without your desire, check the sensitivity settings.
☑️ Checking screen settings
It is important to consider that system settings can be overridden by settings of individual applications. For example, YouTube or Google Photos may have their own turn switches that ignore the global settings of the phone. So if the global setting is enabled and the picture is not flipped, check the interface of the app itself.
⚠️ Note: On some models with screen cutouts (camera hole) or curved edges of the display, the program rotation may lead to incorrect display of interface elements that “hide” beyond the physical boundaries of the matrix.
Use of hot keys and gestures
MIUI is famous for its richness of features and gestures that allow you to control your smartphone without accessing a menu. There are also certain combinations of actions to control the orientation of the screen. Although there is no physical flip button, program gestures can make life much easier. One effective way is to use a floating window or a multitasking menu.
When you open multiple applications in split-screen or floating window mode, each one can have an independent orientation. As you switch between tasks, you can notice that one application stays vertical and the other rotates. This is normal behavior of the system, for example, allowing you to text the messenger vertically while the video is played horizontally.
Also worth mentioning is the One-Hand Control feature, which sometimes affects the scaling and orientation of content, which activates the mode to compress the image so that you can reach it with your thumb, and in this mode, forced rotation may not work properly or be blocked by the interface developers.
For lovers of technical solutions there is a possibility of using ADB-commands to force a change of orientation, which requires connecting the phone to the computer and having debugging on the computer. USB. The team allows you to set a hard orientation value that will ignore the sensors.
adb shell content insert --uri content://settings/system --bind name:s:user_rotation --bind value:i:1In this example, 1 stands for landscape mode, and if you change the number to 0, you return portrait mode, and it's a powerful tool for advanced users to lock the screen in the right position at the system level, which is especially useful for kiosks or presentations.
Codes for changing orientation through ADB
Third-party screen management applications
Xiaomi's regular tools aren't always enough for specific tasks, like if you want to watch videos in an app that doesn't support horizontal mode, or if you want to fix the screen in a specific position for a child, and in those cases, apps come from the Google Play store, and they provide more flexible control over the accelerometer and the software.
One popular solution is Rotation Control, which adds an expanded set of orientation management tools to the notification panel, which not only allows you to turn on and off autorotation, but also forces you to specify a specific orientation for all applications or selectively for certain programs.
Other tools, like Ultimate Rotation Control or Set Orientation, allow you to create profiles, for example, you can set your phone so that when you start your browser, the screen always turns and the settings menu stays vertical, which eliminates the need to constantly (manually) change the settings.
💡
Third-party applications give priority over MIUI system settings, allowing you to forcibly rotate even those programs that do not officially support landscape mode.
When installing such programs, you should pay attention to the permissions requested, they need access to system settings and, in some cases, the right to draw over other windows, this is necessary to display a floating control button or constantly monitor the running application.
Solving sensor problems and calibration
There are situations where the software settings are fine, the applications are installed, but the screen on Xiaomi still does not flip. In this case, there is a high probability of a hardware problem or a malfunction of the G sensor. The gravitational sensor is a microelectronic component that can malfunction after falls, severe vibrations or software errors.
The first thing you need to do when you suspect a malfunction is to calibrate. Xiaomi phones have a hidden engineering menu that is accessed through a set of special code in the Phone app, which allows you to test all the components of the device, including the accelerometer.
To enter the test mode, use the code ##6484##. Once you enter the combination, the CIT menu will open. The list of tests will look for the "Gsensor" or "Accelerometer." Follow the instructions on the screen: you usually need to put the phone on a flat surface and press the calibration button.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Method of decision |
|---|---|---|
| The screen is not responding to a turn | Lockdown on. | Turn off the lock in the curtain. |
| The turn comes with a delay | Low productivity | Close background annexes |
| Image upside down | Calibration failure | Conduct a G-sensor test |
| The turn only works in some applications. | Limitations on PO | Use Rotation Control to Use |
If the calibration doesn't work and the CIT test shows a Failure menu, the problem may be physical, in which case the software methods are powerless, and you'll need to go to a service center to replace the plume or the sensor module itself.
⚠️ Attention: Do not calibrate the sensors with your phone in your hands. To be fine-tuned, the device must lie on a completely flat, stationary horizontal surface.