How to turn the screen on the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi: 5 working ways

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones support automatic and manual change of screen orientation, but this feature does not always work intuitively. If you are trying to watch video in horizontal mode, but the screen stubbornly remains vertical — or vice versa — the problem can lie in settings, sensors or even software failures. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to turn the screen, including hidden MIUI functions and solutions for non-standard situations.

The Redmi smartphone is very different from the Redmi device because it often changes the settings depending on the MIUI version and the device model. For example, on the Redmi Note 12, the path to autorotate is different from the Redmi 9A. We took these nuances into account and collected universal instructions that will work for most devices in the series, and you will also learn how to forcefully block orientation for individual applications or, conversely, unlock it if the system “forgot” to return the screen to its original position.

1. Enabling autorotating of the screen through the notification panel

The fastest way to change orientation is to use the Quick Settings Panel, which works on all Redmi models, regardless of the MIUI version.

To activate the autopivot:

• 📱 Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
• 🔄 Find the Autoporot icon** (usually depicted as a phone with two arrows in a circle). If it is not, swipe left to open the additional buttons.
• 🔘 Stick the icon once. If it lights up, it's active.

If the icon is not in the panel, it can be added manually:

1. Open the notification panel and tap on the pencil (✏️) or “Edit».
2. Find the "Turn" list and drag it to the active area.
3. Save the changes.

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Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) The autoturn icon is hidden behind the button "More» (⋮) notification-bar.

⚠️ Warning: If the screen still doesn't respond to the tilt after turning on autorotor, check if the rotation in the app itself is blocked (for example, in YouTube or TikTok.

2. Set up autorotation in the menu of parameters

If you don't have fast access or it doesn't work, you can turn on autorotation through the system settings, and the path may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI:

For MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Go to Settings → Display.
2. Select Screen Autoturn.
3. Activate the switch.

For older versions (MIUI 11 and below):

1. Open Settings → System and device → Additional → Autoturn.
2. Turn on the function.

If the item "Autoporate" is not in the Display menu, try searching by settings:

• 🔍 Slip on the magnifier in the upper right corner of the settings.
• 📝 Enter “Turnover” and select the partition found.

3. Forced screen rotation by gestures

Redmi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later have a hidden forced-rotation feature that works even if the autorotation is turned off, which is useful when the orientation sensor is broken or you want to temporarily change the position of the screen.

How to do this:

• 🔄 Turn the phone in the right position (horizontal or vertical).
• 👆 On the screen will appear a small icon of the lock with an arrow (in the lower right or upper corner).
• 🔘 Slip on it - the screen will be fixed in the current orientation.

If the icon does not appear, check:

1. Is the item Show the Turn button (located in Settings → Display → Autoturn → Additional) included in the settings?
2. Navigation gestures are disabled (they may conflict with the function).

4. Screen rotation for individual applications

Some programs (such as Instagram or Google Maps) block autorotation by default, to unlock orientation for a particular application:

Method 1: through the MIUI settings

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the appropriate app (e.g. YouTube).
3. Slip the Permits. → Additionally. → Crash-turn.
4. Choose Permission.

Method 2: Using third-party utilities

If system settings don't work, use apps like Set Orientation (available on Google Play).

• 🔒 Fix orientation for individual programs.
• 🔄 Forced to turn the screen even if the autoturn is turned off.
• 📱 Create exceptions for games and videos.

⚠️ Note: Forced Turning Apps Require “Overlaying Over Other Windows” Rights»** (SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW). Without this permission, they won't work. To issue it, go to Settings. → Annexes → Special access → Overlaying on top of other applications.

5. Troubleshooting: Why the screen doesn't turn

If none of these methods worked, the problem may be related to:

• 🔧 Failure of orientation sensor (accelometer or gyroscope).
• 🐛 Software bug after update MIUI.
• 🔒 shell conflict (for example, after installing a custom launcher).
• 🛠️ Hardware breakdown (after falling or getting moisture).

Sensor diagnostics:

1. Install the Sensor Test or Phone Doctor Plus app from Google Play.
2. Run the accelerometer and gyroscope test.
3. If the readings do not change when turning the phone, the sensor is defective.

Resetting:

If the problem is software, try:

• 🔄 Restart your phone in Safe Mode (click the power button) → «Safe Mode Reboot. If it's a turnaround, it's the third-party app's fault.
• 🧹 Reset the Display settings to factory (Settings) → Display. → Resetting settings).
• 📲 Reset all phone settings (Settings) → The phone. → Reset settings), but make a backup copy beforehand.

Check if the autoturn is enabled in the notification panel

Test the sensors through the Sensor Test

Restart your phone in safe mode

Update MIUI to the latest version

Reset the screen settings

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The Redmi Note 10 Pro and Redmi K40 have been hit by a self-rotating bug after upgrading to MIUI 13.0.5, so you can either roll back to MIUI 13.0.4 or upgrade to 13.0.6 and later.

6. Alternative methods: ADB and engineering menu

For power users, there are advanced screen orientation management techniques.

Method 1: through ADB (without root)

If you connect Redmi to your computer, you can force the orientation through ADB commands:

adb shell content insert --uri content://settings/system --bind name:s:accelerometer_rotation --bind value:i:1


adb shell content insert --uri content://settings/system --bind name:s:user_rotation --bind value:i:0

Where value:i:1 is turning on autorotate, value:i:0 is turning off.

adb shell settings put system user_rotation 1

Method 2: Engineering menu

Warning: Changes to the engineering menu can cause the phone to function unstable.

1. Open the Phone app and type ##4636##.
2. Go to Testing → Sensor Test.
3. Check the sensors' response to the turns.
4. If the Accelerometer readings do not change, the sensor is defective.

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Use ADB and the engineering menu only if other methods have not worked. Incorrect commands can disrupt the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning the screen on Redmi