How to make the screen go off when talking to Xiaomi: all the ways of 2026

Why Xiaomi screen doesn’t go out during a call and how to fix it

Have you ever encountered a situation where, during a phone conversation on Xiaomi, the screen stays on, draining the battery and causing inconvenience? This problem is especially relevant for owners of Redmi, Poco and Mi smartphones with MIUI firmware. By default, many models do not turn off the display when you hold it to the ear, which leads to accidental pressing, rapid battery discharge and even overheating of the device.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 working ways to make the screen go out during a call, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features and third-party applications. You’ll learn why the proximity sensor may not work, how to check it and what to do if a problem is caused by a software failure. Instructions are suitable for all current Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12/13, Poco X5/F5, Mi 11/12/13 and others.

Important: some methods require developer rights or additional software installation, and we have marked such cases with special marks so that you can choose the most convenient option for yourself.

Method 1: Enabling the proximity sensor in the MIUI settings

The simplest and most obvious way is to activate the proximity sensor, which is responsible for turning off the screen when you bring the phone to your ear. MIUI This feature is sometimes disabled after updates or resets.

To turn it on:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the phone app in the list and tap it.
3. Select Permissions → Other permits.
4. Make sure the switch opposite the Approximation Sensor is active (blue slider).

If the sensor is already on, but the screen is still on, the problem may be in calibrating the sensor or in the physical damage, which we'll talk about in the next section.

Method 2: Calibration of the proximity sensor through the engineering menu

The proximity sensor on Xiaomi may not work properly due to calibration failure, especially after a phone falls or a protective glass/case is installed that interferes with the sensor, and you can fix the problem through the engineering menu.

For calibration:

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##6484###
2. You’ll be taken to the MTK Engineer Mode menu (for MediaTek processors) or Qualcomm Service Menu (for Snapdragon).
3. Select Hardware Testing → Sensor → Proximity Sensor.
4. Press Calibrate and follow the instructions on the screen (usually put your phone on a flat surface and wait 10-15 seconds).

After calibration, check the sensor: cover the top of the phone with your hand, the screen should go out, and with the hand removed, it should light up again. If this does not happen, it may be physically damaged or closed with an inappropriate accessory.

Method 3: Use the "Screen Turns Off When Calling" function in MIUI

The latest versions of MIUI 13/14 have a separate setting that turns off the screen while you talk, and it's hidden in the feature menu, and many users don't know about it.

To activate it:

1. Go to Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Choose Physical Opportunities → Gesture management.
3. Scroll down and find the option Screen turns off when you call (or Auto screen-off during calls in English firmware).
4. Activate the switch.

This feature works independently of the proximity sensor and forcedoze mode, and if it is not in your version of MIUI, try updating the firmware or using alternative methods from this article.

Make sure there is no protective film in the sensor area on the phone.

Remove the cover (especially with metal elements)

Check your phone for physical damage to the top panel

- Update. MIUI last-minute-->

Method 4: Third-party applications for forced screen shutdown

If standard methods don’t work, you can use third-party utilities, which are especially useful for older Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 4X, Mi A1), where the proximity sensor is unstable.

Top.-3 tested applications:

• 🔹 Proximity Sensor Fix automatically turns off the screen when you call if the sensor doesn't work".
• 🔹 Screen Off and Lock – adds a widget to force the display to turn off (you can assign to the volume button).
• 🔹 Gravity Screen – uses a gyroscope to determine the position of the phone and turns off the screen when you bring it to your ear.

Warning: Before installing, check the compatibility reviews with your Xiaomi model.Some apps require availability permission (Settings → Special Features → Availability Services), which may affect security.

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If after installing the application, the screen stopped responding to touch, turn it off in the settings "Device Administrators" (Settings → Passwords and security → Device Administrators).

Method 5: Reset sensor settings (for power users)

In rare cases, the problem lies in the system files that control the sensors, and if previous methods have not worked, you can try resetting the sensors through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

For this:

1. Turn on Developer Mode (7 times tap the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command in the terminal: adb shell settings put system proximity_delay 0
4. Reset the device.

This command resets the proximity sensor delay. If the problem persists after the reboot, try a full reset (Settings → About Phone → Reset), but note that this will delete all data from the phone.

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Before resetting your settings via ADB, back up your data! the adb backup command will help save contacts, SMS and application settings.

Table: Compatibility of methods with popular Xiaomi models

If your model is not in the table, focus on the MIUI version:

MIUI 14+: All methods are supported except the engineering menu on flagships.

MIUI 12–13: There may be no feature in the special features settings.

MIUI 11 and below: Most often, only third-party applications or calibration help.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many Xiaomi users face typical problems when setting up a screen to turn off, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🚫 The screen goes out, but does not turn back on. → Check the sensor sensitivity in the engineering menu or reduce latency with the adb shell settings put system command. proximity_delay 500.
• 🚫 The sensor only works with headphones. → Turn off Bluetooth headphones before calling or update your firmware.
• 🚫 The screen flashes while talking → It's a sign of conflict with the safety glass. Try removing it or using it thinner.

Critical information: On Xiaomi models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Mi 11 Ultra, Poco) F4 GT) Prolonged active proximity sensors can cause pixels to burn out at the top of the display. To avoid this, use the "Screen off when you call" function instead of constantly activating the sensor.

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If you make frequent calls with headphones, turn off the proximity sensor altogether: Settings → Apps → Phone → Permissions → Approach Sensor (switch off).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions