How to disable screen auto-turning off on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways

Your Xiaomi screen goes out too quickly, interrupting reading, watching videos or playing? This problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones on MIUI — the standard 30 seconds or 1 minute of inactivity is often not enough time. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to increase screen time or turn off its automatic shutdown altogether.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the available methods, from basic settings in the phone menu to hidden features for power users, how to set screen timeouts for different scenarios (like only when charging), which apps will help bypass system limitations, and what to do if the desired Suddenly options have disappeared after the update, and also a unique way to disable screen lock while watching YouTube without root rights, which few people know about.

1. Standard screen waiting time settings

The easiest way to increase the time to automatically turn off the display is to change the settings in the system settings, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12-14 (including global and Chinese firmware).

To find this option:

• 📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon on the desktop).
• 🔍 Go to the Screen (or Display in English version) section).
• ⏱️ Find the Sleep Mode (or Sleep) and tap it.
• 📝 Choose the right value from the list: 15 seconds to 30 minutes (on some models, Never available).

Note: If your phone doesn’t have the Never option, it means the manufacturer has limited the maximum time for safety reasons (overheating, battery drain).

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On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T or Redmi Note 11), an additional Adaptive Shutdown switch appears after the time is selected. It is better to turn off it - it resets the timer at the slightest movement of the phone, which prevents accurate setting.

2. Developer mode: hidden opportunities

If standard options aren't enough, activate Developer Mode, which gives you access to advanced settings, including forced sleep shutdown, which works on all devices running Android 10 and later.

How to turn on the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row (you will be notified “You became a developer!”).
3. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.

Now find the option to "Don't turn off the screen while charging" (or "Stay awake"), turn it on and the display will remain active while the phone is connected to the charger, which is ideal for watching long videos or using the phone as a navigator in the car.

3. Applications for forced screen retention

If the system settings don't work, use third-party utilities that allow you to:

• 🔄 Disable screen auto-disable for individual apps (e.g. YouTube or Google Maps only).
• ⚡ Set different timeouts for charging and battery operation.
• 🛠️ Bypassing restrictions MIUI maximum inactivity.

The best applications for this purpose:

When using these applications, consider:

⚠️ Note: Some utilities (e.g. Stay Alive!) request permission to access special features (in the Developer Settings). → Without it, they won't be able to block the screen from turning off.

4.Configure via ADB (for power users)

If you need to completely disable the screen auto-turn off (including locking when manually pressing the power button), use the ADB command. This method requires a computer and basic knowledge of working with the console, but gives maximum control.

Instructions:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (includes adb.exe).
2. Turn on the phone debugging over USB (Settings → For developers → debugging over USB).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute in the command line:

adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3

Where 3 means “always on” (alternatives: 1 – only when charging, 0 – off).

To return the standard behavior, do:

adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 0

⚠️ Attention: After use ADB-command MIUI (For example, battery optimization may not work properly. Before experimenting, back up your settings!

Install Platform Tools on PC|Enable debugging on USB phone-on|Connect your phone to the original cable|Check the connection with the team `adb devices`-->

5. Features for specific Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi smartphones have unique settings or limitations, and this is what owners of popular models need to know:

• 📱 Xiaomi 13/13 Pro: In MIUI 14 “Do not turn off the screen” option moved to Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → Sleep settings.
• 📱 POCO F5/X5: On these devices, maximum time in standard settings — 10 It takes a minute. ADB root.
• 📱 Redmi Note 12: When using Game Turbo Mode (Settings) → Special facilities → Game mode: The screen does not go out during games, even if the timeout is set for 30 seconds.
• 📱 Xiaomi Pad 5/6: On tablets, the option is Never available by default in screen settings.

For models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra or Redmi K60) If you have to keep the screen on all the time, reduce the brightness to 30-50% or use dark themes.

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On POCO and Redmi with Snapdragon processors, the screen auto-disconnect time depends on the firmware version. After upgrading to MIUI 14, the maximum value can reset to 5 minutes - check the settings after the upgrade!

6.Alternative methods: from widgets to physical solutions

If the software methods are not suitable, try these options:

• 🔄 Do Not Sleep Widget: Some launchers (like Nova Launcher) allow you to add a widget that simulates touching the screen every 30 seconds, which tricks the system into resetting its inactivity timer.
• 🔌 Use of the OTG-Cable: Connect your mouse to the phone via USB-OTG. Even without cursor movements, the system will assume that the device is active.
• 📱 Demonstration mode: Some firmware has a hidden “demo mode” (for example, on Xiaomi Mi). 11). The command is activated: adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.DevelopmentSettings After that, the Demo Mode option will appear in the settings, where you can turn off sleep mode.

For owners of Xiaomi with an IR port (like the Redmi Note 10): you can program the remote control to send a signal every 20 seconds, which will make the phone “think” that you are interacting with it.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Sometimes the settings are reset or not working, and here are the typical situations and ways to fix them:

If the necessary options are missing after the MIUI update, try:

1. Reset the screen settings to standard (Settings → System → Resetting → Reset screen settings).
2. Install an older firmware version via Fastboot (instructions are available on the XDA Developers forum).
3. Use Magisk modules (e.g. MIUI Optimizations) if you have root access.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions