How to make Xiaomi screen does not go out: all ways for MIUI

Your Xiaomi screen is constantly going out at the most inopportune moment? It's annoying when you read a long article, watch a video, or play mobile games. By default, MIUI smartphones turn off the display after 30 seconds of inactivity to save battery life. But what if you want the screen to stay on longer -- or never turn off at all?

In this article, we’ll look at 7 working ways to turn off screen auto-switching on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, from standard settings to hidden features and third-party apps. You’ll learn how to set screen timeouts for specific tasks: for games, navigation, reading or watching movies. And also why settings are sometimes reset and how to fix it.

1. Standard MIUI settings: changing screen timeout

The easiest way to increase the time to turn off the screen is through the settings menu, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later (including Redmi Note 11, Xiaomi 13, POCO F5, etc.).

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings app (cog icon).
• ⚙️ Go to the Display section (or the Screen on some firmware).
• ⏳ Find the Sleep item after (or screen timeout).
• 🔢 Choose the maximum value – usually 10 minutes or 30 minutes.

Note that on some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12T) the maximum time can be limited to 5 minutes, in which case you will have to use alternative methods in the following sections.

Important: After the MIUI update, the timeout settings may reset. To avoid this, record the current settings using the MIUI Laboratory (see section 4 for more).

2. Do not disturb mode for constant illumination

If you want Xiaomi’s screen to stay on during a specific action (such as using a navigator or watching a presentation), turn on the Do Not Disturb mode with special settings. This method does not cancel the timeout completely, but allows you to bypass it for individual applications.

How to set up:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Do not disturb.
2. Select Application Permissions.
3. Find the app you want (like Google Maps or YouTube) and let it ignore battery optimization.
4. Return to the basic settings of Do Not Disturb and activate the mode manually.

Now, when you run the app, the screen won't go out, even if you don't touch the smartphone, and the downside is, you'll have to turn on the mode manually every time.

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To quickly turn on Do Not Disturb, add its widget to the home screen or notification bar.

3. Hidden function "Always on display" (AOD)

On smartphones Xiaomi with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi) K60) function AOD (Always-On Display, which displays time, notifications and other data even when the screen is off, but it can be adapted to keep the display from going out completely.

How to turn on:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Display. → Always on display.
• 🎨 Select the display style (e.g., Dial or Minimalist).
• ⏱️ Set a schedule or turn on the mode Always.
• 🔄 Turn on the option to Show when connecting charging (if necessary).

It's important: AOD works only AMOLED-matrices and consumes up to 5-7% charge per hour. LCD-screens (e.g. Redmi) 10) This function is not.

4. MIUI Lab: Hidden Timeout Settings

MIUI has a hidden menu called MIUI Lab, where you can change system settings that are not available in standard settings, and you can increase the screen timeout to 1 hour or turn it off completely.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 5-7 times on the MIUI version until you become a developer!
3. Go back to the basic settings and find the new Advanced Settings → MIUI Lab.
4. Select the screen timeout and set the desired value (up to 60 minutes or Never).

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Warning: A change in the parameters in the MIUI Lab can lead to unstable operation of the system. If after the changes the smartphone began to slow down, reset the laboratory settings to standard.

Make a backup copy of the data

Charge your phone at least 50%

Remember the current screen settings

Do not change other parameters in the laboratory. MIUI-->

5. applications for forced wake lock (sleep blocking)

If the system settings don't work, use third-party apps that force the screen to be turned on.

• 🔄 Caffeine – Adds a button to the notification panel to quickly turn on/off sleep block.
• ☕ Keep Screen On – allows you to configure exceptions for individual apps (for example, only for YouTube or Waze).
• 📱 Stay Alive – Advanced settings, including brightness control and sleep blocking when charging.

How to set up Keep Screen On:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and grant permission to Overlay over other windows.
3. Select applications for which you need to turn off timeout.
4. Activate the mode Keep the screen on.

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Warning: Some sleep-blocking apps require permission Special access in security settings. Without that, they won't work properly.

6. ADB-commands to completely shut down timeout

For advanced users, there is a way to turn off screen auto-switch permanently via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) - a system change that won't reset once you reboot.

Instructions:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) → Additional → For Developers.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.
3. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3

This command will keep the screen on:

• 🔌 When connected to charging (3)
• 🔋 Only when connected to USB (1)
• ⚡ Only when connected to a network charging (2)

To return the standard settings, do:

adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 0

7. Alternative methods: from the proximity sensor to automatic rules

If none of the methods worked, try to trick the system with the help of non-standard solutions:

• 👁️ Approximation sensor: stick a piece of tape on the sensor (near the front camera). The system will "think" that you are holding the phone to your face (for example, during a call), and the screen will not go out.
• 🔄 Automation with MacroDroid: Create a rule that simulates touching the screen every 20 seconds. To do this, select the screen trigger on and click on coordinates (for example, in the corner of the screen).
• 📡 Modem mode: If you turn on Wi-Fi Access Point in your settings, some Xiaomi models don’t turn off the screen while other devices are connected to them.

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Attention: Using a proximity sensor to trick the system can cause sensors to malfunction. After completing the task, remove the tape and restart the phone.

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The most reliable way is to combine system settings (MIUI Lab) and Stay Alive applications, which gives you flexibility for different scenarios without risk to the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off screen auto-switching