How to make the phone screen not turn off on Xiaomi Redmi

Modern Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have powerful AMOLED and IPS matrices that delight the eye with bright colors, but their automatic locking often occurs at the most inopportune moment. Users often face a situation when while reading long articles, viewing recipes or navigating the map, the display goes out, forcing them to constantly reach for the power button. This is not just a minor inconvenience, but a real obstacle to comfortable use of the device in certain scenarios.

Android, which runs on top of a MIUI or HyperOS shell, has power-saving algorithms that default to shutting down the screen after 30 or 60 seconds of inactivity. However, smartphones allow you to flexibly manage this setting, increasing the time to maximum values or turning off the timer altogether. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to solve the problem, from standard settings to hidden engineering menus.

It should be noted that completely turning off the backlight requires careful attention to battery charge. If you plan to use the phone in the constant display mode, it is better to keep the device connected to the power source. Next, we will take a detailed look at how to adjust the sleep timer and what are the workarounds for specific tasks.

Standard lock timer settings in MIUI

The most obvious and safe way to change the system behavior is to use the built-in settings menu. Manufacturers have provided the ability to extend the screen time to 10 minutes, which is suitable for most household tasks. To access these parameters, you need to go to the Settings section, then select the Lock screen or the Screen and brightness, depending on the version of the shell, where you will find the option Sleep mode, where you can select the desired spacing.

However, in some firmware versions, the maximum available time is limited to one or two minutes, which may not be enough to read technical documents or work with drawings. In this case, the system offers a "Do not turn off" function, but it is often hidden or only available when connected to the charger, this is done to protect the matrix from pixel burnout, especially on the main circuit. AMOLED-screen.

If you don't like the standard time slider, you should look at additional accessibility features, and the feature menu often hides tools that allow you to control the behavior of the screen in more detail, for example, you can adjust the reaction to a look or voice commands, which indirectly solves the problem of sudden cancelling.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Screen and brightness → Sleeping mode.
• ⏱ Choose the maximum available time (usually up to 10 minutes).
• 🔋 Check if the "Do not turn off" option is active".
• 👁 Learn the section "Special Opportunities" for alternative management methods.

⚠️ Attention: Setting maximum screen time significantly increases battery consumption. If you forget your phone in your bag with an active display, it can discharge faster than usual.

Using Developer Mode and Debugging over USB

For more advanced users who don't have the standard constraints, there's the option of activating the developer menu, which is a hidden part of the system that's designed to test applications, but contains useful features for regular Redmi owners. To get there, you need to click on the build number several times in the About section. Once activated, a new Developers item will appear in the settings menu.

Inside this section is a critical option called "Don't Turn Off the Screen" (or "Stay Awaken" in English), which when activated, the smartphone's display stops fading when charging, regardless of the timer settings, ideal for using the phone as a desktop clock, smart home panel or navigator in a car.

It's important to understand the difference between a regular timer and a developer mode. Standard setting works all the time, but it has a time limit, and developer mode removes the limit completely, but only when connected to the power supply, and it's a protective mechanism to prevent the battery from accidentally landing to zero.

In addition, you can find animation and zoom settings in the developer menu that also affect how the interface works. Although they do not directly address the sleep timer, complex settings make the device more comfortable to use. You should not change the values in the section if you are not sure about their purpose, as this can lead to unstable system operation.

Applications for permanent screen burning

If there are not enough system tools, third-party solutions come to the rescue from the Google Play store. There are many utilities designed specifically to keep the screen active, such as Keep Screen On or Caffeine. These applications work on the principle of emulating activity, preventing the system from going to sleep, and often have more flexible settings than the standard MIUI shell.

The thing about these programs is that you can create profiles, and you can set the app so that the screen doesn't go out only in certain programs, like a browser or a reader, and otherwise it runs a regular timer, so you can save energy when you don't really need the feature, and turn it on only on demand.

When installing third-party software, you should be careful about the permissions you request. Some applications may require access to contacts or geolocation, which has nothing to do with screen management. Choose proven utilities with a high rating and a minimum set of rights.

• 🛡 Choose apps with the minimum number of permissions requested.
• 📱 Make sure the program is compatible with your version of Android.
• 🔋 Check for ads that can override content.
• ⚙ Set up work profiles for different applications.

Specificity of AMOLED matrices and burnout

Owners of Redmi’s flagship and mid-range AMOLED display models should be especially careful when turning off their sleep timer. Organic LED technology means that each pixel glows independently. If a static image (such as a navigator interface or a line of text) is on the screen for a long time, these pixels degrade faster than others.

This process is called burnout, and unlike IPS arrays, it's virtually irreversible on AMOLED, and faint shadows or ghosting can appear on the screen, remnants of the previous image that are visible even on a white background, which is why manufacturers often limit maximum screen time or hide the function of completely turning off the timer.

To minimize the risks, it is recommended to use dark themes if the application supports night mode. In a dark theme, the black pixels on AMOLED screens are simply turned off, which reduces the load on the matrix and saves battery power. It is also useful to periodically zoom in on the image or scroll through the content if possible.

⚠️ Warning: Prolonged display of a static channel logo or game interface elements at maximum brightness can result in a residual image that will not disappear after a reboot.

Engineering menus and hidden commands

For users who are not afraid to experiment with system parameters, there is access to the engineering menu through special systems. USSD-Xiaomi devices often run code ##6484##, which opens the test menu. CIT. Although direct change of the sleep timer is rare there, you can check the operation of the proximity sensor, which also affects the screen quenching during a conversation.

Sometimes the problem is not the timing settings, but the faulty sensor. If the phone reaches your ear and the screen goes out even though you don't call, it's stuck or contaminated. In the CIT menu, you can run a Proximity Sensor test and calibration that solves the problem of false quenching, which is a common situation after the protective glass is glued or the device falls.

There are also ADB-You can then use a command to change the system timers through your computer, and you can plug your phone into your PC in debugging mode, and you can type a command that will force you to set the timer in milliseconds. However, this method requires drivers and basic command line knowledge, so it is not recommended for beginners.

adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 600000

The above command will set the timer to 600,000 milliseconds (10 minutes). The value can be changed, but it is worth remembering reasonable limits. Excessive values can lead to the system resetting itself when rebooting, as they will conflict with the shell security policies.

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Before entering any commands via ADB or changing the settings in the engineering menu, make a full backup of the data to avoid losing important information in the event of a crash.

Solving proximity sensor problems

Often users confuse the inactivity timer with the approach sensor. If your Redmi screen turns off as soon as you pick up your phone or hold it to your face, the problem lies in the sensor calibration. The MIUI shell has a built-in calibration utility that is located along the Settings path → About Phone → All settings → Version of the kernel (you need to press several times) or through the CIT menu.

Sensor malfunctions can be caused by software failure or physical contamination. The top of the screen where the front camera and sensors are located must be clean. Poor quality protective films or improperly pasted glass can override the sensor, making the phone think it is in your pocket.

If calibration doesn’t work, try resetting all applications or performing a full reset to factory settings. Before doing so, make sure the problem isn’t related to a particular application, causing the lock screen. In some cases, disabling Pocket Mode in lock settings helps if that option is available in your firmware version.

• 🧹 Wipe the top of the screen with a soft cloth without pile.
• 🔄 Remove the protective glass and check the sensor without it.
• ⚙ Calibrate through the Engineering Menu CIT.
• 📵 Turn off the "In your pocket" mode in the lock screen settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The optimal solution for most scenarios is to use the developer mode “Do not turn off the screen” in conjunction with the connection to charging, which guarantees stable operation without the risk of deep battery discharge.