How to make the screen on Xiaomi not go out: all ways to turn off the timeout

Xiaomi’s smartphone screen, which goes out after 15 to 30 seconds of inactivity, can be a serious obstacle: while reading long articles, browsing recipes in the kitchen or using the phone as a navigator. MIUI’s standard settings limit the maximum latency to 10 minutes, but even that is often not enough. Fortunately, there are several ways to get around this limitation, from simple menu changes to hidden features for power users.

In this article, we will discuss all working methods, including official settings, commands via ADB, third-party applications and even hardware solutions for older models. It is important to understand that constant screen operation accelerates battery discharge by 15-25% per hour (data from the Xiaomi Mi 11 and Redmi Note 10 Pro tests), so use these methods only when necessary. If you need to temporarily block the shutdown - for example, for a presentation - just turn on the "Do not disturb" mode with the "Show the screen" setting.

Standard MIUI settings: maximum latency

The easiest way to increase the time to auto-turn off the screen is to change the settings in the settings menu, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12-14 (including global and Chinese firmware), Limit: maximum value is 10 minutes, which may not be enough for some tasks.

To change the timeout:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Screen (or Display on some models).
• ⏱️ Find the item "Sleep mode" or "Screen timeout" (on English firmware - "Sleep").
• 🔢 Select the maximum value of 10 minutes (on some devices, 30 minutes are available if the developer mode is activated).
• 🔒 Confirm the changes. On some models (POCO F3, Xiaomi 12T) You will need to enter the lock password.

If you don't have "Sleep Mode" on your menu, check Settings → Battery and Performance → Power Modes. Some firmwares have screen settings hidden in the "Advanced" submenu.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi 13, Redmi) K50) Constant backlighting can cause pixel burn-in in static images. Use this mode only for dynamic content.

2. Developer Mode: Hidden Options for Advanced Users

Activating developer mode gives you access to additional settings, including the ability to increase screen timeout to 30 minutes or turn it off completely on some models.This method works on MIUI 13/14 and requires the pre-activation of the hidden menu.

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. Return to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers (usually at the bottom of the list).

Now you can change the timeout:

• 🔧 In the "For developers" section, find "Switch off the screen" (or "Stay awake" in English firmware).
• 🔄 Activate the option “Do not turn off the screen when charging” – this will allow the display to work constantly while the device is connected to the network.
• ⏳ To increase the time without recharging, select Screen Timeout and set 30 minutes (if available).

Activate Developer Mode (7 taps according to MIUI)

Connect your phone to charge (recommended)

Check the current version of MIUI (Settings → About Phone)

Backup of important data (Settings) → System system → Backup)-->

On some devices (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi Note 11) the “Stay awake” option may not be available, in which case try an alternative method via ADB (described in the next section).

3. ADB-How to Remove Screen Timeout Permanently

If the standard settings do not work, you can turn off the screen auto-turning via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This method requires connecting the phone to a computer and works on all Xiaomi models with the bootloader unlocked.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (includes adb.exe).
2. Activate Debugging by USB in the Developer Menu.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb devices (should appear a device with a serial number).
4. Execute the command to turn off timeout: adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3 (where 3 — Always on when charging" mode").
5. To completely turn off the timeout (even without charging) use: adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 2147483647 (significance 2147483647 — maximum 32-of a bit system, equivalently ~24 day).

To return the standard settings, do:

adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 300000

(where 300,000 – 5 minutes in milliseconds)

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB They are reset after the phone is reset to factory settings, and some banking applications (for example, SberBank Online) can block work on devices with active debugging. USB.

4. Third-party apps: Keep Screen On and analogues

If you don’t want to mess with settings or commands, you can use specialized tools from Google Play, which allow you to flexibly manage screen time, including activating on a schedule or when you launch certain applications.

To make the applications work correctly on Xiaomi, you need to:

• 🛡️ Disable battery optimization for them: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Battery → No restrictions.
• 🔔 Allow auto-start: Settings → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start.
• 📱 Enable overlay permission (if required): Settings → Special facilities → Overlaying windows.

💡

If the app stopped working after the MIUI update, clear the cache in the settings and restart it, and check if it has been added to the list of "Deep Optimization" in the battery menu.

5. Hardware solutions: charging docks and OTG-device

For older Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 4X, Mi A1) or devices with a damaged proximity sensor, you can use physical methods to keep the screen on. These methods do not require changing software settings and are suitable for phones with a discharged battery.

Options for hardware solutions:

• 🔌 Magnetic-mounted dock: Many charging stations (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Wireless Charging Stand) automatically keep the screen on when connected.
• 🖱️ OTG-Mouse or keyboard: Connect through USB-OTG Mouse adapter and periodically move the cursor – the system will perceive this as user activity.
• 🔋 Power Bank with "Always On" function: Some external batteries (Anker PowerCore, Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3) give a special signal to the phone that blocks sleep mode.
• 📶 Bluetooth remote: Connect a game controller or presentation console (such as Xiaomi Mi Remote) – pressing any button will reset your sleep timer.

For devices with a damaged display (such as after a fall), these methods may be the only way to temporarily restore the screen to work before repair, but remember that a constant connection to charge reduces battery life.

Special modes: navigation, reading, presentations

MIUI has built-in modes that automatically change the behavior of the screen depending on the task, which users often ignore, although they allow you to flexibly manage timeout without manual settings.

Where to look for special modes:

• 📖 Reading Mode: Activated in Settings → Screen. → Read mode: When turned on, increases screen life to 30 minutes and reduces brightness for eye comfort.
• 🚗 Driving Mode: Starts automatically when you connect to Android Auto or through Settings → Connected devices → Driving mode. Turns off sleep mode while navigation is running.
• 🎤 Presentation Mode: Included in Settings → Special facilities → Presentation mode. Locks the screen off and disables notifications.
• 🎮 Game mode: Activates when you start games or manually through the notification curtain. In the mode settings (Settings) → Special facilities → Game mode) you can turn off the screen timeout.

💡

Driving mode automatically turns on when connected to the car's Bluetooth radio. If the screen goes out anyway, check your battery optimization settings for the Android Auto or Mi Car app.

On devices with IR-Port (Xiaomi Mi 10, Redmi Note) 9S) You can use a remote control to simulate activity: just press any button every 5-10 minutes to reset your sleep timer.

7 Problems and Solutions: Why the Screen Dies Despite the Settings

Sometimes even after all the settings change, Xiaomi’s screen keeps turning off, which may be due to software limitations or hardware issues, and let’s look at the typical causes and ways to fix them.

If none of these methods worked, check your phone for viruses or malware that can block system changes. Use Mi Security or Malwarebytes to scan. You should also upgrade to the latest version of the firmware, because older versions of MIUI 11 and below had screen-controlled bugs.

⚠️ Note: On devices with rooted firmware (Magisk, TWRP) Some system settings may not apply due to modified build.prop files. In this case, restore the original file or use the Magisk module to manage the timeout.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen performance on Xiaomi