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

Xiaomi’s smartphone screen, which goes out after 30 seconds or a minute of inactivity, can be a serious annoyance. Especially when you’re reading a long article, watching a recipe in the kitchen, or using your phone as a navigator in the car. Fortunately, MIUI has several ways to increase the time before the display is turned off — or even turn it off altogether. But not all of them are obvious: some parameters are hidden in the depths of the settings, and it will even require a computer connection to completely turn off the timeout.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the working methods, from standard settings to advanced tricks with ADB and third-party apps, and learn how to change screen timeouts on Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Xiaomi 13 and other devices with MIUI 12/13/14.

1. Standard screen waiting time settings

The easiest way is to change the timeout through the settings menu, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones without root rights or additional software.

1. Open the Settings app** (cog icon).
2. Go to the Display section (or the Screen on some versions of MIUI).
3. Click on Sleep Mode (sometimes called screen timeout or screen shutdown).
4. Choose the maximum value – usually 10 minutes or 30 minutes.

On newer versions of MIUI 14, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Display → Additional → Sleeping. If you don’t have “Advanced” displayed, try swiping the settings screen to the left — sometimes the settings are hidden in the second tab.

Limitation: Even the maximum value in settings (30 minutes) does not turn off the timeout completely. If you want the screen to never go out, read the following sections.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) After selecting 10 minutes, the screen still goes out after 5 minutes. MIUI Or use alternative methods from this article.

2. Developer Mode: Hidden Timeout Settings

MIUI has a hidden mode for developers, where you can set unlimited screen time — but only when you connect to a charger. This method does not require root, but you need to activate a special menu:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and click on 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 Developer section (usually at the bottom of the list).
4. Scroll down and find the option Screen is always on when charging (or Don't turn off screen when charging).
5. Activate the switch.

Now that the phone is connected to the charger, the display won't go out even after 30 minutes. Importantly, this mode only works when you're charging actively -- if you turn off the cable, the timeout will go back to standard settings.

If you need to keep the screen from going out at all times (including on the battery), go to the ADB method.

3. ADB-commands to completely shut down timeout

To fully control screen time, you’ll need to connect your phone to your computer and use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that works on all Xiaomi models, but requires pre-configuration:

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC (download from the official website)

Enable debugging over USB in the developer settings

Download the ADB Tools platform from Google

Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable-->

When you are ready, follow the following steps:

1. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) in the folder with adb.exe.
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear serial number of your device.
3. Use the command to turn off timeout: adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3 Here. 3 It means “always on” (both on the battery and when charging).
4. Reboot the phone.

After that, the screen will never go out, regardless of the power source. To return the standard behavior, run the same command with the parameter 0:

adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 0

⚠️ Attention: Always on screen significantly reduces battery life. AMOLED-display (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) battery consumption will be less than on the IPS-screens (Redmi) 9A), But it's still noticeable. Use this method only when necessary.

4. Third-party screen control applications

If you don’t want to mess with ADB, you can install a special app from Google Play.

• 🔹 Keep Screen On is a simple utility with a widget for quick switching on / off constant backlighting. It works even on a locked screen (you need to give permission in the special features settings).
• 🔹 Caffeine – Adds a button to the notification panel to temporarily turn off the timeout, useful if you need to keep the screen on only in certain situations (for example, while navigating).
• 🔹 Stay Alive! – Advanced screen control settings, including app-specific exceptions (e.g., to keep the screen from going out only in Google Maps).

When you first run any of these applications, the system will ask permission to Overlay over other windows and Ignore battery optimization. Be sure to grant these rights, otherwise the program will not be able to block the screen from turning off.

The disadvantage of third-party utilities is that they consume additional RAM and can conflict with the energy-saving functions of MIUI. If after installation the phone began to slow down, try adding the application to the optimization exceptions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app you want (like Keep Screen On) and select Battery Limitation.
3. Set the value without limits.

5. Settings for specific applications

Sometimes the screen only needs to be turned on in certain programs, such as YouTube, Google Maps or Waze, and MIUI has a built-in feature for this, but it doesn’t work on all models:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (such as the Navigator).
3. Click on Battery Limitation and select No Limits.
4. Go back and turn on the option to Lock Autoturn (sometimes this indirectly affects the timeout).

If the built-in settings don’t help, use the Stay Alive! app from the previous section – it has a white list of apps feature where you can specify programs for which the screen should not go out.

6.Why settings are reset and how to fix it

Many Xiaomi users are faced with a problem: after updating MIUI or rebooting, the phone starts to turn off the screen again after 30 seconds.

• 🔄 Resetting energy-saving settings — MIUI Automatically optimizes work after updates.
• 🔋 Adaptive Battery features** that ignore manual timeout settings.
• 📱 Restrictions on background processes – the system can force the applications that control the screen to “sleep.

To make changes, do the following:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
2. Select Settings → High Performance Mode (or No Limits on some models).
3. Turn off the option Adaptive Battery (if you have one in your MIUI version).
4. For third-party applications (such as Keep Screen On), install No Limits in Battery Limitation.

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If menu items (such as Sleep Mode) are missing after the MIUI update, try resetting the Settings app: Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Settings → Storage → Clear Data. This will return standard settings without resetting user data.

On models with MIUI 14 and later, it is also recommended to disable the MIUI Optimization function:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI logo 10 times until the message “Optimization is disabled” appears.

7. Hardware causes of early screen shutdown

If the screen goes out instantly (after 1-5 seconds) or behaves unpredictably, the problem may not be in the settings, but in:

• 🔌 Faulty proximity sensor, the phone thinks you're talking, and the display turns off.
• 🔋 Worn-out battery – at a low charge level (less than 5%), the system forcibly extinguishes the screen to save energy.
• 📱 Damaged display plume – if the screen flickers before turning off, it could be a mechanical fault.
• 🦠 Viruses or malware – some programs block the screen to mask their activity.

For diagnosis:

1. Check the approximation sensor with the help of the engineering menu: ##6484## (some models may have different code).
2. Install the AccuBattery app to check the battery status.
3. Scan your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or the built-in MIUI Security scanner.

⚠️ Warning: If the screen goes out immediately after unlocking (within 1 second), this may be a sign of hardware damage, in which case only repairs in the service center will help. AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T) High risk of damaging the display at the opening.

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If the problem occurs after a phone drop or moisture, it is likely a hardware malfunction, in which case no software settings will help - you need a diagnosis in the service center.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi screen timeout