The appearance of an obscure icon or circle in the corner of the display of a smartphone is often puzzling for owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco. Users are frightened, believing that the device is infected with a virus or is being watched by attackers. In fact, in most cases, these are regular features of the MIUI or HyperOS system, designed to improve the security or usability of the gadget.
Modern versions of the Android shell based on firmware from the Chinese manufacturer are introducing new visual markers, these indicators signal the work of background processes, access to confidential modules or activate special navigation modes, each owner needs to understand their purpose in order to monitor the operation of their smartphone.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the possible options for the appearance of round icons, learn to distinguish between system notifications and accessibility features, and easily disable those that you do not need, which will clean the interface and return the usual appearance of the desktop.
Privacy Indicators: Camera and Microphone
Starting with Android 12 and the corresponding versions of MIUI 13/14, an important data protection feature has been introduced in the system, and if you notice a small green or orange circle in the upper right corner of the screen (usually in the status bar area), it means that some app is using a camera or microphone right now.
The green light indicates the camera is working, and it could be a camera app running, a voice recorder, a video call messenger, or even malware trying to take a picture without you knowing it, and the orange dot indicates that the microphone is activated, often with a voice assistant, a sound recording, or a call.
⚠️ Warning: If the indicator lights up when you are not using any applications, immediately check the list of running processes.
You can't remove this whole circle, because it's a system restriction of Google's security, but you can find out which app is causing it to appear, and you just swipe the notification curtain down and find the corresponding camera or microphone icon, and you click on it and you'll see the name of the program that has access to the sensors.
Why can’t you turn off privacy indicators?
If you want to deny access to a particular application, go to settings. Find the Privacy Protection section and select Permission Management. You can set the rights for each software you install in detail here.
Touch Assist (Floating Ball)
Another common variant of a circle is a semi-transparent sphere that moves freely across the screen and contains a menu with buttons, a feature called Touch Assist or Floating Ball, which is designed to make navigation easier, especially on large screens or if touch buttons are not working properly.
Inside this ball, you'll usually have shortcuts to go back, to the home screen, to lock the device, or to start a screenshot, and many users will accidentally activate this feature by repeatedly tapping the on area or through the special features menu, and you can remove this element through the system settings.
To turn off the obsessive ball, perform the following actions:
- 📱 Open the “Settings” menu of your Xiaomi.
- 🔍 Go to the "Additional" or "Extended settings" section».
- 🖱️ Find the "Floating Ball" (Touch Assist).
- 🚫 Turn the switch to the "off" position».
☑️ Checking the Touch Assist settings
Once the function is disabled, the circle will disappear from the screen instantly. If it remains, another accessibility mode, such as “Increase” or “Inversion of colors”, may also have their own visual markers in the form of buttons or frames, may be activated.
Developer Mode and Debugging by USB
Sometimes users trying to flash the phone or install it ADB-drivers accidentally turn on debugging mode, in which case an Android robot icon or a sign that says "Debug by Debugging" may appear at the top of the screen or in the corner. USB», It sometimes looks like a small circle with a symbol.
This mode allows a computer to gain full access to the phone's file system, which is unnecessary and potentially dangerous for the average user if you plug it into someone else's charger in a public place, and can be used by attackers to use an open debugging port to steal data.
⚠️ Note: Do not turn on the developer mode and debugging USB, If you don't know exactly why you want it, it reduces the overall security of the device.
To remove this indicator and turn off the mode, go to Settings → About Phone. Find the line MIUI Version or OS Version and quickly click on it 7-10 times until the message “You are already a developer” appears (or vice versa, the mode will reset). Then in the “Additional” menu → “Developers” turn off the USB Debugging Toolbox.
If you can't find the developer menu, try simply rebooting the smartphone.In some cases, the temporary bugs of the launcher interface can leave artifacts on the screen that disappear after the restart.
Comparison of indicators on the screen Xiaomi
To make it easier for you to identify the object that has appeared, we have prepared a summary table of the main visual markers, and differences in color and location will help you quickly understand what function you are facing.
| Appearance | Colour | Location. | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point | Green. | Status bar (top) | Use of the camera |
| Point | Orange | Status bar (top) | Use of microphone |
| semi-transparent ball | Grey/White | Anywhere on the screen | Touch Assist (assistant) |
| Number circle | Different. | On the app icon | Notice (badge) |
| Roundabout | Blue/Green | Around the icon | Focus mode |
Note that the numbered circles on the app icons are standard missed calls or messages notifications, and can be turned off for each app separately by long-term clicking on the icon and selecting Notifications.
Focus Mode and Digital Well-Being
Modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS have tools to monitor your phone’s time, and Digital Well-Being or Focus Mode can visually highlight the apps you’ve chosen to limit.
When the mode is active, the icons of blocked applications can be surrounded by a gray or color circle, and they themselves become pale, this is done to reduce the user's distraction to social networks and games, and you can remove this effect by turning off concentration mode.
To manage these settings:
- ⏱️ Go to "Settings» → «Digital well-being».
- 🎯 Select “Focus Mode” or “Use Time».
- 🛑 Click “Disable” or remove selected apps from the list of restrictions.
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Use focus mode while working or studying to keep your phone from distracting you with notifications, but remember to turn it off in the evening for a good rest.
Also worth checking is the Game Turbo settings: If you've recently logged out, the acceleration or screen recording icon can remain as a floating window or a small circle, and can be removed by swiping to the side or clicking on the cross inside the widget.
Screen artifacts and touchscreen problems
Hardware problems can't be ruled out, too. If circles appear chaotic, change color, flicker or stay in place even after a reboot, the display matrix or plume may be damaged, and this behavior is also characteristic of broken pixels or touchscreen sticking.
You can check the integrity of the sensor using the engineering menu. Enter the code ##6484## in the Phone app. The CIT menu will open. Select Touch and follow the instructions to check the response of the screen throughout the area.
##6484##
(Input in the appendix Telephone)If you find areas that are not responsive to clicks, or "phantom" touches that draw circles without you, you will need repairs at the service center.
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Software circles disappear after a function is rebooted or disabled, and hardware defects (broken pixels, sticking) remain constant and require a screen replacement.