The appearance of a mysterious crescent icon in the status bar of a Xiaomi smartphone is often puzzling, a symbol that signals that the device has activated Do Not Disturb mode or set up an automatic sleep mode, in which the phone restricts incoming notifications and calls to avoid disturbing the rest of the owner.
However, if you haven't set these settings yourself, activation can be accidental or a consequence of third-party applications. Understanding how MIUI and HyperOS work will help you quickly return the gadget to normal mode, and we'll look at all the possible causes of this icon and how to fix it.
It is important to know that ignoring this icon can lead to missing important calls or messages. So if you notice a crescent, you should check the system settings right away. Below are detailed steps to deactivate the various functions behind this symbol.
Do Not Disturb as the Main Reason
The most common cause of crescent is the activated Do Not Disturb mode. Unlike the simple silent mode, this feature completely blocks audio and visual alerts, as well as vibration. Xiaomi's system specifically marks this status with the moon icon so that the user does not forget to turn it on.
You can check the status of this feature through the Control Panel, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen (or from the left, depending on the navigation settings), find a button with a crescent image, if it is illuminated in blue or orange, then the mode is active.
- 🌙 Click on the crescent icon in the notification curtain for a quick shutdown.
- ⚙️ Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration → Do not disturb for detailed settings.
- 🔕 Make sure the “Do Not Disturb” switch is in the “Off” position».
- 📅 Check if you have an automatic switching schedule.
In some cases, users accidentally activate this mode by pulling the phone out of their pocket, and the quick access button may be placed too close to other controls, and if the crescent appears regularly at the same time, then the system has an automatic schedule set up.
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Use the Google Assistant or Xiao AI voice assistant by saying “Switch off Do Not Disturb” if you can’t find the button on the menu.
Setting up and turning off sleep mode in Xiaomi
In the shells of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the new HyperOS, there is a separate feature called Sleep Mode, which often confuses users, which not only includes Do Not Disturb mode, but also changes the color gamut of the screen to make it warmer, and can also block the launch of applications, a feature most often associated with the crescent icon.
To turn off this mode, you need to go to the watch menu. Open the Watch app and select the Sleep Mode tab (usually the second or third tab at the bottom or top of the screen). Here you will see the current status and schedule settings. If the mode is active, you will see a large turn off button or slider.
Pay attention to the schedule settings. The system can automatically turn on sleep mode at a given time, for example, from 23:00 to 07:00. If you do not want to use this feature, you need to turn it off completely, not just turn it off.
☑️ Checking the sleep settings
It is important to distinguish between Sleep Mode and the standard alarm clock, and the alarm will ring even when the Do Not Disturb mode is on, unless otherwise indicated in the exception settings, but the crescent icon itself is about system-limiting notifications, not about the countdown timer.
Scheduling and automation management
Often users forget that they once set up automatic silence mode. Xiaomi has a powerful automation tool that can activate the crescent by time, location, or even when running certain applications. This can be confusing, as the phone will behave differently at different times of the day.
To check your schedule, go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Don’t Disturb → Schedule. One or more timers may be active here, such as Sleep Time or Working Time. If you see an active switch near the right time, that’s the source of the problem.
| Parameter | Description | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| Insert on schedule | Automatic activation of the mode | Turned off (if not necessary) |
| Beginning. | Time to start the silence mode | N/D |
| The End | Time to shut down the mode | N/D |
| Repeat. | Days of the week for activation | N/D |
Also worth checking is the Digital Well-Being settings. Current versions of Android and MIUI have a Bedtime mode that is integrated with Google services, which can duplicate the Xiaomi System Sleep Mode features, and can be found by Settings → Digital Well-Being → Rest Mode.
What to do if the schedule is reset?
Third-party applications and system conflicts
It's not just system settings that can be responsible for the crescent. Many alarm apps, sleep trackers, meditation programs, or even battery "optimizers" have their own "Do Not Disturb" mode features. When installed, these apps often request permission to control sound and notifications.
If you have installed a new alarm or sleep app (like Sleep Cycle, Alarmy or similar), check their internal settings. Often there is an option called Sleep Mode or Night Mode that visually copies the system icon or even uses a system API to block calls.
- 📱 Think about the apps you installed before the problem occurred.
- 🔍 Check the permissions of the applications in the Settings section → Annexes → All applications.
- 🚫 Try temporarily removing suspicious memory cleanup utilities.
- ⚙️ Disable access to “Special Features” for untested programs.
Special attention should be paid to third-party applications that promise “Sleep Improvement” or “Blue Light Protection” and can embed their overlays on top of the system, creating the illusion of system mode or actually blocking notifications, in which case the icon may differ from the standard, but functionally be identical.
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Third-party applications can intercept sound control. If system settings are in order, look for the reason in the recently installed utilities.
Features of work in HyperOS and new versions of MIUI
With the release of HyperOS and the updated versions of MIUI 14, the logic of sound profiles has changed a little, and now the functions of Do Not Disturb, Sleep Mode and Meeting Mode can be combined into a single profile concept, which makes management easier, but confuses users who are used to the old menu structure.
In new interfaces, the crescent icon may appear when smart home scenarios are activated. If you have Mijia or Yeelight ecosystem devices, a "I'm at home" or "Night" scenario can automatically switch the phone to quiet mode. Check the Mi Home app for such automations.
Newer versions also include a feature that allows you to flip your phone down to turn on the Do Not Disturb mode, a feature called Gestures or Smart Gesture, and if you put your phone on the table often, you might have accidentally activated this option.
⚠️ Note: In HyperOS, the sound settings can be hidden in the Sound and Vibration section» → «Don't forget to check all the menus that are attached, as the interface has been significantly redesigned.
To disable gestures, go to Settings → Additional settings → Do Not Disturb Mode → Turn on when you turn over (the path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version). Make sure that this switch is deactivated if you are not using this feature knowingly.
Diagnostics and resetting of sound settings
If none of the above methods helped remove the crescent, there may have been a software failure in the system, and the cache of the system application "Settings" or "Sound" could have damaged, causing the interface to display an incorrect status, in which case cleaning the cache or resetting the audio settings will help.
You can use the engineering test menu to perform the diagnosis, but it requires caution. A safer method is to reset all audio-related applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Settings, click Clear, and select Clear Cache (not data to keep your system settings down).
As a last resort, if the crescent moon doesn't disappear and it's interfering with your work, you can reset your phone, but this is a radical measure. Before you do that, try just restarting the device in Safe Mode. To do this, press the off button, and when the "Off" button appears on the screen, press it and hold your finger until you have a suggestion to go to Safe Mode.
⚠️ Warning: Hard Reset will delete all your data, photos and contacts. Use this method only as a last resort, having previously made a full backup.
If the crescent is gone in safe mode, then one of the applications you installed is causing the problem, and if the icon is still in safe mode, there is a likely firmware error, and you may need to flash the device through your computer.