How to permanently remove the screen switch on Xiaomi

Xiaomi and Redmi users often experience displays that go out at the most inopportune moment, such as reading long articles, viewing maps on the navigator, or showing a presentation. The standard MIUI and HyperOS settings have a limited time frame for automatic locking, which is not always convenient. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to increase this interval or completely disable the timeout.

The main reason for quick quenching is battery saving. Energy saving algorithms aggressively respond to no touch, believing the device to be idle. However, many use cases require that the screen stay active all the time. There are both standard methods of setting through the menu and advanced solutions using third-party applications or engineering menus.

We'll look at not only the basic timer settings, but also features like Read Mode or Second Space that may conflict with your expectations for the display, and we'll also look at the specific firmware bugs that go out when the screen goes out in defiance of the settings. Understanding the proximity sensor and lock system will help you customize the device perfectly for your needs.

Basic timeout setting of the display

The most obvious and first step to take is to check the standard latency settings, which in the MIUI shell, the path to this feature may vary slightly depending on the Android version and regional firmware, usually in the basic system settings section.

To access settings, go to Settings → Screen and Brightness → Sleep mode. Here you will see a list of available time slots. The standard set is usually limited to values from 15 seconds to 5 minutes. The choice of “Never” or “No Limits” option in the standard menu is often not available without the use of additional tools.

• 📱 Open the main menu of your smartphone settings.
• ⚙️ Find the section responsible for displaying information (Display).
• ⏳ Select "Sleeping Mode" or "Screen Time Out».
• ✅ Set the maximum possible value from the list.

It is important to note that in some models AMOLED-Xiaomi is implementing additional restrictions to prevent pixel burnout, and if you don't see the time extension option, it may be hidden by the developers to protect the matrix. In this case, it is worth checking for system updates, as in new versions of HyperOS, power management algorithms can be changed.

⚠️ Attention: setting the maximum latency significantly speeds up battery life. If the phone is in your pocket with an active screen, it can get very hot.

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Use the Screen Lock widget in the notification curtain to quickly turn on the “Do not turn off screen” mode only when you really need to.

Using the Developer Mode to Enhance Opportunities

If standard functionality is not enough, you can use the hidden developer menu, which is a powerful tool that gives you access to system settings that are not intended for the average user, and activating this mode requires a few simple steps.

To enable the developer mode, you need to go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the MIUI or HyperOS version 7 times. After the message “You became a developer” appears in the settings menu, a new section “Additional” or “Extended settings” will appear, where you need to look for the “Developers” item.

Inside the developer menu, we're interested in the section related to debugging and how the system behaves when charging. Find the "Stay awake" option, which will burn as long as the device is connected to a power source or computer via USB.

• 🔌 Connect your smartphone to the charger.
• 🛠️ Activate the “Do not turn off screen” switch in the developer menu.
• 🔋 Make sure the screen is constantly on while charging.
• 🚫 Turn off the option when it is no longer needed to avoid overheating.

This method is ideal for using a smartphone as a navigator in a car or a digital photo frame, but it is worth remembering that the constant operation of the backlight at maximum brightness when charging creates a high thermal load on the battery and power controller.

Third-party screen management applications

When Android is not built in, Google Play apps come to the rescue. There are many utilities that can force the screen to be active by ignoring system timers, often called "Keep Screen On" or similar.

One popular solution is the Keep Screen On or Caffeine app, which works by creating an invisible process that mimics user activity or sends a sleep-free signal to the system, bypassing manufacturer-imposed restrictions.

When installing such applications, MIUI can aggressively kill the background process to save energy. To avoid this, you need to go to the application settings, select “Start” and allow the work in the background, and remove battery restrictions. Without these actions, the MIUI optimizer will block the utility after a few minutes.

The “Second Space” function and the guest profile

The unique feature of the MIUI shell is that it has a Second Space, which is actually a second profile inside a smartphone with its own settings, applications and, importantly for our theme, display settings.

You can create a Second Space specifically for tasks that require a permanent screen, and you can set your own locking rules in this profile that don't conflict with the basic settings, and you can switch between spaces quickly and don't need to reboot.

To create, go to Settings → Second Space → Enable. Once you set up your new profile, go to your screen settings and set the settings you want, which is a great way to isolate workflows or media content from your personal data.

⚠️ Warning: The second space takes up additional storage on the drive. Make sure you have free space to install the required applications in the new profile.

Solving proximity sensor problems

A common cause of sudden screen blackout during a conversation or video viewing is a malfunction or contamination of the proximity sensor. It is located at the top of the smartphone, often next to the conversational speaker. If the sensor "sees" an obstacle, it extinguishes the screen.

The problem can be caused by a protective glass that covers the sensor, or by banal dust in the hole, and software failures in Proximity Sensor drivers can lead to false positives. Xiaomi has built-in diagnostics to check this component.

To check, dial ##6484## in your phone to log into the engineering menu. Select "Proximity Sensor" and close the top of the screen with your hand. The indicator should respond to closing and opening. If there is no reaction or it is chaotic, calibration or cleaning is required.

• 🧹 Wipe the top of the screen with a soft cloth.
• 🛡️ Check if the security glass is blocking the sensor.
• 🔧 Calibrate through the Engineering Menu.
• 📞 Update the firmware if the problem has occurred after the update.

Automation through Tasker and macros

For advanced users who want complete control, automation applications like Tasker or MIUI scripts are ideal, allowing complex logic chains to be created: “If YouTube is running, don’t turn off the screen.”

Tasker creates a new profile that triggers the application-specific application (Application Context) and sets the task "Display → Display Timeout" with a "Never" value or maximum time, and when you leave the application, the timer returns to its original state.

This method is the most elegant, because it does not require constant user intervention and does not waste resources when it is not necessary. Automation makes using a smartphone smarter and more adaptable to your habits.

However, setting up such profiles takes time and understanding the logic of the triggers. An error in setting can lead to the fact that the screen will never go out at all, which is critical for the autonomy of the device.

⚠️ Warning: When using automation, carefully check the exit conditions for "always on" or the phone may run out of pocket.

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The safest and most efficient way is to use widgets or automation only for specific applications, leaving the overall system settings in saving mode.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)