How to increase screen time on Xiaomi: timer and lock setting

Modern smartphone users often face the need to leave the display on for a long time, whether it’s to read e-books, navigate the city, view recipes while cooking or show a presentation to colleagues. Standard timeout settings are often too short, forcing you to constantly touch the screen or look for a charger.

Owners of devices with a MIUI shell or the new HyperOS have flexible power management tools for the display. However, hidden menus and additional features are not always obvious when you first get acquainted with the gadget. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to extend the life of the screen without risking to the battery.

We will look at both standard methods through the system menu and advanced settings for developers. You will learn how to disable automatic locking for specific applications and what are the limitations of the system. OLED-This will allow you to customize the device for any use case.

Basic setting of screen switch off timer

The easiest and safest way to change the duration of a display's glow is in the basic settings of the system, a method that is suitable for most everyday use scenarios where it simply takes a little longer to read or view content.

To change the setting, you need to open the Settings app and go to the Always On and Lock section. In some firmware versions, this item may be simply called Lock or located inside the Screen menu, and here you will see a list of available time slots.

Choose a value that matches your current tasks. The standard set usually includes:

• 🕒 15 seconds – economical mode for quick notification checks.
• 🕒 30 seconds is the default value for most users.
• 🕒 1 minute is the best time to read short messages.
• 🕒 2 minutes – suitable for viewing photos or web pages.
• 🕒 5 minutes is the maximum limit in many configurations.

⚠️ Attention: setting a maximum value (5 or 10 minutes) significantly speeds up battery discharge. If you forgot to put your phone in your pocket, the screen will burn in vain, wasting charge.

It is worth noting that in some models with AMOLED-The maximum time with displays can be limited by software to prevent pixel burnout. If you need more time, you will have to resort to other methods described below.

Use of the "Do not turn off" mode

In the arsenal of the MIUI shell, there is a special feature that allows you to completely disable the automatic lock timer, this solution is ideal for stationary use of a smartphone, for example, when it acts as a desk clock, a frame for a photo or a display.

To activate this mode, go to Settings → The screen is always on and lock. At the very bottom of the time slot list, the option Do not turn off is often hidden. When you select it, the display will burn until you manually lock the device with the power button.

However, this mode has important technical features that you need to know about:

• 🔋 High power consumption – the screen is the main consumer of energy, the battery will sit down very quickly.
• 🔥 Overheating risk – the constant operation of the matrix and the backlight controller can lead to heating of the housing.
• 🖼️ Pixel burnout – a static image hanging on a screen for hours can leave the “ghost” of the interface forever.

Use the “Do not turn off” function only when the charger is connected and make sure that the content changes or the screensaver works. OLED-Static images are particularly dangerous.

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If you use "Do not turn off" mode to navigate in the car, turn on the dark theme of the map. OLED-screens means off pixels, which reduces heat and the risk of burnout.

Do not block function for individual applications

One of the most useful and underrated features in Xiaomi smartphones is the ability to turn off autolock only for selected applications.This means that while you are inside the program (for example, a reader or a navigator), the screen will not go out, but in the menu or browser the timer will work as usual.

You can find this setting by Settings → Screen always on and lock → Don’t lock. In the list you open, you need to activate the switches opposite the desired programs, which creates a balance between convenience and energy savings.

This function is particularly relevant for the following scenarios:

• 📖 Reading – In apps like Kindle or Google Books, text won’t disappear in the middle of the page.
• 🍳 Cooking – Video recipes on YouTube or in the browser will not require constant touching with dirty hands.
• 🗺️ Navigation – map in Yandex.Navigator or Google Maps will be visible constantly.
• 🏋️ Sports – Tracking training or video lessons will not be interrupted at the most important moment.

It is important to understand that this feature only works when the application is active and in the foreground.If you fold the program, the standard lock timer will take effect immediately.

Settings in the menu for developers

For advanced users who don't have enough regular funds, there is access to hidden system settings. The developer menu allows you to force intervals to increase or change the behavior of the system, but requires caution when making changes.

To activate this section, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After the message "You became a developer" appears in the settings menu, a new section Additional → For developers will appear.

Inside this menu, we're interested in a parameter related to (sleep mode) Find the item "Stay awake" when activated, the screen will not go out while the phone is connected to the charger, which is useful for debugging or using the smartphone as a stationary panel.

⚠️ Note: Changing the settings in the developer menu can affect the system's stableWork. Do not change the values that are not sure, especially those related to animations or background processes.

You can also find settings for simulating additional displays, which sometimes affect how the system calculates the time to lock, but for the average safest user, the path is to use the standard functionality described in the previous sections.

The impact of the design theme and always on screen

The visual design of the MIUI Theme system can also affect screen behavior. Some third-party themes have their own lock control scripts that may conflict with system settings or, conversely, offer extended timers.

Also, the Always On Display feature often confuses users.It's not the same as increasing the main display's time.AOD shows the clocks and notifications on the screen off, using only a fraction of the pixels to save power.

The main differences between the regimes are:

• 🌑 AOD — It works on a screen that is turned off, shows a minimum of information, consumes about 1% of the charge per hour.
• ☀️ Main screen – fully active matrix, consumes energy actively, shows the full interface.
• 🔒 Locking – the state in which the phone goes after the timer expires, the screen goes out completely (or goes into the phone). AOD).

If your goal is to just see the time, don't keep the main screen on, set the schedule for Always On Display in the Wallpaper → Always On screen section, which will save charge while maintaining functionality.

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Third-party themes can change the standard behavior of the system. If the screen time settings reset themselves, try temporarily switching to the standard MIUI theme.

Problems with proximity sensor and autobrightness

Sometimes users want to increase screen time, but they are faced with a situation where the display goes out on its own before the time or does not light up when the phone is raised. Often the culprit is not the timer, but the proximity sensor or autobrightness setting.

The proximity sensor at the top of the screen can block the display if it is contaminated or covered with a case. Also, the function of Mode in the pocket can mistakenly determine the position of the phone. Check these settings in the section Lock → Mode in the pocket.

Autobrightness also plays a role: if the room is dark, the screen may appear to be dimmed, although it just dropped the brightness to a minimum.Switch off the automatic adjustment in the notification curtain or set it up more aggressively in Settings → Screen.

You can use the engineering menu to diagnose sensor problems. Type ##6484## (CIT) in your phone. In the menu that opens, select the Proximity sensor and Light sensor to make sure they work. If the sensor is stuck, the screen will behave unpredictably.