The screen of a Xiaomi smartphone that constantly goes out after 30 seconds or a minute of inactivity can be seriously annoying - especially when you're reading a long article, watching a recipe, or following a timer. MIUI has set the display to automatically turn off to save battery power, but it's not always convenient. Fortunately, the system offers several ways to change this behavior, from basic settings to hidden features for power users.
In this article, we will discuss all available methods, from the standard menu to commands through ADB and third-party applications. You will learn how to increase the time to turn off the screen to a maximum (30 minutes), how to completely turn off the timeout, and what to do if the desired options are hidden by the manufacturer. The instructions are relevant for all modern models: Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/11, POCO F5/X5 and others based on MIUI 12-14 (including global and Chinese firmware).
Method 1: Standard screen settings in MIUI
The easiest way to change screen auto-disconnect time is through basic system settings, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones without root rights or additional apps.
Open the Settings app and go to the Screen (or Display in English firmware) section. Here, find Sleep after (Sleep or Screen timeout). The default options are 15 seconds to 10 minutes, but on some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro), the maximum value can be up to 30 minutes.
- ⏳ 15 seconds – minimum value, suitable for battery saving.
- ⏲️ 30 seconds is the default standard value.
- 🕒 1-10 minutes – optimal balance between convenience and charge consumption.
- 🕓 30 minutes – maximum value (not available on all devices).
If your phone doesn't have a 30 minute option, it means the manufacturer has limited the maximum time, so move on to the following ways.
⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X3 Pro after updating to MIUI 14 Sleep can then disappear from the screen menu. In this case, use Method 3 (search by settings) or Method 4 (ADB-team).
Method 2: Using the Developer Mode
If standard settings don't work, you can activate the developer mode and access additional settings, which doesn't require root rights, but requires several steps.
To enable the Developer Mode:
- Open the Settings. → The phone.
- Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row (you will receive a notification “You became a developer”).
- Return to the main settings menu – there will be a new section for developers.
Now go to For Developers → Stay Awaken. Activate this setting, and the screen won't go out when you connect to the charger. Note: this option only works while you're charging.
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If you want the screen to never go out (even without charging), combine this method with Method 4 (ADB-commands) to turn off the timeout completely.
Method 3: Find hidden settings through the search bar
In MIUI, some settings are hidden from the user, but they can be found through the built-in search bar, which is especially useful if the Sleep item has since disappeared from the Screen menu after the update.
Open Settings and enter a request at the top of the search: Sleep after, screen timeout, or screen turns off.
The system should show a direct link to the desired option, even if it is hidden in deep sections of the menu.
If the search does not yield results, try alternative queries:
- 🔍 screen-waiting
- 🔍 auto-disable
- 🔍 display sleep (for English-language firmware)
Method 4: Disabling timeouts via ADB (for power users)
If you need to completely disable screen auto-turning on Xiaomi (including situations when the phone is not charging), you will have to use ADB, the Android debugging tool.This method requires connecting the smartphone to your computer, but does not need root rights.
First, prepare the computer:
- Download and install Platform Tools (the official package from Google).
- Turn on the phone to debug by USB (Settings → For developers → debugging by USB).
- Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-Cable (use the original cable for stability).
Now open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with the platform-tools and execute the command:
adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 3This command will keep the screen on at all times, regardless of charging. To return standard behavior, use:
adb shell settings put global stay_on_while_plugged_in 0⚠️ Note: After applying this command, the screen will burn continuously, which will significantly reduce battery life. Use this method only when absolutely necessary (for example, for navigation in the car or long reading).
☑️ Preparation for ADB-team
Method 5: Third-party applications for screen control
If you don’t want to mess with settings or ADB, you can use third-party apps from Google Play, which offer flexible screen timeout settings, including the ability to turn it off completely.
Top.-3 tested applications:
| Annex | Features | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Keep Screen On | Simple interface, work in the background, support for exceptions for individual applications. | Advertising in the free version requires permission to overlay. |
| Caffeine | Activated through the notification panel, minimalist design. | It doesn't work on some custom firmware. |
| Screen Alive | Support for gestures, automatic activation when you start certain applications. | Plugins for advanced functions are paid. |
Check reviews before installing, some apps may conflict with MIUI due to manufacturer limitations, and remember that a constant screen performance reduces battery life by 20-40%.
How to check if the application is draining the battery?
Frequent problems and their solutions
Sometimes even after you change your settings, the screen keeps going out, and let's look at the typical causes and ways to fix them.
Problem 1: Settings are reset after rebooting. Solution: This is typical of MIUI on some models (e.g. Redmi 9A).
- 🔄 Set the waiting time through ADB (Method 4).
- 📱 Use a third-party application with auto-run.
- 🔧 Reset the screen settings to factory (Settings) → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the screen settings).
Problem 2: The screen goes out during video or games Solution: Enable the option in the app settings (e.g. YouTube or Genshin Impact) to "Do not turn off the screen. If it is not, use Game Mode" (Settings → Special Features → Game Mode).
Problem 3: After the MIUI update, the timeout settings were lost. Solution: This is a known error of MIUI 13-14 firmware.
- 🔍 Search by settings (Method 3).
- 📲 Install an older version of the firmware (if available).
- 💻 Apply ADB-command to force the parameter to change.
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If the screen goes out only in a particular application (for example, in the navigator), check its settings - many programs have a built-in option to turn off timeout.