Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones offer many ways to interact with the device without using physical buttons. One of the most convenient features is the ability to wake the screen with a light tap on the display. This option greatly simplifies navigation and extends the life of mechanical keys, which can wear out over time, but not all users know exactly where the settings of this feature hide in the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithms for activating double tap for different versions of firmware. You will learn what to do if standard methods do not work, and what alternative ways are there to quickly access the functions of the phone. We will look at the nuances of the sensor in gloves and with the protective glasses glued, and also touch on the topic of power consumption.
Often, users are faced with a situation where the function seems to be on, but the screen does not respond to touch. This can be due to software failures or the peculiarities of calibrating the display of a particular device. Understanding the principles of the touch layer will help you avoid false positives and adjust the gadget as efficiently as possible.
Activation of the function in standard settings MIUI and HyperOS
In most current Xiaomi shells, the option to turn on the screen with a double touch is in the special menu. The path to it may vary slightly depending on the Android version and regional firmware. Usually you need to go to the Settings section, then select the option Additional or Advanced Settings, which is where the desired switch is located, which is often called "Mode in your pocket" or "Activation with a double tap".
If you're using the latest HyperOS, the menu structure may have changed to unify the interface. In this case, try to find the Screen and Brightness section. Scroll down to the bottom and you'll find the Double Touch Touch Toggler, which allows you to wake up the device by just tapping on the black screen with two fingers.
⚠️ Note: On some global firmware versions, this feature may be hidden by developers to save battery life. If you don’t find the switch in the specified places, try changing the region in your phone settings to “China” or “India”, but do so with caution, as this may affect the operation of system applications.
Once the function is turned on, you should immediately test it, lock the screen and hit the center of the display two quick but not too hard, so if the screen catches fire, the touchpad will correctly recognize the command, otherwise it is worth checking whether a thick protective glass or a case with high sides interferes with the work.
Setup through the “Security” and “Themes” app
A unique feature of Xiaomi's ecosystem is the presence of a deeply integrated system application Security. It manages not only antivirus, but also a lot of system optimizations, including display settings. In some cases, especially on older Redmi Note models, the double tap switch migrated to this section. Open the application, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings, and then the Lock Screen.
Another hidden place where the desired setting can live is the theme menu. Because MIUI allows you to deeply customize the interface, some themes can block standard gestures or replace them with their own. Go to the Themes app, go to the user profile (human icon) and select Settings. There may be a clause that allows or prohibits screen lock gestures regardless of system settings.
- 📱 Open the Safety app (green icon with lightning).
- ⚙️ Go to the settings menu through the upper right corner.
- 🔒 Select the section associated with the lock or screen.
- ✅ Activate the switch "Double touch to turn on».
It's important to understand that using third-party themes can conflict with system gestures. If you've installed a custom design theme and then the double tap stops working, try temporarily returning a standard Classic or Default theme to help identify the source of the conflict between the software components.
Why do topics affect tap?
Problems with activation on a locked screen
When the function is on but the screen is not lit, it is one of the most common complaints of users. Often the reason lies in the power saving mode. When the phone goes into deep sleep, the frequency of the touch layer is reduced to a minimum to save energy, in which the power controller can ignore light touches, considering them random.
Also, you have to consider the physical factor: if you have a cheap protective glass over 0.33 mm thick on the screen, or if you have a hydrogel film of poor quality, the sensitivity of the touchscreen drops. The signal from the finger just doesn't pass through the layer of glue and material with sufficient force, in such cases, calibrating the screen through an engineering menu or replacing the accessory with a better analogue with an oleophobic coating helps.
| Type of coating | Probability of operation | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| No defense. | 100% | Perfect, but the risk of scratching |
| Hydrogel (thin) | 95% | Recommended |
| Tempered glass (0.3 mm) | 90% | Optimal balance |
| Tempered glass (>0.5 mm) | 60% | Failures are possible |
If you carry the phone in your pocket along with keys or trifle, random touches can unlock the screen and land the battery.In the dual tap settings, there is often an optional "Block in your pocket" option that uses the proximity sensor.
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To increase the sensitivity of the screen in the developer settings (the item “Increase sensitivity”), you can forcibly increase the response of the touchscreen, but this will increase battery consumption.
Use of gestures and special features
In addition to the classic dual-tape center, Xiaomi offers advanced gestures in the Special Features section, where you can configure tapping on the off screen to run specific applications or functions, such as a flashlight or camera. This is implemented through the subitem of Shortcuts -> Launch applications. This functionality is especially useful for people with disabilities or those who prefer one-handed control.
There's also Pocket Turn on mode, which works differently than a dual tap. It responds to pulling the device out of your pocket or bag using accelerometer and light sensor data. If your dual tap is unstable, try activating this option in the same menu Additional. It's less dependent on the accuracy of your finger hitting a specific area of the screen.
- 👆 Tap with two fingers – awakening.
- 📝 Drawing the letter "V" - start flashlight (in the off state).
- 📷 Drawing the letter “O” – start the camera.
- 🔕 Drawing the letter "S" - enabling silent mode.
Some users prefer to disable the standard double tap to avoid accidental switching on, using a side-faced fingerprint scanner instead.This is a matter of personal preference. However, if the scanner is contaminated or the finger is wet, the double tap remains the most reliable way to quickly check notifications.
Third-party applications for tapa emulation
If the built-in features fail to activate the feature (e.g., on stripped-down versions of Go Edition or custom firmware), you can use third-party software. There are many apps on the Google Play store that emulate this behavior, requiring special access authorizations (Accessibility Service), an example of which is the Double Tap Screen On Off application.
Installing such programs requires high access rights. The application will constantly hang in the background and analyze the touches of the screen, which will inevitably lead to an increase in battery consumption. In addition, the presence of third-party software that intercepts input can cause delays in interface response or conflicts with other applications using the lock screen.
⚠️ Attention: Using applications from unknown sources to emulate system functions can create a security breach. Attackers could theoretically use such access to intercept passwords or graphical keys. Use only proven high-rated software.
Before installing, be sure to read reviews from other users with similar phone models. Often developers point out that the app does not work on Android 13 or 14 due to increased background limitations. In such cases, it is better to wait for a firmware update from the manufacturer than risk the stability of the system.
☑️ Checking the operability of the sensor
Diagnostics of the sensor layer and calibration
If none of the software methods worked, it may be hardware or calibration-resetting. Xiaomi smartphones have a hidden engineering menu available via code ##6484## or #4636#. In this menu (CIT), you can run a Touchpanel test that will show whether the touch screen sees the different zones and registers whether the multi-touch screen is visible.
To reset the calibration sometimes helps to enter a command in the terminal (root access is required) or the use of special APK-files for touchscreen calibration, which can be found on profile forums such as 4PDA. However, without root rights, this method is complicated. The easiest way is to completely reset your phone to factory settings, but before that, make sure to back up all the important data.
In rare cases, static electricity is the problem: Try to completely discharge the phone before turning it off, and then charge it to 100% when it is off, which will help redistribute the charge in the capacitors and can eliminate false positives or "dead zones" on the screen that interfere with the double tap.
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If the test in the engineering menu shows “dead zones” in the center of the screen where you tap, there is a possibility of a physical digitizer failure requiring a module replacement.