How to add a lock button on the screen Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: official and hidden methods

Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 often face the inconvenience of pressing the physical power button every time to lock a smartphone. This not only wastes time, but also wears out the key mechanism. Fortunately, MIUI has hidden features, as well as third-party solutions that allow you to add a virtual lock button directly to the screen β€” in the notification bar, on the desktop or even as a gesture.

Many users are unaware that Redmi Note 7 originally has the ability to quickly lock through the Control Panel, but it is disabled by default. Others prefer to use specialized applications that offer advanced functionality, such as timer lock or double tap. In this article, we will discuss all working methods, including those that do not require root rights or complex manipulation of the system.

Important: The methods work on all versions of MIUI 10–14 (including global and Chinese firmware), but some features may not be available in older builds. If your Redmi Note 7 hasn’t been updated in a long time, we recommend checking for updates in Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ System Update first.

1. Adding a lock button to the notification panel (official method)

The easiest and safest way is to activate the hidden lock button in the notification curtain, a method that requires no third-party apps to install and works on all versions of MIUI for the Redmi Note 7.

Instructions:

  1. Open the settings on your phone.
  2. Go to the Notification Panel and Status bar.
  3. Select Edit the Control Panel (or Configure the Control Panel depending on the firmware version).
  4. Find the β€œBlock” icon in the list of inaccessible items (usually it looks like a lock).
  5. Press the icon and drag it to the top of the screen where the active switches are located.
  6. Click Ready and check the result: now, when swiping down, a button will appear for instant lock.

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI (for example, MIUI 12.5 for the European region), the lock button may not be in the list of available items. In this case, try alternative methods from the following sections.

Update the firmware to the latest version

Check that the control panel is not hidden in the settings

Make sure there is enough free space in the system (minimum 500 MB)

Restart your phone before changing-->

If the button never appeared, your firmware may have been modified (e.g., custom MIUI from third-party developers), in which case resetting the notification panel settings will help:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. Find System Settings and select Storage.
  3. Click Clear Data (this will reset the location of the icons in the control panel).
  4. Repeat the steps to add the lock button.

2.Use of gestures to lock the screen

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 supports lock gestures that allow you to turn off the screen without pressing physical buttons.This method is convenient if you often use your smartphone with one hand or want to extend the life of the power button.

The gesture can be activated in two ways:

  • πŸ”„ Double touch: Enable the option in Settings β†’ Screen locking β†’ Double tap to lock. After that, just touch the screen twice (not while the apps are running!) to lock the device.
  • πŸ‘† Swipe down: some firmwares have a swipe gesture down the main screen to lock. To activate it, go to Settings β†’ Additional functions β†’ Gestures.

⚠️ Note: Double-touch gestures may conflict with the functions of certain applications (e.g., games or readers). PDF). If the lock is triggered by accident, turn it off and use alternative methods.

Physical power button

The button in the notification panel

Double-touch gesture

Party of annex

Another option-->

If your firmware doesn't have built-in gestures, you can install a third-party app like Tap, Tap (available on Google Play) that allows you to configure the lock by:

  • πŸ”˜ Double/Triple tap on the back panel.
  • πŸ–οΈ Shaking the device.
  • πŸ“± Turning the screen down (like in Motorola).

The application works without root, but some features will require permissions for Special Features.

3. Installation of lock widgets on the desktop

If you want to keep the lock button at hand, you can add it directly to the home screen as a widget, which is suitable for both standard MIUI tools and third-party utilities.

Method 1: Widget "Quick Settings"

  1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop.
  2. Select the widgets in the menu that appears.
  3. Find the Quick Settings widget (or Control Panel).
  4. Drag it to the screen and select a size (recommended 4Γ—1 or 2Γ—2).
  5. In the widget settings, add the β€œBlock” button (if available).

Method 2: QuickShortcutMaker App

If the standard widget is not suitable, use QuickShortcutMaker:

  1. Download the app from Google Play.
  2. Open it and enter the lock in the search bar.
  3. In the results, look for the action com.android.internal.policy.impl.KeyguardExternalView (or similar to the word lock).
  4. Create a shortcut on your desktop.

⚠️ Note: Some antiviruses (e.g. Avast or Dr.Web) may block QuickShortcutMaker as a β€œsuspicious” application. This is a false positive – the utility simply creates shortcuts for system functions.

MethodRoot is required.It's working on MIUI 14.Energy consumption
The button in the notification panel❌ No.βœ… Yes.Low.
Double-touch gesture❌ No.βœ… Yes.Average.
Quick Settings Widget❌ No.⚠️ Depends on the firmware.Low.
QuickShortcutMaker❌ No.βœ… Yes.Low.
Tap, Tap (gestures)❌ No.βœ… Yes.High (background service)

4. Locking the screen through the voice assistant

Few people know, but Redmi Note 7 allows you to block the screen with voice commands, and this does not require additional applications – a built-in Google Assistant or XiaoAI (in Chinese firmware).

Configure through Google Assistant:

  1. Activate the voice assistant by saying OK, Google or holding the Home button.
  2. Say the command: β€œLock the screen” or β€œSwitch off the display.”
  3. If the command doesn't work, manually train the Assistant: Open the Google app. Go to Settings β†’ Voice Assistant β†’ Commands. Add a new command and link it to Lock the screen.

Setup via XiaoAI (for Chinese firmware):

In firmware with XiaoAI (for example, MIUI China, enough to say: «» (xiaΗ’ Γ i tΓ³ngxuΓ©, suΗ’ pΓ­ng). If the assistant does not respond, check the permissions in Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ XiaoAI β†’ Auto-start.

πŸ’‘

If voice locking doesn’t work, make sure that the Smart Lock lock option is turned off in the security settings – it can conflict with voice commands.

⚠️ Attention: Voice locking may be triggered accidentally if you listen to music or video with speech. To avoid this, turn off the function OK, Google in the voice assistant settings or add exceptions for media applications.

Side of the screen locking application

If the built-in methods don't work, you can install specialized applications that offer advanced features like:

  • πŸ”’ Timer lock (for example, after 30 seconds of inactivity).
  • πŸ“± Customization widgets (change icon, color, size).
  • πŸ”‹ Charge savings (automatically shutting down the screen at low battery level).

Top.-3 apps for Redmi Note 7:

  1. Screen Off and Lock is a minimalist application with one feature: instant lock by clicking on an icon. It does not require root and works on all versions of Android.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Gravity Screen) require constant background work, which can increase battery consumption by 5-10%. MIUI.

How to remove ads in Screen Off and Lock?
Many free screen locking apps show ads. To disable them: 1. Buy a premium version (cost ~100 rubles). 2. Or use an ad blocker, such as AdGuard (requires VPN settings). 3. In the app settings, find the option to turn off ads β€” sometimes it appears after a few days of use.

Instructions for Screen Off and Lock:

  1. Download the app from Google Play.
  2. Open it and grant permission to the Device Administrator (required for locking).
  3. Add a shortcut to your desktop or Quick Access panel.
  4. (Optional) In the settings, enable the option to Lock with double press.

6. screen lock via ADB (for advanced users)

If you are ready for experiments, you can add a lock button through the ADB-This method doesn't require root, but it involves working with a computer.

Step-by-step:

  1. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Go to Settings β†’ About Phone. 7 times click on the MIUI Version to activate Developer Mode. Return to Settings β†’ Additional β†’ For Developers and enable USB Debugging.

Redmi Note 7

Command line.

Terminal

adb devices

The serial number of your device should appear.

adb shell settings put global settings_panel_items_order"wifi,bt,data,location,lock,flashlight"

Here, lock is the ID of the lock button.

adb reboot

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If the notification panel stopped working after executing the commands, reset its settings through Settings. β†’ Annexes β†’ System settings β†’ Clear the data.

πŸ’‘

ADB-commands allow not only to add a lock button, but also to configure other hidden functions MIUI, For example, activate the developer modes for the camera or change the DPI screen.

7.Alternative methods: Smart Lock and Automatic Lock

If you don't need manual locking, you can set up automatic screen shutdown depending on the conditions, and MIUI has a Smart Lock and timeout settings for this.

Setting up Smart Lock:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Screen Lock β†’ Smart Lock.
  2. Enter your PIN/password for confirmation.
  3. Choose one of the options: 🏠 Home Network: The screen is not blocked when you are connected to a trusted Wi-Fi network. πŸ“± Bluetooth devices: unlock when connected to trusted gadgets (such as smartwatches). πŸ‘€ Facial/voice recognition: Automatic unlocking when recognizing.

Setting up screen timeout:

To lock the screen faster:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Display β†’ Sleep mode.
  2. Select a minimum time (e.g. 15 seconds).
  3. (Optional) Activate Adaptive Lighting to save battery life.

⚠️ Warning: Smart Lock may reduce the security of your device, and do not use it if you store sensitive data (bank applications, passwords, etc.) on your phone.).

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen locking on Redmi Note 7

πŸ”Ή Why the lock button in the notification bar disappears after the update?
This is a known error of some versions of MIUI. After the update, the system resets the user's control panel settings. To return the button: Go to Settings β†’ Notification Panel β†’ Edit. Remove the lock button from the active elements. Add it again and save the changes. If the button does not appear, try clearing the System Settings cache of the application.
πŸ”Ή Can I add a lock button to the lock screen?
No, MIUI doesn't have that feature. The lock screen is only for unlocking, not for re-locking. However, you can: Use a double-touch gesture (if activated); install a third-party floating-button app (like Lock Now).
πŸ”Ή Why the lock gesture doesn’t work in games?
Many games and apps (like PUBG Mobile or YouTube) block system gestures to avoid accidental clicks. There are several solutions: Turn off the double-touch gesture in the settings and use the button in the notification bar. In the game settings, find the option to turn off system gestures and deactivate it. Use the voice command to lock.
πŸ”Ή How to return the standard lock if after installing the application the screen stopped turning off?
If a third-party application (such as Gravity Screen) conflicts with the system: Go to Settings β†’ Apps and find the problem application. Press Force Stop. Turn off the permission for the device administrator. Delete the application. If the screen does not respond, do a soft reset: press the power button for 10-15 seconds until the phone restarts.
πŸ”Ή Does this work on the Redmi Note 7 Pro or other Xiaomi models?
Yes, most of the ways (button in the notification panel, gestures, third-party apps) work on all devices with a MIUI, including: Redmi Note 7 Pro, Redmi Note 8/8T, Poco X3, Mi 9/9T. Exception β€” ADB-commands: their syntax may differ depending on the Android version and firmware.