Mode in your pocket on Xiaomi: how to turn off and why it is necessary

Pocket Mode is one of the useful but sometimes annoying features of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, which automatically locks the screen when the device is in your pocket or bag, preventing accidental taps, but sometimes it works inappropriately, such as when you listen to music through headphones or try to use your phone in the dark, in which cases users look for a way to turn it off.

In this article, we will look at all the available methods for deactivating the mode in your pocket, from standard settings to hidden developer parameters, and you will learn which Xiaomi models support this feature, how it affects the battery and whether you can customize it to your needs. If you have encountered a situation where the screen goes out for no reason or the phone stops responding to touch at an uncomfortable moment, this guide will help solve the problem.

What is a mode in the pocket and how it works

Pocket Mode is a built-in MIUI function that uses a proximity sensor and an accelerometer to detect when a smartphone is in a closed space (pocket, bag, case).

• 📵 The screen will be locked even if you accidentally hit it;
• 🔇 Disable gestures and touch taps;
• 🔋 Reduced battery consumption by turning off the lighting;
• 🎧 Continues to play music through headphones.

The feature is useful for saving charge and preventing false positives, but can interfere in some scenarios. For example, if you put your phone down on the table or use it in the dark (the proximity sensor works on your hand). On Xiaomi 12/13, Redmi Note 11/12 and POCO F4/F5 models, the mode works especially aggressively due to the improved sensors.

It is important to understand that the regime is in your pocket. ≠ Do Not Disturb mode: The first one only locks the screen, and the second one turns off all notifications, and it should not be confused with autorotating or adaptive brightness, these are separate functions.

How to turn off the mode in your pocket through standard settings

The easiest way to deactivate the function is to use the MIUI settings menu. The instructions are suitable for most models of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO based on MIUI 12-14:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to Always on screen and lock (on some firmware - Lock screen).
3. Find the option in your pocket (may be called Pocket Mode or Protection against Accidental Pressing).
4. Move the slider to the off position.

If you don’t have this item on your menu, try an alternative route:

1. Settings → Additional → Special Opportunities.
2. In the Physical buttons or gestures section, find the Mode in your pocket.

Settings → Always on screen and lock → Mode in your pocket (Off)

Restart your phone to apply changes

Check the screen reaction in the dark or under clothing

Update. MIUI, if there is no option-->

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or the POCO X5 Pro), the feature may be hidden under a different name. If you don't find it, move on to the next section with alternative methods.

⚠️ Attention: On firmware MIUI Global and MIUI China can take a different approach to settings. If you have custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu), upgrade to the latest version, as older builds may not have the option.

Alternative ways to disconnect

If the standard method didn't work, try one of these, and they're suitable for devices where the function is stitched in at the firmware level or hidden in the engineering menu.

1. Through the notification panel (quick shutdown)

On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO F3), the mode in your pocket can be temporarily deactivated through the notification curtain:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the tiles in your pocket (could be called Pocket Mode or Screen Lock).
3. Touch it to turn it off.

If there is no tiles, add them manually:

1. Click on the pencil icon (✏️) notification-bar.
2. Drag the Mode in your pocket into the active area.

2. Through the developer settings

For experienced users, there is a way to disable the feature through the developer menu:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the option to Disable the proximity sensor or Pocket Mode Sensitivity.
4. Set the value off or 0.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in the developer menu may affect other functions (e.g. automatic brightness or gesture control).If the proximity sensor stops working after the speaker is turned off, return the settings back.

3. Resetting screen settings

If the mode in the pocket is turned on at the system level and does not turn off, try resetting the screen settings:

1. Settings → System and device → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset the lock screen settings.
3. Confirm the action.

This will remove all user lock settings, but save application data.

Table: Support for mode in pocket on popular Xiaomi models

If your model is not in the table, check for the function experimentally: put the phone in your pocket with the screen down and watch the reaction. On the new flagships (Xiaomi 14, POCO F6), the mode can be integrated into the MIUI Optimized system and not have a separate switch.

The effect of the mode in the pocket on battery and performance

Many users fear that the mode in the pocket increases battery consumption due to the constant operation of the sensors.

• 📉 The proximity sensor consumes ~0.1–0.3% charge per hour (GSMArena test data).
• ⚡ The savings from locking the screen cover this cost – in the pocket, the phone spends 5-15% less energy.
• 🔄 On the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (for example, in Xiaomi 13), the mode is optimized better than on budget chips (Helio). G88 Redmi 10).

But there are nuances:

• 🔋 If the proximity sensor is contaminated, it may not work properly and waste more energy on constant checks.
• 📱 On devices with Always-on Display (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, POCO F5 Pro) pocket mode turns off the backlight AOD, This saves up to 2% of charge per night.
• 🎮 In games (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile feature may interfere if you play lying down and close the sensor with your hand.

💡

To test the actual battery impact, use the AccuBattery (Play Market) app, run the flow test in two modes: with Pocket Mode on and off, the difference usually doesn't exceed 1-3% in 8 hours.

If you notice that after turning off the mode, the phone began to discharge faster, check:

1. Have you activated a constant network search (in settings) SIM-map).
2. Did not autosynchronization of background applications turn on?
3. Does the Always-on Display work in your pocket (should shut down automatically)

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after you turn off the mode in your pocket, you're going to have a problem, and let's look at the typical situations and how to fix them.

1.The mode is turned on on by itself after the update

After installing the new version of MIUI, the settings can be reset to fix it:

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• Find the Settings (system application) and clear its cache.
• 📱 Restart your phone and check the settings in your pocket.

2.The screen does not respond to touches after being removed from the pocket

This is because of the delay in unlocking the sensor.

• ⏱️ Increase delay time in Settings → Lock screen → Additionally. → Sensitivity of the sensor.
• 🔧 Turn off optimization. MIUI for sensors (in the developer menu).
• 📲 Try unlocking your phone with a power button, not a double tap.

3. the function is not in the settings, but it works

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI China or custom) the mode in your pocket can be hidden to find it:

• 🔍 Use the search in the settings (the magnifying glass icon at the top).
• 📄 Check the configuration files through ADB (power-user):

adb shell settings list | grep pocket

If the command returns the parameter pocket_mode_enabled, it can be turned off:

adb shell settings put global pocket_mode_enabled 0

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB requires an unlocked bootloader and can cause system failure.Before changes, make a backup via adb backup.

4.Conflict with Always-on Display (AOD)

On flagships (Xiaomi 13, POCO F5 Pro), the mode in your pocket can turn off AOD even if the phone is lying upside down.

• 📱 Turn it on in the settings. AOD Always show (ignore sensors).
• 🔧 Turn off Adaptive Lock in Settings → Battery → Power regimens.

💡

If the problem persists after all the manipulations, the reason may be a hardware malfunction of the proximity sensor, in which case only the replacement of the module in the service center will help.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions