How to permanently remove screen dimming on Xiaomi: from MIUI 12 to HyperOS

Dimming the screen on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most controversial features of MIUI, which is constantly causing annoyance to users.The system automatically reduces the brightness of the display when “inactive” use, even if you read a book, watch a video or play games with minimal interaction. The manufacturer positions this feature as a way to save battery power, but in practice it often interferes: the screen dims at the most inopportune moment, and you manually return brightness several times per hour.

The problem is complicated by the fact that auto-dimming settings are hidden in different sections MIUI (and in the new versions of HyperOS they were removed from the interface altogether). Moreover, on some Redmi and POCO models, the function works even when the adaptive brightness control is disabled. In this guide, we will discuss all the current ways to disable dimming - from standard options in the menu to hidden ADB- commands and system modifications. You will learn how to block the brightness decrease on any version of MIUI/HyperOS without root-rights, and also turn off the battery function completely.

Why Xiaomi is darkening the screen: technical reasons

Auto-brightness dimming was introduced in early versions of MIUI as part of a power-saving system, and is based on three key mechanisms:

• 🔋 Battery saving algorithm: MIUI analyzes user activity (touching, gestures, device tilts) and reduces brightness if interaction is absent for longer than 10-15 seconds. The logic is simple — if you don't touch the screen, then don't look at it.
• 👁️ Illumination Sensor: Even when the adaptive brightness is turned off, the system can adjust the backlight based on sensor data (for example, in a dark room, the screen will dim more).
• 📱 Optimization of AMOLED- displays: On models with AMOLED- screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi K60), dimming is used to reduce the risk of pixel burnout.

In theory, it's useful, but in practice it's too aggressive, like when you read a book on the Moon+ Reader app or watch a YouTube video pause, the system decides you're "inactive," and it reduces brightness, especially on the budget Redmi Note and POCO M models, where the screen is already not very bright.

⚠️ Warning: On HyperOS smartphones (starting with Xiaomi 14 and Redmi K70), the logic of dimming has changed. Now the system takes into account not only touch, but also the position of the device in space (for example, if the phone is lying on the table, the screen will dim faster).

Before proceeding to disable the function, check if the dimming is related to other settings:

• 🔄 Make sure the adaptive brightness is off (Settings → Display → Adaptive Brightness).
• 🔋 See if the battery supersaving mode is activated (Settings → Battery → Battery Mode).
• 🌙 If you use a dark theme, try switching to a light theme, sometimes the dimming is more pronounced on AMOLED- dark screens.

Method 1: Disable dimming via MIUI/HyperOS settings

The most obvious method is to search for the option on the menu, but depending on the firmware version and smartphone model, the path to settings may differ.

For MIUI 12–14 (Redmi Note 10–12, POCO X3–X5, etc.)

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Slip the Brightness slider (don't move it!).
3. In the window that opens, turn off the switch Automatic screen dimming (or Smart brightness control).
4. Reset the device.

For HyperOS (Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi K60/K70 and later)

In HyperOS, the direct dimming switch has been removed, but the function can be deactivated via a hidden menu:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Additional settings.
2. Click 5 times in a row on Color Mode (the notification "Developer Mode is activated" should appear).
3. Return to the main Settings menu, open About Phone → MIUI version and tap the build number 7 times to unlock Developer Settings.
4. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer settings.
5. Find the option to turn off automatic dimming (or Disable auto-dimming) and activate it.

If there is no item, try an alternative path:

Settings → Special features → Display settings → Disable automatic dimming

Adaptive brightness turned off |Battery mode checked (not "Super-Economies")|Rebooted device |Certified in dark and light themes-->

For older versions of MIUI (up to 12th)

On the Redmi Note 8/9 and other devices with MIUI 11 and below, the path is as follows:

1. Settings → Battery and performance → Battery management.
2. Select Settings → Automatic screen dimming.
3. Turn off the function and save the changes.

⚠️ Attention: On some models (e.g., POCO F3 and Redmi K40) after switching off the dimming via the menu, the function may be activated again after the system update, in which case you will need to use ADB- commands (see Method 3).

Method 2: Use of the "Developers" mode

If standard settings don’t work, you can block dimming through the developer menu, which works on most devices, but requires the pre-activation of hidden options.

How to Enable Developer Mode

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version (or HyperOS build number) and tap it 7 times in a row.
3. Enter the pattern lock or PIN-code, if required.
4. The message will be “You are a developer!”

Disabling Darkening Through the Developer

After activation of the mode:

1. Return to the main settings menu.
2. Open Additional → Developer Settings (in HyperOS, the path may differ: Settings → For Developers).
3. Scroll down and find one of the following items (name depends on the firmware version): Disable auto-dimming, Turn off adaptive brightness, Disable background brightness adjustment

Activate the switch and restart the phone.

If you don’t have the right item, try finding the USB debugging option and turn it on – sometimes this will unlock additional display settings.

MIUI 12|MIUI 13|MIUI 14|HyperOS (2026) |I don't know-->

Additional settings in the developer mode

There are other useful options in the developer menu that can help in the fight against dimming:

• 🔄 Windows animation scale: Reducing the value to 0.5x can speed up the system's response to touch, which sometimes prevents false dimming response.
• 🔋 Background process limit: setting a limit of 4 processes will reduce the system load, which indirectly affects the operation of energy saving algorithms.
• 📱 Simulate display: An experimental feature that allows emulation of another type of screen (e.g., AMOLED instead of LCD) that can fool the system.

Method 3: ADB- Commands for complete blackout

If the software doesn't work, you have to turn off the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) dimming, which requires you to connect your phone to your computer, but it's guaranteed to remove the system-level function, and the advantage of this method is that it works even on HyperOS, where the manufacturer has removed the direct settings.

Preparation for working with ADB

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 📋 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download from the official website).
• 🛠️ Google’s Platform Tools tool (download here).

Steps:

1. Unpack the platform-tools archive into any folder on your computer.
2. Turn on the phone debugging over USB (Settings → For developers → debugging over USB).
3. Connect the phone to your computer and select File Transfer mode.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with the platform-tools.

Commands to disable dimming

Enter the following commands in turn (click Enter after each command):

adb devices

(Your device name should appear as a confirmation of your connection.)

adb shell settings put global auto_brightness_dimming_disabled 1

This command disables automatic dimming at the system level.

adb shell settings put global adaptive_brightness_enabled 0

Turns off adaptive brightness (in case it affects dimming).

adb shell settings put global screen_auto_brightness_adjustment 0

Blocks background brightness adjustment.

After you've done the commands, restart the phone. The blackout should disappear.

adb shell settings put global screen_brightness_mode 0

This will force manual brightness control.-->

How to bring the blackout back

If you change your mind and want to restore the standard behavior of the system, enter:

adb shell settings put global auto_brightness_dimming_disabled 0


adb shell settings put global adaptive_brightness_enabled 1

⚠️ Warning: On some models (Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 11 Pro+), the teams may be miscalibrated after using the ADB- light sensor. To fix this, go to Settings → Display → Reset Adaptive Brightness.

Method 4: Hidden Engineering Codes for Xiaomi

Few people know, but Xiaomi has service codes that allow you to manage hidden features, including screen dimming. These codes do not work on all models, but it is worth a try - they do not require a connection to a computer.

List of working codes

How to use codes

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter one of the codes (as a normal number) and click on the call.
3. In the menu that opens, find options related to brightness or light sensor.
4. Turn off automatic adjustment and save the changes.

For example, after you enter the code ##36446337##, you will be taken to the sensor calibration menu.

• 🔄 Check current illumination values (if overestimated, the system will dim even in normal lighting).
• 📊 Reset calibration to factory settings.
• 🚫 Completely disable the sensor's effect on brightness.

Method 5: Applications for blocking dimming

If you don't want to dig into settings or use ADB, you can use third-party apps that force the screen to keep brightness at a given level, and the downside is that apps require special features, and some of them can drain the battery.

Top-3 apps for Xiaomi

• 🌟 Keep Screen On (free, Google Play): Allows you to set rules for individual apps (like not dim in YouTube or Chrome). There is an option called "shake to wake up" - useful if the screen goes out while reading.
• 🔦 Lux Auto Brightness (paid version, Google Play): Completely replaces the standard brightness algorithm MIUI. Supports manual calibration of the light sensor. Can emulate the lack of a sensor by blocking the dimming.
• 📱 Screen Shift (free, Google Play): Adds the brightness control panel to the notification curtain. Blocks automatic brightness dimming when connected to charging.

How to set up Keep Screen On

Example of setting up the most popular application:

1. Download and install Keep Screen On from Google Play.
2. Open the app and grant special features (Settings → Special features → Keep Screen On).
3. In the main menu of the application, select the mode: Always On - the screen will never dim (discharges the battery); Smart Mode - brightness is supported only in selected applications. Charge Mode - works only when connected to charging.

Chrome

VLC

Kindle

Prevent dimming

⚠️ Warning: Apps like Keep Screen On may conflict with system optimizations MIUI. If the phone starts to warm up or run out quickly after installation, turn off the app's background activity in the battery settings (Settings → Battery → Consumption Management → Keep Screen On).

What do you do if nothing helps?

If you've tried all of these, but the screen dimming on Xiaomi is still activated, the problem may be deeper.

1. Resetting display settings

Sometimes brightness failures are associated with corrupted system files, to reset the display settings:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset Display Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

2. Testing for viruses and optimizers

Some applications (especially cleaners like Clean Master or DU Battery Saver) can interfere with the display, remove suspicious programs and check the phone with antivirus (for example, Malwarebytes).

3. Firmware update

In newer versions of MIUI/HyperOS, the manufacturer sometimes fixes dimming bugs.

1. Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If an update is available, install it and check if the problem persists.

💡

Turning off the screen dimming increases battery consumption by 1 to 3 percent per hour, but this is not critical for most users, with the main benefit of being comfortable reading, watching videos and playing games without constant manual brightness adjustment.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen dimming on Xiaomi