Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with bright and energy-efficient displays, but it is the screen that remains the main consumer of energy in the device. Properly adjusting the time after which the display goes out after discontinuation allows not only to significantly extend the autonomous operation of the gadget, but also to protect its contents from prying eyes. Many users mistakenly believe that the standard lock time settings are the only available parameter, but in the shell of MIUI and the new HyperOS there are much more options for controlling backlight.
In this article, we will take a look at all aspects of screen control, from the basic timer to the subtle settings that often go unnoticed. You will learn how to adapt the behavior of a smartphone to your habits so that it does not go out too quickly while reading, but does not burn in your pocket.
Note that menu items may vary slightly depending on the version of the Android operating system and the version of the MIUI shell installed on your device. However, the logic of the system components remains the same for the entire model range of the brand.
Basic setting of the display lock timer
The first thing to start with is to set the right time interval for the screen to go to sleep, and the standard way to do this in the MIUI shell is usually through the Settings section, then select the Screen and brightness, and that's where the Sleep Mode parameter is, which determines how long the backlights will last without the user's action.
In most cases, the system offers a fixed set of values: 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes and 10 minutes. The choice of a specific value depends solely on your use case. For example, for those who often read texts from the screen without scrolling, the optimal value will be 2 or 5 minutes, while to save charge, it is better to set a minimum threshold.
It is important to understand that setting too long an interval, such as 10 minutes, can lead to the accidental switching on of the smartphone in your pocket or bag, which can lead to battery drain and occasional calls. On the other hand, 15 seconds may not be enough to view photos or short videos without touch screen.
⚠️ Note: On some models with AMOLED-When setting the maximum latency (10 minutes), the system can issue a warning about possible pixel burnout during prolonged display of a static image.
Advanced settings in the menu "Special features"
If you don’t have the standard time range or want the screen to behave more intelligently, you should consult Settings → Additional settings → Special features. This hides features that can dramatically change the experience of interacting with the device, especially for people with visual impairment or specific needs.
One of the most useful features is Screenhold, which allows the display to stay on while you're looking at it. The smartphone uses a front-facing camera and sensors to track your gaze, which is extremely convenient when reading long articles or recipes in the kitchen when your hands are busy, and you can't touch the screen.
- 👁️ Screenhold: Activates the proximity sensor and the camera for gaze analysis, preventing blocking.
- 📏 Text size and display: allows you to rescale the interface, which indirectly affects the perception of reading time.
- 🎨 Color correction: Color-blind modes that change color reproduction but do not affect the timer.
Activating the gaze tracking function can consume additional battery power, as it uses additional sensors. However, for many users, the convenience of a constantly burning screen while reading outweighs the minimal energy loss. You can check the compatibility of your device with this feature by activating the switchboard in the corresponding menu.
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Screen Holding may not work properly in bright sunlight when sensors have difficulty determining the direction of their gaze.
Always on Display and Standby Mode
The Always On Display (AOD) technology allows you to display time, date and notifications on the screen off, creating the illusion that the device is always active. On Xiaomi smartphones, this feature has flexible settings that allow you to adjust not only the appearance of the widget, but also the time of its operation, which is directly related to the theme of the damping of the main image.
In Settings → Wallpaper → Always On Display, you'll find the "Enable Always On Display" switch, but the magic lies in "Schedule." By default, the screen can burn constantly, which is not optimal for the battery, or turn on on on a schedule. The smart setting allows the screen to "dry out" at night to keep you awake, and turn on in the morning.
| Mode of work | Description of behaviour | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Always turn on | The screen burns 24 hours a day (with darkening in the dark) | High (up to 15% per day) |
| 10 seconds after touching | The screen lights up when touched and goes out after 10 seconds. | Low (optimum) |
| Scheduled. | It only works within a given time interval. | Average (depending on duration) |
| Always turn on | Constant display of information | High. |
| 10 seconds. | Short-term inclusion | Low. |
| Schedule | Timer work (for example, from 8:00 to 23:00) | Average. |
The 10-second-touch mode is the most sensible trade-off between functionality and power consumption: the screen lights up when you pick up the phone, and quickly fades off when you put it on the table, creating an instant response without wasting resources.
AOD's secret to AMOLED
Using a proximity sensor to control the screen
The proximity sensor is a small but important component, usually located at the top of a smartphone next to a speaker, and its primary function is to turn off the screen when you hold the phone to your ear to prevent accidental cheek pressing, but it can also affect the overall behavior of the display.
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the screen goes out too early or, conversely, does not go out during the call. This can be due to a protective film covering the sensor, or a software failure. In the MIUI settings, there is a sensor calibration function available through the engineering menu or special applications, but for the average user, it is enough to check the purity of the upper edge of the device.
- 📞 During a call: the screen should go out instantly when brought to the face.
- 📏 In the pocket: the sensor prevents the screen from turning on if something presses on it.
- 🧹 Cleanliness: greasy spots or thick glass can block the sensor’s IR ray.
If your Xiaomi screen is acting strangely — fading when watching videos or does not respond to a touch to your ear — try to wipe the top of the case. In rare cases, you need a software reset of the sensor settings through the Recovery Recovery menu (CIT or Hardware Test), but this is already a procedure for advanced users.
⚠️ Warning: Do not glue the area above the speaker with dense stickers or magnetic holders - this is guaranteed to lead to incorrect operation of the proximity sensor and screen.
Adaptive brightness and its effect on visual attenuation
While the term fading more often refers to the time of operation, the visual sensation of screen fading is often associated with the operation of automatic brightness control. MIUI uses machine learning algorithms to adjust the backlight to indoor lighting. Sometimes it looks like a sharp drop in brightness, which users perceive as an attempt to turn off the screen.
The settings are in the Settings menu → Screen and brightness. You can turn on or off the Adaptive Adjustment slider here, and if it's active, it'll decide when to minimize the brightness, creating the effect of almost turning off the screen in the dark. This saves eyes and energy, but can be annoying if the algorithm doesn’t work properly.
☑️ Checking screen settings
For those who prefer full control, it is recommended to turn off auto-brightness and set the level manually, in which case the screen will behave predictably: it will burn at a given intensity just as much as you set in the lock timer, without unexpected "failures" into the dark.
Solving problems with spontaneous screen suppression
There are times when the screen goes out regardless of the timer settings, which can be caused by the "Energy Saving" or "Ultra-Saving" function. When the battery charge drops below a certain threshold (usually 20% or 10%), the system forcibly reduces the display time to a minimum (often up to 15 seconds) to extend the life of the device.
It’s also worth checking the installed apps. Some programs, especially memory cleaners or antiviruses, may have their own permissions to control the screen or lock the device. If the screen goes out in a particular application (for example, YouTube or the navigator), the problem may be the settings of the application itself, not the system.
In some cases, resetting special features or updating firmware helps. Mistakes in MIUI code periodically cause power control bugs on the display, which are patched with security patches. Check for updates in the About Phone section.
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If the screen goes out chaotically, first of all check the power saving mode and the presence of third-party applications with administrator rights of the device.