Have you ever taken a Xiaomi smartphone in your hand, turned it horizontally, and the screen stubbornly remained vertical? Or vice versa — the image suddenly turned upside down for no apparent reason? It’s all the work (or failure) of the screen orientation function, which is responsible for automatically changing the position of the content when you turn the device. In modern Xiaomi smartphones (from the budget Redmi to the flagship Xiaomi 14), this feature is implemented through a combination of software algorithms and hardware sensors, but not all users understand how to control it.
In this article, we’ll explore what orientation is on the phone from a technical point of view, how it works on Xiaomi devices (including the features of the MIUI shell), and why sometimes there are problems – from the banal lack of reaction to the turn to the “upside down” screen. You’ll learn how to manually turn on / off autorotation, calibrate sensors, and what hidden MIUI settings will help fine-tune the behavior of the screen for your tasks.
What is the screen orientation and how it works on Xiaomi
Screen orientation is the automatic or manual change of content position (album/portrait) depending on how you hold your smartphone.
- 📱 Accelerometer – measures acceleration and determines the angle of inclination of the device.
- 🧭 Gyroscope - fixes the rotation of the phone in three-dimensional space (important for games and AR-applications).
- 🖥️ Software algorithm MIUI — It processes data from sensors and decides whether to turn the screen.
When you turn the phone, the sensors send a signal to the system, and MIUI analyzes:
- 🔄 Turning angle (must exceed 45)°, turn off).
- 📲 Current app (not all programs support landscape orientation).
- 🔋 Power saving mode (sometimes blocking the operation of sensors).
For example, in the Redmi Note 12, orientation sensors work even when the screen is off, such as functions like Always-on Display or Double Tap to Wake gestures. However, in some models (such as the POCO X5), MIUI algorithms can artificially delay autorotation to avoid random rotations with small movements.
How to turn on or off autoturn on Xiaomi
By default, the autorotor on Xiaomi is enabled, but it can be turned off or configured to specific scenarios. Here are 3 ways to control:
Method 1: Quick settings panel
The fastest method:
- Swipe your finger down to open the notification curtain.
- Find the “Autoporate” icon (usually looks like a circular-arrow phone).
- Tap the icon to turn on/off the function (blue is on, gray is off).
Method 2: System settings
If there is no icon in the curtain (for example, on MIUI 14 with custom themes), go to:
Settings → Screen → Autoturn screenHere you can not only turn on / off the function, but also configure exceptions for individual applications (more on this below).
Method 3: Gestures (for MIUI 12 and later)
On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13T) autorotation can be switched on by gesture:
- 👆 Twice swipe your finger up the lock screen.
- 🔄 Or turn the phone in a horizontal position and hold it for 2 seconds – the system will prompt you to turn on the autorotor.
Battery charge > 15% (at low charge, sensors may switch off)
No covers/stickers blocking sensors
There are no restrictions on the current application
The system is updated to the latest version MIUI-->
Why Autoturning Doesn't Work on Xiaomi: 7 Reasons and Solutions
If the screen does not rotate despite the fact that the function is turned on, the problem may lie in:
| Reason. | How to check | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 🔕 Sensor locked. | Light a flashlight on the top of the phone – if the sensor is covered with a film or case, it will not work. | Remove the case, clear the sensor area (near the front camera). |
| 🔋 Energy saving regime | Go to Settings → Battery → Energy Saving Mode. | Turn off the mode or add an exception for sensors. |
| 📱 Failure MIUI | Reboot your phone. If it doesn't work, check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update. | Update the software or reset the screen settings to factory. |
| 🎮 Limitation of the annex | Open an app (like YouTube) and try to turn the screen. | Go to Settings → Screen → Autoturn → Exceptions and remove the application from the list. |
| 🔧 Sensor malfunction | Install the Sensor Test app from Google Play and check the accelerometer readings. | Contact the service center (possible hardware breakdown). |
A critical feature of MIUI: in some firmware (e.g. Redmi 10C), autorotation automatically turns off when connected to an external display via HDMI or Miracast. If you use wireless screen transmission, check this moment!
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for POCO (for example, POCO F5) This can be triggered by a bug where the autorotation only works in one direction (e.g., right, not left) and is treated by resetting sensor settings through an engineering menu (#6484##).
Fine orientation setting: hidden MIUI functions
The MIUI shell offers some non-obvious options for orientation management that not all users know:
1. Annex exemptions
You can prohibit autoturn for individual programs:
Settings → Screen → Screen Autoturn → ExceptionsFor example, it’s helpful to turn off the turn for Telegram or Chrome if they don’t show up properly in Landscape mode.
2. Fixing orientation in games
In Game Turbo (available on most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO) you can block the orientation for a particular game:
- 🎮 Open Game Turbo from the notification curtain while playing.
- 🔒 Click on the icon "Block orientation».
Sensitivity adjustment of sensors
On some models (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) you can change the threshold of autoturn operation:
Settings → Additional → Special features → Sensitivity of sensorsIt is useful if the screen is rotated too easily or, conversely, requires a strong tilt.
How to reset sensor settings to factory?
What to do if the screen is turned upside down
One of the most frightening situations is when the screen suddenly appears upside down, and all the attempts to turn the phone back fail.
- 🤡 Gyroscope failure: Most often occurs after a phone falls.Reboot or calibration of sensors helps (see spoiler above).
- 🎭 Developer Settings: If you have enabled the option Do not turn off the screen or Rotate Simulation, the screen may lock in the wrong position. → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times to open the developer menu).
- 🧩 Conflict with the shell: On some firmware MIUI (Especially custom ones, there's a mirror-image bug that can trigger, and the solution is to reset the screen settings:
Settings → System → Resetting settings → Resetting screen settings⚠️ Note: If the screen flips after the update MIUI, Don't try to roll back on old firmware without a backup! 13/14 This can block the bootloader in a series. You better wait for the patch or call for support.
Orientation in games and AR-applications: features
For gamers and AR users (like Pokémon GO or Google Lens), screen orientation is critical. There are a few nuances on Xiaomi:
- 🎮 Games with support for gyroscope: PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty: Mobile autorotating the screen can conflict with control through the gyroscope.
- 🕶️ AR-Appendices: Google ARCore requires calibration of sensors. AR-objects "float", perform calibration manually:
Settings → Applications → ARCore → Storage → Clean the cacheOn devices with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), orientation sensors work more accurately thanks to hardware acceleration, but can warm up with prolonged use of AR. If the phone overheats, limit FPS in games or use a cooling stand.
💡
If the game is turning the screen on its own, try turning off the Auto-rotate in landscape feature in the graphics settings.This is a common problem on MIUI 14 for Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail.