The screen on Xiaomi does not turn over: reasons and methods of solution

The situation when the display of the Xiaomi smartphone stubbornly remains in portrait orientation, even when you turn the device horizontally, is familiar to many users. Most often, the problem lies in the banal software lock or temporary failure of the accelerometer. In the Android operating system, including the shells MIUI and HyperOS, a special sensor is responsible for responding to a change in position of the device, which can stop reading data correctly.

However, before you panic and bring the gadget to the service, you should rule out software conflicts. Sometimes Xiaomi blocks the rotation in certain applications, or the background process responsible for the interface freezes. In some cases, the culprit is a protective glass that blocks access to sensors, or an incorrectly installed firmware update.

In this article, we will look at all the possible reasons why the autorotor doesn’t work, and offer step-by-step instructions for restoring functionality. We will touch on both simple settings in the notification curtain and more complex methods of calibrating through the engineering menu.

Check basic settings and locks

The first thing you need to do is make sure that the autorotation function is actually activated in the system. On Xiaomi smartphones, this option is taken to the control center. If you use the new version of MIUI, swipe down from the upper right corner of the screen to open the curtain. Find an icon with the image of the lock or arrows in the circle.

Sometimes the system may ignore turn commands because of the Screen Attachment feature enabled. This is a mode that blocks navigation and rotation for the current program. To check this, go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Privacy → Special Access. Here you need to find the "App Attachment" item and make sure it is turned off or deactivated for problematic software.

It’s also worth checking if Do Not Disturb mode or special profiles are enabled that may limit the functionality of the interface, and in rare cases, simply restarting the device that resets the cache of system processes helps.

• 🔄 Check the orientation lock icon in the notification curtain.
• 🔒 Make sure that “Apps Attachment” is not activated in the security settings.
• 📱 Reboot your smartphone to reset temporary system errors.
• 🎮 Check the settings inside a particular app (e.g. YouTube or Gallery).

⚠️ Note: Some apps, such as TikTok or Instagram, do not support horizontal orientation by default, and this is not a phone malfunction.

Diagnostics of the accelerometer sensor

If the settings are fine, but the screen on Redmi or Poco still doesn't respond to turns, the problem may lie in the sensor itself. The accelerometer is a microelectronic device that detects the position of the phone in space, and its data is used not only to rotate the picture, but also for the pedometer, control in games and navigation.

For initial diagnosis, you can use the built-in engineering menu, which is a secure tool that allows you to check the health of all modules of the phone without root permissions. To get there, open the Phone app and enter the code ##6484##. If the code did not work, try ##4636## or search for the Engineering menu through the settings.

In the list that opens, select the item associated with the accelerometer (usually called the Accelometer or the G-sensor) and you will see a screen with three axes (X, Y, Z). Place the phone on a flat horizontal surface. The numbers should show values close to zero for the X and Y axes, and about 9.8 or 1.0 for the Z axis (depending on the units of measurement).

If the readings change randomly or don't change at all, you need calibration. In the same engineering menu, there's often a Calibration button. Follow the instructions on the screen: you usually put your phone on a flat surface and press the confirmation button.

Calibration of the accelerometer through the engineering menu

The calibration procedure allows the system to correctly read the position of gravity relative to the body of the smartphone, which is especially true if the phone has recently fallen or after changing the display. On Xiaomi devices, this process is standardized and takes only a couple of minutes.

In the hardware testing menu, find the "Accelerometer" section. Press the "Calibrate" button. The system will ask you to put the device on a completely flat surface (table) with the screen up. Don't touch the phone at this point. After confirmation, the system will write down zero values.

There is also a third-party, but proven, calibration method if the built-in menu doesn't help. You can download the GPS Status & Toolbox app from Google Play. From the menu of this app, select "A-GPS Status Management" → "Reset" and then "Download" that updates location data and often "shakes" all sensors, including the gyroscope.

After performing any actions with the sensors, be sure to perform a full smartphone reboot.Without this step, the new settings may not take effect and the screen will still not turn.

Impact of MIUI and HyperOS Updates

Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter bugs after updating the firmware. Developers may make a mistake in the code responsible for the operation of the interface SystemUI. In such cases, the problem is massive and affects many users of a particular model.

If the problem appears immediately after the update, wait for the patch to come out or try to clear the cache of system applications. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications. Find System Interface (or System UI) in the list. Click Clear → Clear cache. Don't confuse this with a complete data cleanup, although in extreme cases it helps.

If you are using a global firmware version, try switching to the Chinese version (or vice versa) if possible in your region. Sometimes the Chinese versions of MIUI contain bug fixes earlier than the global ones, or vice versa.

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Before clearing the system interface data, make sure you have a backup of important settings, as this can reset the layout of icons on your desktop.

Third-party orientation management applications

When Android's regular tools fail, specialized tools come to the rescue, allowing you to force the orientation of the screen to change, ignoring the readings of the sensors or reconfiguring their sensitivity, a temporary but effective solution.

One of the most popular solutions is the Rotation Control app, which creates a control panel right in the notification curtain, allowing you to block or allow a turn in one click, as well as to fix landscape or portrait orientation, and the application works on access rights to special features, so you will need to give appropriate permissions when installing.

Another option is “Ultimate Rotation Control,” which has more flexible settings to allow you to create profiles for specific applications, such as setting your phone so that the browser always turns the screen, and the launcher never.

• 📲 Rotation Control – Simple control through a curtain.
• ⚙️ Ultimate Rotation Control – Advanced Profiles for Each App.
• 🔧 Sensor Test – Utilities for deep sensor diagnostics.

⚠️ Note: Installing apps from unknown sources (not Google Play) may carry security risks.

Hardware problems and physical impact

If the smartphone recently crashed, the impact could damage the display plume or the accelerometer module on the motherboard, in which case software methods, including firmware, would be useless.

Also note the protective accessories: a thick, tempered glass or case covering the top of the body can mechanically block the proximity and light sensors, which are often located in the same module as the accelerometer. Remove the case and check the rotation.

If the phone was exposed to moisture, the oxidation of the contacts could cause the sensors to work in an unstable way, in which case the screen can behave unpredictable, turn and freeze, and require diagnostics at the service center with the opening of the device.

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If the calibration and resetting of the settings did not help, and the phone fell - with a 90% probability of damage to the physical module of the accelerator meter, a replacement is required.

Resetting settings to factory

A radical, but often the only way to solve a software conflict is to completely reset your data, so be sure to back up your contacts, photos and documents to the Xiaomi Cloud or your computer.

To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” It takes 10-15 minutes. Once turned on, the phone will be as new, and if the problem was in the software failure, it will disappear.

If, even after a complete reset and without installing any applications, the screen does not respond to a turn, it is an unambiguous signal of hardware malfunction, in which case only a visit to an authorized service center will help.