While it may seem mystical or frightening to have your Xiaomi pick up the phone on its own when a call is made, 90% of the time it is caused by a hardware sensor failure or software conflict, not a “machine uprising,” users often notice that the smartphone responds to touches that were not physically present or activates a speakerphone without the owner’s input.
The most common problem is the proximity sensor, which in the low-end and mid-range models of the Chinese brand may not work properly due to design features, and the effect of static electricity, the quality of the protective film and even weather conditions such as high humidity, let's look at all possible causes in detail so that you can fix the malfunction.
Approximation sensor: the main suspect
The main reason a Redmi or Poco phone is resetting or accepting calls is because it's a false reading from the proximity sensor, which is located at the top of the screen, and it's supposed to tell you if you've brought the device to your ear, and if the sensor thinks it's already in your ear, it turns off the screen and can activate voice control or casual touch.
In models with a virtual sensor (which is software-based rather than physical), failures occur most often. The calibration system can get lost after a fall, change the display or just over time. As a result, even when in your pocket or lying on the table, the smartphone receives a signal "object nearby" and locks the screen, and when you touch the screen at this point, the answer to the call occurs.
⚠️ Note: If you recently changed the display or glass and the problem appeared immediately after that, the wizard may not have calibrated the sensor or used a poor-quality part that overrides the sensor.
You can check the operation of this node through the engineering menu, you have to enter a special code in the Phone application, and this action will start the diagnosis of all the sensors, and if the Proximity indicator does not change color or value when you close the top of the screen with your hand, then this is the problem.
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For quick diagnosis, enter the code ##6484## and select Proximity sensor. Close the top of the screen with your palm - the value should change from 5.0 cm to 0.0 cm.
Influence of accessories and protective glasses
Often, owners are unaware that the cause of the "moonshot" is a cheap protective glass or case. If the glass is curved, has a black frame around the edges or just too thick, it can block the area of operation of the sensors. In Xiaomi phones, the sensor is often hidden under the display or located in a narrow strip on top, and any obstacle is critical.
In addition, some cases with magnetic fasteners or metal inserts can interfere with the touch layer. The magnetic field distorts the capacitive screen, causing what is called "phantom presses." The screen begins to live its life, registering touches where they are not, which leads to a response to the call.
Let’s consider the main problems with accessories in the table below:
| Accessory type | Probability of problem | Symptoms. |
|---|---|---|
| Frameless protective glass | Tall. | Sensor's closed, screen's not going out. |
| Cheap magnet case | Medium | Chaotic taps all over the screen |
| Hydrogel film | Low. | Rare failures if the film is thick |
| Metal plate for cars | Tall. | Complete failure of the touchscreen in the plate zone |
To rule out this factor, try temporarily removing the cover and the protective glass. If the problem is gone, then you just need to replace the accessory with a better quality or compatible with your model. Don't skimp on protective glass, choose options marked "Case Friendly" or specially designed for your model.
Interface settings and MIUI function
There are many easy-to-control features in the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS that may not work properly, and one of those features is "Ear-to-ear call response," which if this option is enabled and the sensor is running with an error, the phone will respond to any sudden movement to the head.
Also worth paying attention to the screen sensitivity settings. In some use cases (such as gloves), sensitivity is increased, which can lead to false positives. Check the Settings section → Advanced settings → Mode in gloves. If it is turned on unnecessarily, turn it off.
Another important thing is Pocket Mode, which is designed to lock the screen when the phone is in your pocket, but sometimes it works the other way around, unlocks it or accepts calls if the pocket is tight and puts pressure on the screen, and you can turn it off in the Security app or lock settings.
- 📱 Go to Settings and select Passwords and Security.
- 🔍 Find the Privacy or Special Opportunities section.
- 🚫 Turn off the answer option by putting it in your ear if it is active.
- ⚙️ Check the theme settings – some third-party themes may conflict with the system call interface.
Malware and third-party applications
While Android is secure enough, installing apps from unreliable sources can lead to ads or viruses that mimic user actions.Some ad modules can intercept control of the phone, causing chaotic interface behavior, including answering calls.
Especially often problems are caused by applications for “memory cleaning”, “game speeding”, or dubious antiviruses that require wide permissions to access the screen and phone. They can overlay their windows on top of the call interface, and random clicking in this window is perceived by the system as a “Response” command.
How do we find the culprit?
To check your phone, use the built-in scanner in Xiaomi's Security app, which can effectively detect known threats, and you can use Google Play Protection, and if the phone is acting strange right after you install a particular app, feel free to remove it and watch for changes.
Physical damage and moisture
Moisture is one of the most insidious things that happens, and even if the phone doesn't sink, the high humidity in the bathroom or the condensation can cause the touchscreen to close, the water conducts current, and for a capacitive screen, it's like multiple finger touches, and the phone starts to go crazy, opening apps and answering calls.
Mechanical damage, such as cracks on the screen or severe compression of the body (for example, if the phone was under heavy objects), also leads to deformation of the touch layer.
⚠️ Warning: If your phone gets into water, never put it on a charger or dry it with a hair dryer or battery. High temperatures will seal the moisture inside, and current will knock out the electronics. Use silica gel.
If you notice that the problem occurs after contact with water or in wet weather, try to gently dry the device in a warm dry place (not in direct sun) for a day. If after drying, the "phantom touch" remained, the touchscreen plume is probably oxidized, and you will need to disassemble and clean the service.
Failures in the operating system
Sometimes the reason is not the hardware, but the software errors of the MIUI system itself. Cache accumulation, update errors or system file conflicts can cause chaotic interface behavior, especially after upgrading to a new version of Android or MIUI, when the old settings conflict with new algorithms.
In such cases, it helps to clean the system cache or completely reset the settings.Be sure to back up important data before reset, as all files will be deleted.Reset will return the phone to factory state, killing all software errors.
☑️ Checklist before reset
To perform the reset, go to Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset. Select “Erase All Data.” Once the reboot is done, the phone will look like new. If the problem was software, it will disappear. If the phone continues to answer calls after the reset, it will almost certainly be the hardware (touchscreen, plume, board).
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Software reset eliminates 80% of errors associated with service freezes and setting conflicts, but is powerless against physical screen damage.