How to get to the desktop on Xiaomi 12T after face recognition: full setup

The Xiaomi 12T’s facial recognition feature is one of the most convenient ways to unlock a smartphone. However, many users face an annoying delay: After a successful face scan, the device first shows the lock screen with the clock and notifications, and then the desktop. This pause not only takes precious seconds, but also disrupts the smoothness of the interaction.

Fortunately, MIUI has hidden settings that allow you to remove the intermediate screen and immediately hit the main screen after facial recognition. In this article, we will explore all possible optimization options, from standard settings to fine-tuning through ADB and third-party utilities, learn how to make unlocking instantaneous without sacrificing security, and what nuances are important to consider when changing system settings.

Important: The methods in this article are tested on Xiaomi 12T with MIUI 13/14 firmware based on Android 12/13. On newer versions, the interface may differ slightly, but the general logic remains the same.

Why is the lock screen shown after face recognition?

The delay between facial recognition and desktop transition is not a bug, but a feature of MIUI. Xiaomi developers added this step for several reasons:

1.Security: Even if the face is recognized, the system gives the user a chance to see notifications or the time before going to the home screen, which reduces the risk of accidentally unlocking in the pocket or bag.

2.UI animations: MIUI uses smooth transitions between screen states, which is visually pleasing but adds latency.

3.Gestural compatibility: on some firmware, the lock screen serves as a buffer for correct handling of navigation gestures.

But for most users, this step is redundant, and fortunately, it can be removed — in whole or in part — with built-in and hidden settings.

Warning! Disabling the intermediate screen may slightly increase battery consumption, as the system will more often activate the display to full brightness for instant display of the desktop.

Method 1: Disable the lock animation in the MIUI settings

The easiest method is to reduce or remove the unlock animation. This won't remove the lock screen completely, but will make the transition to the desktop almost instantaneous.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings → Display.
2. Go to Additional Settings → System Animation.
3. Choose No Animation or 0.5× (if full shutdown is not available).
4. Back to Settings → Screen locking.
5. Turn off the option to Show notifications on the lock screen (optional, but will speed up the process).

After these changes, the delay will be reduced. ~0.8-1.2 seconds ~0.3–0.5 seconds. The effect is particularly noticeable on Xiaomi 12T s AMOLED-A display where animations are traditionally smoother (and slower).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI 14 Option: System animation can be hidden. If it's not on the menu, try the method with ADB (Describe below) or install a Minimalist theme from the Theme – it often resets animations to minimal.

Make a backup copy of settings|Check the version. MIUI (Settings → The phone)|Disable PIN/Password (Temporary Testing Measure)|Charge your phone at least 50 times%-->

Method 2: Using ADB to turn off the lock screen

To completely remove the intermediate screen, you will need to connect to ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that works on the Xiaomi 12T with any version of MIUI, but requires an unlocked bootloader or enabled USB debugging.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect Xiaomi 12T PC, set it up. ADB Tools and execute command: adb shell settings put global lockscreen_to_homescreen 1
4. Reset the device.

Once this command is applied, the smartphone will immediately go to the desktop after facial recognition, bypassing the lock screen. If you need to return standard behavior, do:

adb shell settings put global lockscreen_to_homescreen 0

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI This command can be reset once the system is updated, and it's also incompatible with the Always-on Display and the Waking Up functions, which you have to disable.

Method 3: Configure via Xiaomi EU ROM or custom firmware

If you use unofficial firmware (such as Xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience), the process is simplified. These builds often already have built-in options to fine-tune the unlock.

For Xiaomi.eu ROM:

1. Go to Settings → Screen Lock → More.
2. Activate the option to skip the lockscreen.
3. Select the unlock method (Face or Fingerprint).

On custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or ArrowOS):

1. Open the settings → System → Gestures.
2. Find the screen lock section and turn off the lock screen after unlocking.

Advantages of custom firmware:

• 🔧 More flexibility in setting up animations and transitions.
• 🚀 Absence of unnecessary system processes MIUI, speed-up.
• 🔒 The ability to use alternative authentication methods (e.g. Google’s Smart Lock).

⚠️ Note: Installing custom firmware voids warranty and can lead to unstable camera or sensor performance (especially on Xiaomi). 12T with a MediaTek Dimensity processor 8100-Ultra). Before the firmware check compatibility on the forum XDA Developers.

Method 4: Third-party applications to accelerate unlocking

If you don't want to go through ADB settings or firmware, you can use third-party utilities that won't remove the lock screen completely, but make the transition to the desktop almost instantaneous.

Top.-3 apps 12T:

SkipLock requires an additional ADB command:

adb -d shell pm grant com.kookapp.skiplock android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

How Tasker works:

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If after installing SkipLock, unlocking began to work unstable, clear the cache of the Settings application → Applications → SkipLock → Memory → Clear the cache.

Method 5: Optimizing the Face Recognition Sensor

Sometimes the delay is not due to the MIUI settings, but to the operation of the sensor itself. On the Xiaomi 12T, the front camera (20 MP, f/2.2) is responsible for the face scanning, and its performance depends on several factors.

How to speed up recognition:

• 🔦 Lighting: The sensor works better in bright, but not direct light. In the dark, the screen lights up, which adds to the lighting. ~0.2 seconds to unlock time.
• 🧹 Clean camera: Wipe the front camera with an alcohol wipe - dust or fingerprints can slow focus.
• 🔄 Re-registration of the person: Remove the saved face in Settings → Screen locking → Face recognition and add it again, holding the phone at eye level.
• 📱 Performance mode: Enable Settings → Battery → Performance mode to accelerate sensor data processing.

On the Xiaomi 12T, the facial recognition sensor uses IR lighting only in complete darkness. In low light (such as at night in a room with a lamp), the system can switch between IR and the main camera, which adds a delay of up to 0.5 seconds.

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Registration of a face in different angles (sitting, standing, smiling) increases recognition accuracy by 30-40%, but can slightly slow down the initial unlock due to additional verification.

Problems and Solutions: What to Do When Nothing Works

If none of these methods helped, check the following points:

Frequent causes of failure:

If the problem persists, try resetting the lock settings:

1. Go to Settings → Lock the screen.
2. Delete all saved faces and prints.
3. Select Reset lock settings (password may be required).
4. Reset facial recognition.

FAQ: Frequent questions about unlocking Xiaomi 12T