Why Xiaomi Phones Are Answering Calls and How to Fix It

When a Xiaomi smartphone takes an incoming call without touching the screen, it can take the owner by surprise, not only violating personal boundaries, but also leading to leakage of confidential information or accidental spending if a toll line is on the other end, most often caused by a software failure or incorrect calibration of sensors, rather than a virus.

Owners of MIUI and HyperOS devices often experience this phenomenon because of specific accessibility settings or smart features. Auto-response can be activated when removing a phone from your pocket, when connecting headphones, or even just when a call is received, if the appropriate timer is activated. Understanding the reasons allows you to quickly fix the problem without going to the service center.

In this article, we'll take a look at all the possible reasons why the phone is answering its own calls, and give you step-by-step instructions to turn it off. You'll learn how to set up the proximity sensor, check the special features and eliminate software conflicts. Sometimes the problem is the mud on the screen, and sometimes you need to reconfigure the system in a deep way.

⚠️ Warning: If your phone automatically drops calls or answers them in your pocket, check the case immediately.A tight or magnetic case can override the proximity sensor, making the system think the phone is near your ear.

Main reason: Autoresponse function in settings

The most common reason Xiaomi picks up the phone is because of the activated automatic response feature, which was originally designed for people with disabilities or for driving convenience, but is often switched on by accident, and is located deep in the special features menu, where the average user rarely looks.

To check the status of this feature, you need to go to Settings, then select Additional Settings and find Special Opportunities. Inside this menu, look for a tab related to physical features or hearing, where the Auto Response switch hides. If the slider is active, the phone will receive calls automatically after a given period of time.

Some firmware versions may have different paths, like newer versions of MIUI 14 or HyperOS, where auto-response control is often moved to the Phone app. Click three dots in the corner of the screen, select Settings, then Incoming calls, and that's where the switch is, which causes the device to respond without you.

• 📱 Open the Phone app and tap on the gear settings in the corner of the screen.
• 🔍 Find the Incoming Calls or Auto Response section in the options list.
• ❌ Make sure the Auto Response switch is off.
• ⏱️ Check the timer setting: if auto-response is only needed for the headset, make sure the appropriate mode is selected.

It is important to distinguish between automatic response when connected and response in normal mode. Often users accidentally activate the "Auto-response in 2 seconds" option for all calls, thinking that this is a setting only for Bluetooth headphones.

Problems with the proximity sensor and screen

If the auto-response function on the menu is turned off, but the phone is still answering the calls, the problem may be physical. The proximity sensor is located at the top of the screen and reacts to objects nearby. If it is contaminated, taped with a low-quality protective glass or damaged, it can send false signals to the system that the phone is held to the ear.

When the system receives a signal from the sensor about the “approach”, it often activates the call mode and can automatically accept the call if this behavior is written in the logic of the shell, especially when you carry the phone in a tightly fitting pocket or use a case with protruding edges that overlap the upper frame.

To diagnose the problem, you can use an engineering menu or a special application to check the sensors. Enter the Phone application code ##6484## to enter CIT mode. Choose the Proximity Sensor test and check if it responds to your hand. If the sensor is stuck in the close state, the screen will go out and calls will be received by themselves.

Another cause of false positives is static electricity or damage to the touchscreen. If the screen “lives its life” and registers touches where they are not (so-called “ghost touches”), the phone can press the response button on its own, in which case only replacing the display module or temporarily disabling the sensor with software methods, if such an option is available in your version of the software will help.

Auto-response via Bluetooth and headsets

Special attention should be paid to the scenario where the phone only answers calls with Bluetooth headphones or a car system connected. Many users do not even suspect that the settings of the Bluetooth profile or the headset itself can be embedded in the automatic response function. This is a standard behavior for many car kits, so that the driver does not get distracted by the search for the reception button.

Xiaomi smartphones have a separate auto-response setting for the headset and for the phone itself. Even if the main auto-response menu is off, the auto-response box can be ticked in your Bluetooth profile. Check the settings of the connected device: click on the gear icon next to your device's name in the Bluetooth list and look for the auto-response option.

It can also be a problem with third-party applications that manage calls or sound. Apps like Google Assistant or specialized programs for motorists can intercept the control of a call. If the phone itself answers calls when you connect to a particular car, try turning off the auto-response function in the settings of the car's head unit or in the phone profile in the car's menu.

• 🎧 Go to Settings. → Bluetooth and find the connected device.
• ⚙️ Click on the settings icon (cog) next to the device name.
• 🚫 Turn off the call auto response option if it is active.
• 🚗 Check the car system settings for forced auto-response.

⚠️ Warning: Some wireless headphones have their own settings memory. If you connected them to another phone where the auto-response was turned on, they can "remember" that command and initiate a response on the new device.

The Impact of Third-Party Applications and Software Conflicts

Don't discount the impact of third-party software. Call recording applications, number detectors, smart launchers, or contact management software can have their own autoresponse settings that override the system, such as a call recording app that can automatically pick up the phone to keep the conversation from starting.

Analyze which apps were installed or updated recently before the problem arose. Often, after a MIUI update, older versions of the caller apps start to malfunction, creating process conflicts. In the background, several services may be running that are trying to handle the incoming call, and one of them initiates a response.

To identify the culprit, try running your phone in Safe Mode, which only runs system applications, if in Safe Mode the phone stopped answering its own calls, then the problem is definitely with third-party software, and uninstall the newly installed apps one by one, checking the result.

Comparison of problem-solving methods

For convenience, we systematize the basic methods of troubleshooting, and the choice of method depends on how deep you are willing to dive into the settings and whether the problem is software or hardware.