Xiaomi’s smartphone screen is one of the world’s biggest energy consumers, and automatically turning off when inactive helps save battery power. However, the default standard 30 seconds or 1 minute isn’t always convenient: someone needs more reading time and someone needs instantaneous shutdown to save. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways available to adjust the screen time on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from basic menu settings to hidden functions via ADB.
It is important to understand that the settings may vary slightly on different models and versions of MIUI (or HyperOS) firmware, and we will take these nuances into account and provide current instructions for modern devices (2022-2026), and we will also find out how to circumvent system limitations if standard options do not suit you.
Why it is important to set the screen timeout correctly
The time of automatic screen shutdown affects not only battery consumption, but also the usability of the smartphone.
- 🔋 Too short a timeout (15-30 seconds) causes the screen to go out while reading long articles or viewing photos, which is annoying.
- ⚡ Too long (5-10 minutes) increases your energy consumption, especially if you often forget to lock your phone manually.
- 🛡️ Security: A fast timeout reduces the risk of unauthorized access if the phone is left unattended.
Xiaomi defaults to a balance between savings and convenience, but these settings are not always optimal. For example, on budget models (Redmi 12C, POCO M5), the timeout may be shorter than on flagships (Xiaomi 14) to compensate for the lower battery capacity.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi) K60) Too long a timeout accelerates the degradation of the matrix due to pixel burnout. The optimal time is no more than 2 minutes.
Standard method: setting up via the phone menu
The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI or HyperOS settings. The instructions are relevant for most models, including the Xiaomi 11T, Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and later:
- Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
- Go to the Screen (or Display in HyperOS) section.
- Select Sleep Mode (or Screen Timeout, Screen Auto Disconnect).
- Set your desired time from the available options: usually 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, 10 min or Never.
Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for the global version) may not have the option Never is a security limitation. Also note that when using the Battery Saving mode, the timeout can automatically be reduced to 15-30 seconds.
Make sure your phone is over 20% charged | Turn off Battery Savings mode |Check if the For Kids mode is active (it blocks changes) |Remember your current settings in case of rollback-->
| Xiaomi model | Minimum timeout | Maximum timeout | The "Never" option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 14 Ultra | 15 seconds | 10 minutes | ❌ No. |
| Redmi Note 13 Pro+ | 15 seconds | 5 minutes | ❌ No. |
| POCO F5 | 30 seconds. | 10 minutes | ✅ Yes (in global firmware) |
| Xiaomi Pad 6 | 2 minutes | 30 minutes | ✅ Yes. |
Advanced settings through ADB: how to get around restrictions
If standard timeout options are not enough (for example, you need to set 20 seconds or 15 minutes), you can use the ADB command. This method requires connecting the phone to the computer and enabling debugging over USB, but gives full control over the time of the screen off.
Step-by-step:
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on MIUI Version (or HyperOS Build Number). Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and enable USB Debugging.
Connect your phone to your PC via cable and confirm your trusted device.
cmd
Terminal
adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 30000where 30,000 is millisecond time (30,000 ms = 30 seconds). For 5 minutes, use 300,000; for 15 minutes, use 900,000.
Reboot your phone to make the changes take effect.
⚠️ Attention: Some firmware MIUI reset ADB To record changes, use the command: adb shell settings delete system screen_off_timeout and repeat the setting of the value.
How to return the standard timeout settings?
Features of customization on Xiaomi tablets (Pad 5/6/6S)
On Xiaomi tablets, the logic of screen timeout management is different from smartphones, and two scenarios are considered:
- 📱 Phone mode (when used) SIM-Cards: timeout is set up in the same way as on smartphones.
- 🖥️ Tablet mode (without tablet mode) SIM): Extended options are available including 30 minutes and Never (useful for watching movies or presentations).
To change the timeout on Xiaomi Pad:
- Open the Settings → Display.
- Select Sleep Mode.
- If the option is Never missing, switch to tablet mode: Settings → System → Tablet mode.
15-30 seconds |1-2 minutes |5 minutes |10+ minutes | Never turn off-->
How screen timeout is linked to battery modes
The MIUI/HyperOS system automatically adjusts the screen shutdown time depending on the selected power consumption profile:
- ⚡ Performance: timeout does not change (using your settings).
- 🔋 Balanced: may decrease by 10-20% (e.g., from 1 minute to 40 seconds).
- 🛡️ Battery savings: timeout is enforced for 15-30 seconds, even if you choose more.
- 🌿 Ultra mode (on some models): the screen goes out after 10 seconds of inactivity.
On devices with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14, Redmi K70) in the "Battery Saving" mode, the screen timeout cannot be changed manually - the system blocks this option before turning off the mode.
If you need to keep a long timeout with a low charge, turn off the automatic switch to save mode:
- Go to Settings. → Battery.
- Select Battery Modes.
- Turn off the option to automatically switch modes.
Problems and Solutions: The screen turns off too quickly or doesn’t go out at all
Sometimes the timeout settings don't work properly, so let's look at the typical problems and how to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The screen goes out after 5 seconds, despite the settings | Activated mode "For children" or "guest mode" | Turn off mode in the notification panel or in Settings → Special. features |
| Timeout resets after reboot | Conflict with MIUI optimizer or update | Perform adb shell cmd device_idle whitelist +com.android.systemui |
| The "Never" option is unavailable. | Firmware restriction (Chinese or corporate version) | Use ADB (see section above) or change region in settings |
| The screen does not go out when connected to charging | The option “Do not turn off the screen when charging” is enabled | Turn it off in Settings → Display → More |
If the problem persists, check the proximity sensor (it can falsely trigger, for example, in a case) or reset the screen settings:
- Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
- Select Reset screen settings (does not affect user data).
adb shell settings put global screen_off_timeout_lock 1Additional tricks: automatic timeout management
For advanced users, there are ways to dynamically change screen timeouts depending on the conditions:
- 🤖 Tasker or MacroDroid: Create a rule that sets different timeout times for different apps, such as Chrome 5 minutes, YouTube 10 minutes, and the home screen 30 seconds.
- 📱 In your pocket mode: on some models (Xiaomi) 13T) The screen is automatically locked when you put the phone in your pocket (using a light sensor). → Screen. → Pocket mode.
- 🔄 Automatic on/off schedule: Automate can be programmed to turn off the screen after 1 minute in the afternoon and 10 seconds at night, for example.
You will need rights to use Tasker or MacroDroid ADB or permission to change system settings (issued via adb shell pm grant net.dinglisch.android.taskerm command) android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS).
💡
On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), standard automation applications (such as Tasker) may not have access to the timeout settings, in which case use ADB or alternative methods, such as Shizuku + App Ops.