How to turn off screen fade when talking to Xiaomi

The situation when the screen of a smartphone suddenly goes out during an important dialogue is familiar to many owners of Redmi and Poco devices, because of the proximity sensor, which is designed to save battery power and prevent accidental cheek pressing. However, in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS, this mechanism often works incorrectly, causing users serious inconvenience.

The problem can be both software failure and physical locking of the sensor with a protective glass or dirt. Before looking for ways to turn off the function, it is worth understanding that completely ignoring the sensor can lead to an accidental reset of the call or activation of the hands-free communication.

In this article, we will break down all the available customization methods, from standard menus to hidden engineering tests, and you will learn how to calibrate the sensor or completely disable it through system commands.

The principle of operation of the proximity sensor in MIUI

The proximity sensor is a small infrared sensor, usually located at the top of the display, next to a speaker, and its task is to pick up objects at a distance of less than 2-3 centimeters. When you bring the phone to your ear, the sensor sends a signal to the system, and the screen goes out so that you don't cheekly press the shutdown button or turn on the microphone.

Xiaomi's smartphones have a complex logic for processing this data, which is that it analyzes the sensor readings in conjunction with an accelerometer (tilt sensor). If the phone is upright and there's an object nearby, the screen locks up, but often the calibration gets confused, and the phone "thinks" that it's already in the ear, even when it's on the table.

There are two main types of sensors: physical (hardware) and virtual (software), and virtual sensors use front-facing camera data and artificial intelligence algorithms to determine the position of an object, and they are the ones that most often cause false alarm problems.

Understanding what type of sensor is installed in your device is critical to choosing how to solve the problem. In older models like the Redmi Note 8 Pro or Redmi 9, there are often physical sensors that are easily contaminated.

• 📱 Physical sensor responds to changes in infrared radiation reflected from object.
• 📷 Virtual sensor uses machine learning algorithms to analyze video stream from the front camera.
• 🛡️ Black-framed protective films often overlaid the physical sensor, causing the screen to fade permanently.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the proximity sensor completely will cause the screen to burn continuously during a conversation, which will increase energy consumption and increase the risk of accidental pressing.

Checking the serviceability of the sensor through the engineering menu

Before you make any changes to your settings, you need to make sure that the hardware part of the device is working, there is a built-in tool in the MIUI shell to diagnose all the components of the smartphone, and running the test mode allows you to see real-time readings of the sensor.

To start the diagnosis, open the Phone app and enter the universal code ##6484##. If the code didn't work, try going through the menu: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times) or find the Service and feedback app in the Tools folder.

Inside the test, you'll see a numerical value. Usually, "0" means that the object is nearby (the screen should go out), and "1" or "5" means that there are no obstacles. Close the top of the phone with your palm: the value should change. If there is no reaction even when you press it tightly, it may be that the sensor is physically damaged.

If the test shows that the sensor “sees” the obstacle constantly (value 0), even when the phone is clean, the problem may be software sticking or dirt, in which case a simple cleaning of the upper frame with an alcohol napkin can solve the problem without complex settings.

Disconnection through call settings

The easiest and safest way to fix a problem is to use the system’s regular tools. Google’s standard Phone or MIUI app often has an option to ignore the sensor in certain situations or turn it off completely.

Open the call app and tap three dots or a gear in the corner to enter Settings. Find the Incoming Calls section. There may be a "Switch off screen while talking" or "Accumulation Sensor" switch. If you turn it off, the screen will stop turning off automatically.

However, in the latest versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14, developers often hide this option, considering it critical for convenience.

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Use a headset or speakerphone. In this mode, the proximity sensor is often ignored automatically by the system, and the screen does not go out.

It’s also worth checking the accessories settings. In the Settings menu → Lock screen, sometimes you see the “Mode in your pocket” function. If it’s active, the phone can lock at the slightest movement in the bag, simulating an earlift.

Using hidden developer settings

If standard methods don't work, you can go to advanced system settings, the developer menu contains parameters that affect the behavior of sensors and animations, and be careful: changing unknown parameters can lead to system instability.

To activate the menu, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the build number (MIUI Version). After the message “You became a developer” appears, go back to the main settings menu. Find the option for additional settings and select For developers.

In the options list, scroll down to Enter or Sensors. Look for options related to Quick boot or sensor calibration. Some firmware (especially Chinese) have Proximity sensor check to reset the calibration.

It's not recommended to change values if you're not sure what they're going to do. The main goal here is to find a calibration reset, not to reconfigure the entire input system.

Calibration of the proximity sensor

Often, the problem is solved not by turning it off, but by calibrating it correctly, remembering the "baseline" of light and distance, and if that level is knocked down, the phone thinks it's always closed, and using special applications from the Play Market, like Proximity Sensor Reset or Phone Sensor, to calibrate it.

The process is, you run the app, you put the phone on a flat surface, you don't cover the top, you press the Calibrate button, the app reads the current metrics and sets them as normal ("nothing's around"), and then you can be asked to close the sensor with your hand to fix the second state.

After the procedure, be sure to restart the device, which will reset the sensor driver cache, and if the calibration doesn't work, it may be hardware or software conflict.

• 🧹 Wipe the top frame of your smartphone with a microfiber, removing fat and dust.
• 📱 Remove the protective glass if it has a black frame that covers the sensor.
• 🔄 Restart your smartphone in Safe Mode to eliminate the impact of third-party apps.

⚠️ Note: Calibration apps require advanced access rights. Make sure you only download software from the official Google Play Store.

Radical Methods: ADB and Root Rights

For advanced users who haven't been helped by standard methods, the way is through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to edit the system configuration files that are responsible for the operation of the sensors, which will require a computer and enabled debugging over USB.

Connect your phone to your PC and start your ADB console. You need to access the file persist.vendor.calibration.proximity or similar, depending on the processor model (Snapdragon or MediaTek).

adb shell dumpsys sensorhub | grep proximity

To force the sensor to disable at the software level (without root rights, this does not work on all models), you can try to enter a command via ADB:

adb shell settings put system proximity_sensor_enabled 0

If the command is successful, the sensor will stop responding to objects. You can turn it back by replacing 0 with 1. On root-right devices, you can edit the build.prop file by adding the string ro.proximity.lockscreen=false, but this requires unlocking the bootloader, which will reset the warranty.

Frequent Causes of False Positives

Even after setup, the problem can come back, most often external factors are to blame. Magnetic cases, popular with Xiaomi users, can interfere with magnetic Hall sensors, which often work in tandem with proximity sensors.

You should also pay attention to system updates. Sometimes a bug in a particular version of MIUI causes drivers to malfunction. Check forums or reviews about your version of the software. If the problem started after the update, only waiting for a patch or rolling back the version will help.

The heating of the case also affects the sensitivity of the sensors. If the phone overheats during play or navigation, the sensor can give out erroneous data. Let the device cool down.

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In 80% of cases, the problem is solved by removing the protective glass with a black frame or cleaning the top of the screen from fat.

Questions and Answers (FAQ)