How to permanently disable autobrightness on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The automatic brightness adjustment on Xiaomi smartphones is a feature that should make life easier, but often becomes a source of irritation. The screen then suddenly dims on a sunny day, then blinds your eyes at night, and the brightness slider in the notification panel is stubbornly reset to β€œauto.” If you are tired of struggling with the moody MIUI algorithm that ignores your preferences, this article is for you.

We tested all the current methods of turning off autobrightness on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO (Including models from 2023 to 2026, you can provide step-by-step instructions even when standard settings don't work. MIUI 14, what to do if the brightness is reset after a reboot, and why some β€œfolk” ways can harm your smartphone.

Why is the autobrightness on Xiaomi not working properly?

The problems with automatic brightness control in Xiaomi are related to the features of MIUI firmware and hardware limitations.

  • πŸ”„ Algorithm of adaptation: MIUI It uses its own light analysis engine, which often conflicts with the ambient light sensor.+ The sensor is located too close to the front camera, which causes the brightness jumps at the slightest change in the angle of the phone.
  • πŸ“± Battery optimization: In the background, the com.miui.powerkeeper service works, which forcibly reduces brightness when the battery is low (even if the autobrightness is turned off!). MIUI 13+.
  • πŸ”§ Hidden settings: Xiaomi hides some of the brightness parameters in the engineering menu. POCO F5 There's an undocumented parameter. auto_brightness_enhance, hand-tuning.
  • πŸ”„ Firmware updates: After updates MIUI It often resets the user's brightness settings, especially when it comes to transitions between versions (e.g., with a different light). MIUI 12.5 at 13.0).

Interesting fact: In the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, the light sensor is calibrated automatically when it is first turned on, but over time its accuracy decreases due to contamination of the infrared filter, which is one of the reasons why the autobrightness begins to β€œglutch” after 6-12 months of use.

πŸ“Š How often do you get annoyed by the auto-brightness on Xiaomi?
Always – turn off immediately after purchase
Sometimes it interferes with specific situations
I used to be annoyed, but I used to.
Never - I like this function.

Method 1: Standard shutdown via MIUI settings

The most obvious method is to turn off autobrightness in the settings menu. It works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 10 and later.

  1. Open the Settings app** (cog icon).
  2. Go to the Display section (on some models – Screen).
  3. Slip on Brightness.
  4. Uncheck the box opposite "Automatic brightness"** (or switch the slider to the off position).

⚠️ Attention! on some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) After turning off the autobrightness, the slider in the notification panel may continue to reset.This is due to the MiuiSystemUI background service, which ignores user settings.

β˜‘οΈ Preparation for auto-brightness shutdown

Done: 0 / 4

If the brightness is automatically adjusted after these steps, check:

  • πŸ”‹ Is the energy saving mode activated (it can forcefully turn on autobrightness).
  • πŸŒ™ Is the dark theme on schedule – it sometimes conflicts with brightness settings.
  • πŸ”„ Are there any third-party brightness control apps installed (e.g. Lux Auto Brightness or Tasker).

Method 2: Disconnect via the engineering menu (for power users)

If the standard method didn’t work, you can try turning off autobrightness through the engineering menu, which is suitable for most Xiaomi models, but requires caution – incorrect changes can lead to malfunctions in the screen.

Instructions:

  1. Open the Phone app** and enter the combination: ##36446337## (code to log into the engineering menu on MIUI).

⚠️ Attention! On some devices (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) the engineering menu may be missing or may require root rights. Also, after turning off the autobrightness through this menu, the light sensor stops working completely - this is normal, but can affect other functions (for example, automatically turning on the screen when holding the phone to the ear during a call).

What to do if the engineering menu does not open?
If the code ##36446337### doesn't work, try alternative combinations: - ##4636## (a common Android test menu) - ##6484## (to check sensors) - ##2664## (screen test) If none of the code worked, the manufacturer has blocked access to the engineering menu on your model.

For models Xiaomi 13/13 Pro and Redmi K60 there is an alternative way:

Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ MIUI version (shap 7 times to unlock the developer mode)


Return to the main settings menu β†’ Additional settings β†’ Developer Mode β†’ Turn off Automatic Brightness

Method 3: Use ADB-Teams (100% working method)

If previous methods didn’t work, the most reliable option is to turn off autobrightness via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which works on all Xiaomi devices regardless of the MIUI version and does not require root rights. You will need a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled.

Step-by-step:

  1. Turn on the developer mode on your phone: Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ MIUI version (shap 7 times).
  2. Return to Settings β†’ Additional settings β†’ Developer settings and activate Debugging over USB.
  3. Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
  4. Download ADB Tools and unpack the archive.
  5. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB and execute the commands:
adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 0


adb shell settings put system screen_brightness 102 # (value from 0 to 255 where 102 β‰ˆ 40% of brightness)

Once the commands are executed, the autobrightness will be permanently turned off, and the brightness will be fixed at the specified level. To return manual control of the slider, use:

adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 1

πŸ’‘

If, after the execution, ADB-commands brightness is still reset, check for updates MIUI. In some versions (e.g, MIUI 14.0.4 for Redmi Note 11) there is a bug that causes the system to ignore user settings.

Important: On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro) after turning off autobrightness via ADB The screen may flicker at low brightness, due to the characteristics of the Qualcomm display driver, the solution is to set the brightness to at least 20% (a value of 51 in). ADB).

Method 4: Disconnection through launcher applications (for POCO and AOSP-firmware)

If your Xiaomi runs on custom firmware (like Pixel Experience or LineageOS), standard methods may not work, and an alternative launcher with advanced brightness settings will help.

Recommended annexes:

  • πŸ“± Nova Launcher: Allows you to capture brightness through widgets and gestures. POCO F4 GT and other models with close AOSP firmware.
  • πŸ”§ Tasker: You can create a task that resets the brightness settings when you unlock the screen. It requires settings, but gives you maximum control.
  • β˜€οΈ Lux Auto Brightness: Alternative brightness manager with manual calibration. works even if standard autobrightness is disabled.

Example of settings through Nova Launcher:

  1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
  2. Add the Nova Settings β†’ Brightness Control widget to the home screen.
  3. In the widget settings, turn off Auto-brightness and fix the value.

⚠️ Attention, on devices with MIUI (Even in developer mode, some launchers may conflict with system services. K50 Gaming Nova Launcher can cause animations to stutter when the brightness changes. In this case, use Tasker or ADB.

Method 5: Radical-method – disabling the light sensor (for advanced only)

If all previous methods failed, the radical solution is to physically disable the light sensor, which is only suitable for users with experience in disassembling phones and requires accuracy, and we do not recommend using it unless absolutely necessary, as it deprives the phone of an important function (for example, automatically turning on the screen during calls).

How it works:

  1. Take your phone apart (Xiaomi usually requires a T3/T4 pickup and screwdriver).
  2. Find a flexible plume connecting the front camera and sensors to the motherboard.
  3. Carefully disconnect the plume or seal the illumination sensor with opaque tape (for example, tape).
  4. Collect the phone and check – autobrightness should disappear, and the manual setup will work stably.

πŸ“Œ Warning: Disabling the sensor will result in:

  • 🚫 Impossibility to use the function "Raise to wake up"** (if it was used).
  • 🚫 Turning off the automatic screen lock during calls (when lifting to the ear).
  • 🚫 Loss of Adaptive Brightness functionality** in some applications (e.g. Google Photos).

πŸ’‘

Turning off the light sensor is an irreversible change that could affect other functions of the phone, and use this method only if all other options are exhausted and you are prepared for the consequences.

MethodDifficultyPC requiredIt's working on MIUI 14.Reversibility
Standard settings⭐❌ No.βœ… Yes.βœ… Yes.
Engineering menu⭐⭐❌ No.⚠️ Partially.βœ… Yes.
ADB-teamβ­β­β­βœ… Yes.βœ… Yes.βœ… Yes.
Launchers/Tasker⭐⭐⭐❌ No.βœ… Yes.βœ… Yes.
Disabling the sensor⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❌ No.βœ… Yes.❌ No.

What to do if the brightness is reset after rebooting?

One of the most common problems is that the avlubra is back when you reboot your phone, and that's because MIUI resets some of the settings when you update your system services. Here's how to fix this:

Decision 1: Fixing through ADB (permanent)

Follow the command:

adb shell cmd device_config put brightness_device_config screen_brightness_mode_user 0

This command records the setting to a device-specific configuration that MIUI does not reset.

Solution 2: Disabling Battery Optimization for System Applications

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show System.
  3. Find the Settings app (com.android.settings) and turn off battery optimization for it.

Solution 3: Using Tasker to automatically apply settings

Create a task in Tasker that will perform ADB-command to disable autobrightness when booting the system:

Profile: Event β†’ System β†’ Downloading the device


Task: Execute the command β†’ Code β†’ adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 0

πŸ’‘

If none of these methods work, check if your phone has MIUI beta installed. Brightness control bugs are common in beta firmware. The solution is to roll back to a stable version via Fastboot or Mi Flash Tool.

FAQ: Frequent questions about autobrightness on Xiaomi

❓ Why After Turning Off Auto Brightness, the Screen Became Too Dim?
It's related to the fact that MIUI The default setting is the minimum brightness when manually operated. To fix: Go to Settings β†’ Display. β†’ Brightness. Manually move the slider to a comfortable level (recommended). 30–50%). If the slider is reset, use it. ADB-Adb shell settings put system screen_brightness 128 (where 128 β‰ˆ 50% On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12 Lite) minimum brightness is limited at the firmware level, in which case only replacing the firmware with custom (for example, ArrowOS) will help).
❓ Can you calibrate the light sensor to make the autobrightness work properly?
Yes, but only on some models. For example, on the POCO X3 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro, there is a hidden calibration function: Enable Developer Mode (7 taps according to MIUI). Go to Settings β†’ Additional Settings β†’ Developer Mode. Find the Calibration of the light sensor and follow the instructions on the screen. If there is no such option, try using the Sensor Calibration app from Google Play. However, note that on devices with MIUI 14, calibration may be reset after updates.
❓ Does turning off autobrightness affect battery life?
Depends on the use case: ⚑ If you set high brightness manually (e.g. 80–100%), the battery will go down faster than with auto-brightness. ⚑ If you use average brightness (30–60%), the difference in battery consumption will be minimal (1–3% over 8 hours of active use). ⚑ If you turn off autobrightness and set the minimum brightness, the battery will last longer (5-10% compared to auto mode). Tests on Xiaomi 13 showed that with manual brightness of 40% and switched off auto-adjustment, the phone worked 1 hour and 20 minutes longer than with the on auto-brightness in the same conditions.
❓ Why my Xiaomi doesn’t have a β€œAutolight” option in the settings?
This may be related to: Regional firmware: Some versions of MIUI for India or China have a hidden item. The solution is to change the region to Global via Mi Account. Cast Firmware: In some builds (e.g. xiaomi.eu), brightness settings are moved to the Additional section. Manufacturer restrictions: On budget models (e.g. Redmi A1), autobrightness is disabled at the core level. Try to find brightness settings through the search in the settings (the magnifier icon at the top). If there is no item at all, use Method 3 (ADB).
❓ Can Auto Brightness Be Turned Off Only for Specific Applications?
Yes, but not by standard means. MIUI. You will need: Install Tasker and AutoInput plugin. Create a profile that will turn off autobrightness when you open a particular application (for example, YouTube or Chrome); Add a task to return autobrightness when you close the application. Example of a task for YouTube: Profile: App β†’ YouTube Entry: Execute the command β†’ adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 0 Exit: Execute the command β†’ adb shell settings put system screen_brightness_mode 1 An alternative is to use MacroDroid, where there are ready-made templates for controlling brightness by application.