How to calibrate the proximity sensor on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: 5 working methods

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the most popular smartphones of the brand, but even it is not immune to hardware failures. One of the frequent irritations of users is the incorrect operation of the proximity sensor, when the screen does not go out during a call or, conversely, turns off at the wrong time, the reason lies in the failure of the calibration of the sensor, not in its physical failure. In 80% of cases, the problem can be solved software without contacting the service center.

In this article, we will discuss why the proximity sensor on the Redmi Note 8 Pro begins to “glue”, how to check its performance without special tools, and calibrate the sensor in five proven ways – from standard settings. MIUI to the engineering menu and ADB-You'll also learn when to sound the alarm and carry the phone for repair, and when to clean the connectors or update the firmware.

Important: All of the methods described below have been tested on the Redmi Note 8 Pro with MIUI 12–14 firmware. If your smartphone runs on custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), some steps may differ. For owners of other Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 9 Pro or POCO X3), most of the instructions are also relevant, but the paths in the menu can vary slightly.

Why is the proximity sensor on the Redmi Note 8 Pro not working properly?

The proximity sensor is an infrared sensor that detects when you hold your phone to your ear while you're making a call, and its primary function is to turn off the screen to prevent accidental tapping and save battery power. If it starts to crash, the reasons can be both software and hardware:

• 📱 Calibration failure is the most common cause, and the sensor forgets the correct trigger boundaries after a drop, firmware update, or reset.
• 🔄 Outdated firmware. MIUI 11 and below were sensor bugs fixed in newer versions.
• 🛠️ Sensor pollution: Dust or protective film can block the infrared signal.
• 🔌 After disassembling the phone or changing the screen, the sensor contacts could have moved away.
• 🦠 Viruses or conflicting applications: Some programs (such as launchers or optimizers) may interfere with sensors.

Before you start calibrating, eliminate mechanical damage. Look at the top of the screen (near the speaker) — there's a sensor. If there's scratches, cracks, or traces of moisture on it, the problem is probably hardware, and then only changing the sensor in the service center will help.

⚠️ Attention: If the proximity sensor stopped working after a phone drop or liquid hit, do not try to calibrate it programmatically. This can aggravate the problem.

How to check the operation of the proximity sensor on the Redmi Note 8 Pro

Before calibrating, make sure the sensor is the problem, and use the built-in MIUI tools or third-party apps to do this.

Method 1: Testing through the Engineering Menu

The most reliable way is to use a hidden engineering menu, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones without root rights:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##6484### (or #4636## on some firmware).
3. Select Proximity Sensor (Proximity Sensor).
4. Look at Value: 0 – the sensor is not locked (normal when the phone is remote from the face). 1 – the sensor works (should be when you put your hand up).

If the values do not change or show incorrect data (for example, always 1), the sensor requires calibration or replacement.

Method 2: Checking with Sensor Test

If the engineering menu is not available, install the Sensor Test app from Google Play (or analogues: Phone Tester, CPU-Z).

1. Run the proximity sensor test.
2. Raise your hand to the top of the screen – the indicator should change color from green to red (or show the value of COVERED).
3. Remove your hand – the indicator should return to the original state.

If there is no reaction or it is delayed by more than 1-2 seconds, the sensor does not work correctly.

Method 1: Calibration of the proximity sensor through the MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in calibration function in MIUI, which is suitable if the failure is caused by a software conflict, not a physical breakdown.

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7-10 times until you get a message.
3. Return to the main Settings menu and select Additional → For Developers.
4. Scroll down and find the option of the Approximation Sensor Calibration (or Proximity Sensor Calibration).
5. Follow the instructions on the screen: usually put the phone on a flat surface and wait 10-15 seconds.

After calibration, restart your smartphone and check the sensor through the engineering menu. If the problem persists, proceed to the next method.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI The calibration point may not be available, in which case use alternative methods (see below) or update the firmware to the latest version.

Make sure there is no protective film in the sensor area on the screen.|

Close all background applications |

Connect your phone to charge (the battery must be charged at least 30 times%)|

Check that the sensor is not blocked by dust or dirt-->

Method 2: Reset sensor settings through engineering menu

If standard calibration doesn't work, try resetting the sensor manually through the engineering menu, a deeper method that can solve the problem when the sensor is getting stuck in one state.

1. Open the engineering menu by entering ##6484##.
2. Select Proximity Sensor.
3. Press Calibrate (Calibrate).
4. Follow the instructions: usually cover the sensor with your hand for 5 seconds, then remove it.
5. After calibration, check the Value values – they should be clearly changed from 0 to 1.

If your engineering menu doesn’t have a calibration option, try an alternative path:

1. Enter the combination ##4636##.
2. Go to the Hardware Testing → Sensors tab.
3. Find Proximity Sensor and press Refresh.
4. If you have a Clear Calibration button, press it.

Turn it on on your phone:

1. Settings → About Phone → Tap 7 times on the MIUI version (enable the developer mode).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Activate Debugging on USB.

Step 2: Calibration through commands

Connect the phone to the PC and execute the following commands in the terminal (command line):

adb shell


su




echo 1 > /sys/class/sensors/proximity/proximity_calibrate

If the team doesn’t work, try an alternative:

adb shell


settings put system proximity_offset 0

After completing the commands, restart the phone and check the sensor.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB If your Redmi Note 8 Pro isn't rooted, it may not work.

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If ADB-If you don't help, try updating the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool in Clean All mode. This will reset all sensor settings to factory ones, but delete all data from the phone!

Method 4: Clean connectors and physically check the sensor

If the software methods fail, the problem may be a sensor contamination or poor plume contact, in which case mechanical cleaning will help.

What you need:

• 🔧 Plastic blade (or mediator).
• 🧴 Alcohol wipes (or cotton swab) + isopropyl).
• 🔍 Lupa (optional, to inspect small details).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone and remove it. SIM-map.
2. Carefully place the protective glass (if any) in the sensor area, often accumulating dust underneath.
3. Wipe the sensor area (the small hole next to the speaker) with an alcohol napkin. Don't push too hard!
4. If the sensor is heavily polluted, use compressed air (a balloon) to blow out dust.
5. Collect your phone and check the sensor.

If the sensor doesn't work after cleaning, the plume may have gone, so you need to disassemble the phone, and if you don't have experience, you should go to the service center, because repairing yourself can damage other components.

Method 5: Update firmware and reset to factory settings

If the sensor started to fail after updating MIUI or installing custom firmware, the problem may be software bugs.

• 🔄 Update to the latest version MIUI (through settings → Updating the system).
• 📲 Recoil to stable firmware (if failures began after the update).
• ⚙️ Reset to factory settings (delete all data, but return the original sensor parameters).

For discharge:

1. Make a backup of the data (via Settings → System and Device → Backup).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm.

Once reset, the proximity sensor should be operating normally, and if the problem persists, it is a clear sign of hardware failure.

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If neither method worked, the problem is probably hardware, and if that's the case, it requires a diagnostic at the service center, and the sensor or its plume could have failed.

Frequent questions about the proximity sensor on the Redmi Note 8 Pro