How to Check the Sensor on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete Guide with Tests and Tips

Touch screen is one of the most vulnerable elements of a smartphone. Even a slight drop or moisture can cause a touchscreen to malfunction. On Xiaomi phones (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), sensor problems manifest themselves in different ways, from random tapping to completely ignoring touches. In this article, we will discuss how to check the sensor on a Xiaomi phone without resorting to the services of a service center.

It's important to understand that touchscreen malfunctions fall into two types: software (related to firmware or drivers) and hardware (physical damage to the plume, matrix or controller). The former are often solved by rebooting or resetting, and the latter require repair, and we will show you how to distinguish one from the other and what to do in each case.

Signs of sensor malfunction on Xiaomi

Before you start diagnosing, identify the symptoms that are on your device, and here are the most common signs of touchscreen problems:

• 📱 Hanging or lags when scrolling the screen when finger movements are not immediately reflected on the display.
• 👆 "Ghostly taps when the phone opens apps or types text without your input.
• 🔄 Non-functioning areas – part of the screen does not respond to touch (often at the edges or in the corner).
• 🔍 Incorrect scaling when zoom/scaling gestures work unpredictably.
• 🔌 Complete insensitivity – the screen turns on but does not respond to any touch.

If you have any of these symptoms, it's time to start checking, and pay special attention to the cases when problems manifest themselves after a phone drop or fluid hits - in 80% of these situations, physical repair is required.

⚠️ Note: If the sensor stops working after the update MIUI, Don't rush your phone to the service. First, try rolling back the firmware or resetting to the factory settings through Recovery Mode. In 30 percent of cases, this solves the problem.

Method 1: Integrated sensor test in MIUI

Xiaomi has provided a hidden touchscreen diagnostic tool that is available on most models (including the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Mi 11/12/13).

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Type the combination: ##6484## (or #4636## on some firmware).
3. In the menu that appears, select Touch Screen Test or Sensor Test.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen: swipe your finger through all the designated areas.

If the test shows red crosses in some areas, it's a signal that specific areas of the sensor are malfunctioning. AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) test can further test sensitivity to pressing force.

Make sure the screen is clean (dust and fat interfere with accuracy)

Remove the protective film or glass (they may distort the results)

Battery charge of at least 20% (test consumes energy)

Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for stable operation-->

Some devices (e.g. POCO F3/F4) use the menu path instead of the digital code: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 5 times in a row). If none of these methods work, move to alternative methods.

Method 2: Checking through the Engineering Menu (MTK/Qualcomm)

If the standard test is not available, you can use the engineering menu that is on all Xiaomi smartphones.

• 📱 For Qualcomm chips (most flagships): dial ##4636## → Choose Testing → Touch Test.
• 🔧 For MediaTek chips (many Redmi models): dial ##36446337## → Hardware Testing → Touch Panel.

In the engineering menu, you will get more detailed information, including:

• Touch coordinates (X/Y)
• Pressure level (for 3D Touch screens)
• Delayed response (in milliseconds)

⚠️ Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose! incorrect settings can cause the camera, network or battery to crash.

Method 3: Third-Party Applications for Testing

If the built-in tools don’t provide enough data, use the specialized utilities from Google Play.

Examples of Touch Screen Test:

1. Install the application and open it.
2. Select the Multi-Touch Test mode.
3. Touch the screen with several fingers at the same time – the program will show all the registered points.
4. Check if there are any blind spots where touches are not fixed.

If the app shows that the sensor registers fewer than 5 simultaneous touches (with multi-touch support), this may indicate problems with the controller or plume.

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Before installing third-party applications, check reviews - some utilities contain advertising that may interfere with testing.

Method 4: Multi-touch check (multi-tick touch)

Many games and applications (such as PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact) require multiple fingers to be used at the same time, and if the sensor does not recognize multi-touch, this can be checked without the programs:

1. Open a browser or any application where you can scale the image.
2. Try to fold/sever two fingers to increase/decrease.
3. If scaling works in jerks or does not work at all, the problem is in multi-touch.

For more accurate diagnosis:

• 🎮 Start a game with gesture support (e.g. Asphalt 9).
• 🖥️ Try using it. 3-5 fingers at the same time (for example, for driving in races).
• 📊 If some touches are ignored, check the sensitivity settings in Settings. → Additionally. → Gestures.

Some Xiaomi models (such as Black Shark 4/5) have a dedicated game mode that optimizes sensor response. If problems only appear in games, try to enable this mode in Settings → Special Features → Game settings.

Method 5: Diagnostics through ADB (for advanced users)

If you're familiar with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can get detailed sensor logs, which is a method that can detect software failures.

1. Install. ADB-PC drivers.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) → Return to Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB.
3. Connect the phone to your computer and execute the command:

adb shell getevent -l

In the conclusion, look for events with labels:

• ABS_MT_POSITION_X / ABS_MT_POSITION_Y — touch-point.
• SYN_MT_REPORT — proof of press registration.
• BTN_TOUCH — touching status (pressed/released).

If you touch the screen, you don't change the logs, it's a sign of hardware failure, and if the data comes in, but with a delay or a distorted coordinate, the problem may be the firmware.

What to do if the sensor is not working?

If the diagnosis has identified problems, act on the algorithm:

1. Restart your phone – sometimes the crashes are temporary and disappear after a reboot.
2. Reset settings via Settings → Restore and Reset → Reset settings (does not delete files, but resets system settings).
3. Update MIUI – newer versions of firmware often fix bugs with the sensor.
4. Check the plume – if the phone fell, perhaps the touchscreen connector has departed (disassembly is required).
5. Contact the service – if nothing helps, you will most likely need a replacement of the touch glass or controller.

The cost of repair depends on the model:

• 💰 Redmi 9/10: glass replacement - from 2 000 ₽, plume 1 500 ₽.
• 💰 Xiaomi 12/13: Replacement of the screen module from 8 000 ₽ (due to the complexity of disassembly).
• 💰 POCO X3/X4: Touchscreen Repair - From 3 000 ₽.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use a phone with a faulty sensor for a long time! This can cause damage to the plume due to constant attempts to "break through" dead zones or to overheat the processor if the applications are running in the background due to false pressing.

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If the sensor only responds to a strong push, the problem is most likely to be the wear of the touch layer. On older models (released before 2019), this is a typical malfunction due to thinning of the coating.

FAQ: Frequent questions about sensor testing on Xiaomi