Touchscreen is one of the most vulnerable parts of Xiaomi’s smartphone. Even after a slight drop or moisture, it can start to fail: not react to touch, stick, spontaneously open apps or stop working altogether. While the display can look perfect on the outside, without cracks and scratches. How do you know that the problem is in the touchscreen, and not in the software or other components?
In this article, we’ll look at 5 reliable diagnostic methods that can help detect a touchscreen malfunction on any Xiaomi device, from the budget Redmi to the flagship Mi and POCO. You’ll learn how to use hidden service menus, specialized applications and even physical tests without disassembling the phone. And if the problem is confirmed, we’ll tell you what to do next: from calibration to replacement of the module.
1. Built-in touchscreen test in MIUI: step-by-step instruction
Xiaomi has a hidden service menu in MIUI firmware to check all components of the smartphone, including the touch screen, which does not require installing third-party applications and works on most models, starting with the Redmi 4X and later.
To run the test:
- Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##6484###
- The MIUI Version menu will appear on the screen (don't be afraid, this is normal) and click on the Touch Screen Test or Test Touch (depending on the firmware version).
- Follow the instructions on the screen: usually you need to swipe your finger over all areas of the display, click on the specified points or perform gestures (swipes, multi-touch).
If the test doesn’t start, try alternative codes:
- 📱 ##4636## → Go to the Hardware Testing tab → Touch Screen
- 🔧 ##284## (for older models, such as Redmi Note 3)
- ⚙️ ##36446337## (complete test of hardware components including touchscreen)
⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X3 or Mi 11) the service menu may be blocked by the manufacturer, in which case use the methods in the following sections.
Check the correctness of the input (without spaces)
Reboot your smartphone and try again.
Update MIUI to the latest version
Use alternative diagnostic methods-->
2. Touchscreen check through the engineering menu (MTK/Qualcomm)
If the standard MIUI test is not available, you can use the engineering menu that is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MediaTek (Helio, Dimensity) or Qualcomm (Snapdragon) processors, which provides more detailed information about the state of the sensor, including sensitivity and response delays.
Instructions for MediaTek:
- Enter the phone code in the app: ##36446337##
- Go to the Hardware Testing → Touch Panel Test section.
- You'll see a grid with coordinates on the screen, and you'll touch different points, and the system will display touch coordinates and reaction times.
For smartphones on Qualcomm (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi Note 10 Pro):
- Enter the code ##4636##
- Select Testing → Touch Screen.
- Do a multi-touch test: touch the screen with 5-10 fingers at the same time, and the system should recognize all touches without “loss”.
What to pay attention to:
- 🔍 Response delays: If the response time is greater than 100 ms, the sensor is not working properly.
- 📊 «Dead Zones: areas of the screen that do not respond to touch (often around the edges).
- 👆 False positives: the system detects touches that were not (the ghost of a touchscreen).
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If the engineering menu asks for a password, try entering the standard code for Xiaomi: 12345 or 00000.
3. Diagnostics with the help of third-party applications
If built-in tests are unavailable or fail, Google Play apps will come to the rescue, not only checking the touchscreen, but also helping to identify hidden defects, such as uneven sensitivity or multi-touch problems.
Top.-3 check-in:
| Annex | Features | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Touch Screen Test | A simple touch visualization test, multi-touch checks up to 10 fingers, response time measurement. | Download |
| MultiTouch Tester | Shows the trajectories of all touches, the test for “ghost” presses, support for high poll frequencies (up to 240 Hz). | Download |
| Phone Doctor Plus | Comprehensive diagnostics (touchscreen, display, accelerometer, etc.), a test for “sticking” of the sensor, saving reports. | Download |
How to test in MultiTouch Tester (on the example of Xiaomi Redmi Note 11):
- Install and open the application.
- Touch the screen with several fingers at once, and the color lines will appear on the screen that correspond to each touch.
- Pay attention: 🖐️ All lines should be smooth, without jerks. 🎯 The touch points should match the actual position of the fingers (without biases). ⏱️ The delay between touching and displaying the line should not exceed 50-80 ms.
⚠️ Warning: If the app shows "ghost" touches (the lines appear without your exposure), this is a sign of a faulty touchscreen controller or damage to the plume.
Touch Screen Test|MultiTouch Tester|Phone Doctor Plus|Other|Not using.-->
Physical inspection: how to detect mechanical damage
Not all touchscreen problems are electronic. Often, failures cause mechanical damage, such as microcracks in the glass, detachment of the sensor layer, or damage to the plume, which can be detected without a phone being disassembled.
What to check:
- 🔍 Visual inspection: illuminate a flashlight at an angle on the screen turned off. Microcracks (even invisible in normal light) will reflect light.
- 📏 Screen deflection: gently press different parts of the display. If the image is distorted or there are "waves", this is a sign of detachment of the touch screen from the matrix.
- 🔌 Train: slightly bend the smartphone (no effort!) If the sensor starts to malfunction, the problem is a damaged plume or contacts.
- 💧 Moisture: Check moisture indicators (usually under the lid) SIM-If they're red, there might be oxidation of the touchscreen contacts.
The test for "deflection" is especially relevant for models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11 or X-rays) POCO F3), where the touchscreen is often glued to the matrix, and when detached, the characteristic symptoms appear:
- 🌈 Rainbow spots when pressed on screen.
- ⚡ Spontaneous touches when bending the body.
- 📉 Decline in sensitivity in certain areas (usually at the edges).
What to do if the touchscreen has detached?
5. Software failure check: when the problem is not in the hardware
Before you carry your smartphone for repair, make sure that the problem is not caused by software failures.
- 🔄 The touchscreen works unstable (that is normal, then “gluts»).
- 📱 Problems arose after the update MIUI installing an application.
- 🔧 The sensor stopped working after resetting the settings.
How to exclude programmatic reasons:
- Safe Mode Reboot: Press the Power button → Hold Down → Press Safe Mode. Only system applications work in this mode. If the touchscreen is working normally, third-party software is to blame.
- Reset touchscreen settings: Settings → System → Additional → Resetting → Reset sensor settings Note: this item is not available on all models.
- Reverse MIUI Update: If the crashes started after the update, try rolling back to the previous version via Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Points (menu) → Select the Service Pack.
If you've had a problem with this, it's probably a hardware malfunction, but there's another way to check that is by connecting the mouse over OTG:
- Connect. USB-mouse-wise OTG-adapter.
- If the cursor moves smoothly and the touchscreen still doesn’t work, the problem is precisely in the sensor or its plume.
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If the touchscreen doesn’t respond only to certain gestures (such as swipes, but not taps), try turning off MIUI gestures in the settings: Settings → Display → Full-screen display → Navigation Type → Buttons.
6.When to replace the touchscreen: signs of critical malfunction
If the diagnostics show that the touchscreen is defective, it is important to understand whether it is possible to do with calibration or repair, or a complete replacement is required.
| Symptoms. | Probable cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The screen does not respond to touch at all (but there is an image) | Damage to the touchscreen or plume controller | Replacement of touchscreen or plume |
| "Ghost" touches, spontaneous swipes | Short circuit in the sensory matrix | Touchscreen replacement |
| Only part of the screen (e.g., the top half) works. | Breaking the plume or damage to the sensory layer | Replacement of touchscreen or plume |
| Touchscreen responds only to a strong push | Detachment of the sensor layer from the matrix | Pulping or replacement of the module |
The cost of replacing the touchscreen in Xiaomi depends on the model:
- 📱 Redmi 9A/10A: 1 500–2 500 rub. (including work).
- 📱 Redmi Note 10/11: 3 000–5 000 ruble.
- 📱 Xiaomi 12/13 series, POCO F4: 6 000–12 000 ruble.
Where to repair it:
- 🏠 Xiaomi official service: warranty for work, original parts, but more expensive.
⚠️ Note: When replacing the touchscreen on models with AMOLED-The screen (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro) often requires the transfer of the matrix to a new sensor, which increases the cost of repair by 30-50!
7. Prevention: how to prolong the life of a touchscreen
To avoid problems with the touch screen, follow simple rules:
- 🛡️ Use a safety glass and a cover, even a minor impact on the edge of the screen can damage the plume.
- 🚫 Avoid overheating. Do not leave your smartphone in direct sunlight or on a charge near heat sources.
- 💧 Keep out the moisture, even if the phone has protection. IP53 (Like the Redmi Note 11, water ingestion can cause touchscreen contacts to oxidize.
- 🔋 Don't use cheap charging. Power surges can damage the sensor controller.
- 🧹 Clean the screen regularly, dust and fat reduce the sensitivity of the touchscreen, use a lilac-free napkin and alcohol (no more than 70%).
If you drop your phone frequently, consider Gorilla Glass Victus models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 Pro) that can withstand falls from up to 2 meters on a hard surface.
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To see if the touchscreen has decreased over time, compare it to another device, for example, try typing the same text on your Xiaomi and on another smartphone, and if your phone has more errors, it's time to calibrate or diagnose.