You watch your favorite movie or video on TikTok, and suddenly Xiaomi's screen goes out -- the sound keeps playing, but the picture disappears. You have to unlock your phone to get the image back, and after a few minutes, the story repeats itself. This problem is familiar to many owners of MIUI-based Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones. 80 percent of the time, software malfunctions are to blame, but sometimes the root of the evil lies in the hardware.
In this article, we'll look at all the possible reasons why the screen goes out while playing video, from the banal failure of the proximity sensor to critical GPU errors. You'll learn how to diagnose a problem in 5 minutes without special tools, what MIUI settings are responsible for controlling the screen, and when to carry the phone to the service center. And for the most difficult cases, we have prepared instructions for manual error correction through ADB and Fastboot.
1.The proximity sensor: why it "thinks" you're talking
The most common reason for a screen to turn off spontaneously is a false alarm of the proximity sensor, which is responsible for turning off the backlight during a phone call (when you hold your phone to your ear), but if the sensor is contaminated, damaged, or miscalibrated, it can also fire while watching a video, "deciding" that you're supposed to be talking.
How this is done in practice:
- 📱 You watch videos horizontally while holding your phone in your hands.
- 👆 The hand accidentally closes the sensor area (usually next to the speaker).
- 🔄 The sensor detects the “approach” and turns off the screen as if the call had begun.
- 🔊 The sound continues to play, but there is no picture.
To test this theory, it's easy: run the video and cover the top of the screen (where the speaker is located) with your hand. If the screen goes out in 1-2 seconds, the sensor is to blame.
- 🧹 Clean the sensor with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol (do not use wet wipes!).
- 🔧 Calibrate the sensor through the engineering menu (instruction below).
- 📱 Check the integrity of the glass – cracks near the sensor can distort its operation.
⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi models 12T, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and POCO F4 The proximity sensor is aligned with the light sensor, so if there's a problem after cleaning, you may need to replace the entire module.
2. Energy saving settings: MIUI 'saves' not in time
Aggressive power-saving algorithms in MIUI are the second most common reason for a screen to shut down, and the system can decide that a video-watching app (like YouTube or TikTok) is running in the background, and force the screen to be extinguished to save charge, especially for phones with a ≤4,000 mAh battery or when Ultra-Economic mode is activated.
How to check:
- Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Use
- Find an app that turns off the screen (like YouTube).
- See if there's a badge next to him. ⚡ (background-limiting).
Decisions:
- 🔋 Turn off the “Adaptive Battery” in Settings → Battery → Battery settings.
- 📵 For a specific application (e.g, VK Video) set "No Limits" in the battery settings.
- ⚡ Turn off the Ultra-Economies mode or add video applications to the exceptions.
☑️ Verification of energy saving settings
| Xiaomi model | A typical energy saving problem | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10 Pro | The screen goes out in 30 seconds on YouTube | Disable “MIUI Optimization” for the application |
| POCO X3 Pro | Video in TikTok is interrupted with a charge < 20% | Add TikTok to battery exclusion |
| Mi 11 Lite | The screen dims when viewed horizontally | Turn off “Screen Turn” in the settings |
3.CPU overheating: When the phone 'suffocates' from load
Xiaomi smartphones on Qualcomm Snapdragon processors (for example, the Snapdragon 732G in the Redmi Note 10 Pro or the Snapdragon 870 in the POCO F3) are prone to thermal trottling - a forced decrease in performance when overheated. If the chip temperature exceeds 60-65 ° C, the system can turn off the screen to reduce the load.
Signs of overheating:
- 🔥 The phone is hot (especially at the top).
- 📉 Video starts to "brake" before turning off screen.
- 🔋 Battery charge drops faster than usual.
How to diagnose:
- Install the CPU Monitor or AIDA64 app.
- Run the video and monitor the temperature of the processor.
- If the temperature exceeds 60 ° C, the problem is overheating.
Decisions:
- 🧊 Remove the case (especially silicone) - it worsens the heat sink.
- 🔄 Close the background apps before watching the video.
- 🔧 Reset the graphics settings in Settings → Additionally. → Graphics.
- 🛠️ If the phone is new, return it under warranty (thermopaste may marry).
💡
To cool your phone quickly, place it on a metal surface (like an aluminum stand) or point a fan at it. Don't use cold water or refrigerator!
4. Graphics driver errors: when the hardware conflicts with the software
Xiaomi phones with Mediatek processors (like the Helio G95 in the Redmi Note 11) or Snapdragon with Adreno graphics sometimes have graphics driver conflicts.
- The screen goes out at fixed intervals (for example, every 2-3 minutes).
- Before disconnection, artifacts appear (stripes, flickering).
- The problem only occurs in certain apps (e.g. Netflix, not YouTube).
Reasons:
- 🔄 Older version of the Adreno or Mali driver.
- 📱 Conflict after update MIUI.
- 🔧 Incorrect graphics settings (for example, forced activation) HDR).
How to fix it:
- Update MIUI to the latest version via Settings → About Phone → System Update.
- Reset the graphics settings: Settings → Additional → Graphics → Reset the settings
- If the problem remains, reset via Fastboot (instruction below).
How to Reset Graphic Settings Through ADB
Hardware malfunctions: from plume to battery
If the software methods did not help, the problem may be a physical malfunction:
- 🔌 Display plume damaged (a common problem after falling or disassembling the phone).
- 🔋 Bloated battery presses on motherboard, causing short circuits.
- 📱 Oxidation of contacts on the board (due to moisture ingestion).
How to diagnose:
- 🔍 Light a flashlight on the screen at an angle - if you see vertical stripes even when the screen is off, the plume is to blame.
- 🔋 Check the battery: if Xiaomi phone turns off when charging < 30% or body swollen - replace the battery.
- 💧 If the phone fell into the water, disassemble it and check for oxidation (white plaque on the board).
⚠️ Note: On the Redmi Note 9 Pro and POCO X3 NFC Often the contact of the display plume leaves due to a design defect. If the screen goes out with a light press on the body, bring the phone to the service!
Cost of repair (approximately):
| Problem. | Cost of repair (₽) | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement of the display plume | 1 500–3 000 | 1 |
| Battery replacement | 2 000–4 500 | 1–2 |
| Cleaning the board from oxidation | 3 000–6 000 | 2–3 |
6.Settings reset and flashing: Last Chance
If all previous methods fail, there are two radical solutions:
- Hard Reset – Resets the phone back to factory settings.
- Fastboot Flashing – installs a clean version of MIUI.
Hard reset (does not delete files on the memory card, but erases all settings and applications):
- Turn off the phone.
- Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
- From the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
- Confirm the reset and restart the phone.
Fastboot flashing (requires PC):
- 📥 Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi website.
- 🖥️ Install the Mi Flash Tool on PC.
- 🔌 Connect the phone in Fastboot mode (clamp Power). + Loudness down).
- 🔄 Run the firmware through the Mi Flash Tool (select Clean All).
💡
If you've had a problem with flashing, it's the hardware. Don't waste time on software, go to the service.
Specific problems of individual models
Some Xiaomi smartphones have unique bugs associated with the screen shutdown:
- Redmi Note 8 Pro: Display driver problem after upgrade to MIUI 12.5.Solution - rollback to MIUI 12.
- POCO F2 Pro: The screen goes out due to conflict with Always-on Display. The solution is to disable AOD.
- Mi 10T / 10T Pro: a bug with adaptive refresh rate. The solution is to lock 60 Hz or 144 Hz in the settings.
For models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 12 or Redmi) K50) Check the Adaptive Backlight and Automatic Brightness settings – sometimes they conflict with video applications.