How to turn off call management on Xiaomi: all ways to MIUI 12-14

Managing incoming calls on Xiaomi smartphones can be a real headache if you don’t want the phone to automatically respond to a call when you lift it to your ear or turn on loud communication when you move away. This is especially true for owners of Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and flagship Xiaomi 13/14 models, where the smart call management function works too aggressively. In this article, we will examine all possible ways to disable automatic control – from standard MIUI settings to hidden developer parameters and even radical methods for power users.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi has integrated these features for a reason: they are designed to make life easier in the context of active smartphone use. However, for many users, auto-response, touch controls or gestures during a call malfunction — the phone can take calls in its pocket, turn on the speaker at the wrong time or ignore touching the screen. We tested all methods on current versions of the firmware (including MIUI 14 Global/China) and identified those that work.

Why Xiaomi is Managing Calls on Its Own and Can It Be Fixed?

The smart call management function in MIUI uses several smartphone sensors at once:

• 📱 Approximation Sensor – detects when you hold your phone to your ear to automatically turn off the screen and transfer the sound to the phone.
• 🔊 Gyroscope/accelerometer – analyzes the movement of the device (for example, turning to turn on speakerphone communication).
• 👆 Touch gestures – responds to swipes or touching screens during a conversation (for example, to hold/release).
• 🎤 Microphone – In some models, it is used to recognize voice commands (e.g., “Accept” or “Discard").

The problem is that Xiaomi algorithms don't always interpret sensor signals correctly, such as the proximity sensor can be triggered by accidentally touching your hand to the top of the screen, and the gyroscope can perceive walking as a command to turn on speaker, and in recent versions of MIUI, these functions have been built into the system application "Phone" and do not have a separate switch in the settings.

Can you turn that off completely? Yes, but the methods depend on the firmware version and the smartphone model, and we'll look at everything from the simplest to the ones that require root rights.

Method 1: Disable call management in standard MIUI settings

Let's start with the obvious, check the basics. In most cases, just deactivate a few options in the Settings menu → Apps → Phone.

Instructions for MIUI 12-14:

1. Open Settings and go to the Application section.
2. Select Application Management → Phone (or Calls in some localizations).
3. Slip on Permissions and turn off: 📞 Approximate sensor (if there is a separate point). 🔄 Screen rotation (sometimes affecting gestures). 🎤 Microphone (unless you use voice commands).
4. Go back and select Additional settings → Call settings.
5. Turn off the options: 🔕 Auto-response if available). 📢 Loud communication at distance. 👆 Gestures during the bell.

On some models (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi K60), these items may be called differently or hidden deeper.

Is the settings of the "Phone" application open"?|Sensor permissions checked?|Are gestures disabled in call settings?|Reboot your smartphone after the changes?-->

Method 2: Using Developer Mode for Deep Customization

If the standard settings don’t work, you’ll have to use developer mode, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 11 and newer, but you need to be careful that the wrong changes can disrupt the phone.

How to turn on the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version (you will be notified "You became a developer").
3. Return to the main settings menu and open a new section → For developers.

Now find and disable the following options:

• 🔍 Automatic ear detection (or Sensor Assist in English firmware).
• 🤖 Smart Call Management (Call Automation).
• 📱 Disable sensors when locking (if the problem occurs in the pocket).

After the changes, be sure to restart the smartphone. If the function is still active, try resetting the sensor settings:

Settings → Additional → For developers → Resetting sensor settings

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If other functions have stopped working after the sensors have been turned off (for example, automatic brightness control), return the settings back and try alternative methods from this article.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If none of the previous methods worked, it is still disabling via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but is guaranteed to remove all automatic call management functions.

What you need:

• 💻 A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• ⚙️ Developer Mode Included and Debugging by USB smartphone.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (or PowerShell) in the adb.exe folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Follow the commands in turn: adb shell settings put global sensor_assist_enabled 0 adb shell settings put global call_automation_enabled 0 adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.voiceassist
5. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

These commands are off:

• 🔧 Sensor Assist – Sensor Assist.
• 📞 Call Automation – Automatic Call Management.
• 🎤 Voice assistant (if it interferes with the).

Method 4: Remove system applications (requires root)

This is the most radical method, which is only suitable for users with unlocked bootloader and root rights. We do not recommend it for beginners, as incorrect actions can lead to a device blink.

Which apps are responsible for managing calls:

Use Root Explorer or ADB with superuser rights to remove the command.

adb shell


su




pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.callautomation

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications can lead to unstable firmware, update errors and loss of warranty. TWRP Mi Cloud.

Method 5: Alternative Calling Applications

If you can’t disable automatic control in the standard Phone app, try using third-party dialers. They not only lack Xiaomi’s smart features, but also offer additional features (recording conversations, blocking spam, etc.).

The best alternatives for MIUI are:

• 📞 Google Phone, the official dialer from Google, supports all features, but without automatic control.
• 🔒 Truecaller - blocks spam and offers flexible call settings.
• 🛠️ ExDialer - lightweight dialer with minimalist interface and without unnecessary "feature".
• 📊 Simple Dialer – open source, no advertising and automatic management.

How to make a third-party dialer the default application:

1. Install the selected application from the Play Market.
2. Open Settings → Applications → By default.
3. Select the phone app and specify the desired dialer.
4. In the new app settings, disable all automation-related options (if any).

Please note: some features (such as recording conversations) may not work on newer versions of Android due to privacy restrictions.

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Using a third-party dialer is the safest way to get rid of automatic call management, as it does not require interference with system files.

What to do if nothing helps: radical measures

If you’ve tried all the ways, but your smartphone still answers calls or has a speakerphone, there are two options:

1. 🔄 Reset to factory settings: Sometimes the problem lies in the settings conflict after the upgrade.Reset the phone via Settings → The phone. → Reset settings. Don't forget to back up!
2. 📥 Firmware flashing to custom firmware: Firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience are devoid of proprietary features MIUI, The downside is the loss of some branded features (e.g. Mi Share or Game Turbo).

Reflashing will require:

• Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool.
• Install custom recovery (TWRP).
• Download compatible firmware for your model.

⚠️ Warning: Flashing overwrite will void warranty and may result in data loss. On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra), unlocking the bootloader requires waiting 7-15 days after the Mi Account is linked.

FAQ: Frequent questions about managing calls on Xiaomi