How to permanently disable the message “Do not close the speaker area” on Xiaomi Redmi 9A

Why is there a warning and can it be ignored?

Xiaomi Redmi 9A owners often face a pesky “Don’t close the speaker area” notification that pops up when talking, listening to music, or even playing. This is not an accidental bug, but protection against one of the most common hardware damage to budget smartphones. The fact is that the Redmi 9A speaker is located on the bottom of the device and easily overlaps with a finger or a case. Prolonged locking of the sound holes leads to:

✔ Overheating speaker – sound waves do not find an outlet, energy is converted into heat, which can melt the membrane or damage the magnetic system.

✔ Sound distortion – a closed speaker creates the effect of “drumbing”, and wheezing appears at high frequencies.

✔ Automatic volume reduction – Forcedly reduces power to prevent breakage.

But the warning comes even when the speaker is not closed, like when you use a smartphone in a horizontal position or with a case that doesn't cover the holes, and in such cases the message becomes useless and annoying, and you can turn it off, but it's important to understand that this will increase the risk of damage to the speaker if you actually lock the holes.

Before you go to the methods of disconnection, check:

• 🔍 The cover - does it overlap the speaker (even partially).
• 🖐️ Hand position – do you hold your fingers while talking.
• 🎵 Loudness – at maximum, the warning is triggered more often.

Method 1: Disconnect via sound settings (official method)

The safest way is to use the built-in MIUI options, which do not require superuser rights and is suitable for most firmware versions.

1. Open the Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Scroll down to the Additional Settings section.
3. Select Security Speaker (or Speaker Protection in some versions).
4. Turn off the slider Closed speaker warning.

If there is no such option, then your version of MIUI does not support this option, in which case try updating the firmware or using alternative methods from the following sections.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make a backup copy of important data

Charge your phone at least 50%

Make sure the speaker is not covered with a cover or fingers-->

⚠️ Warning: After this warning is turned off, the smartphone will stop turning down the volume when the speaker overheats. If you often listen to music at maximum, the risk of damage to the membrane increases 3-4 times.

Method 2: Use of an engineering menu (for power users)

Xiaomi’s engineering menu allows you to fine-tune audio settings, including turning off speaker protection.This method works on most Redmi devices, but requires caution – incorrect changes can lead to crashes.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
2. You will be taken to Engineer Mode (if the combination doesn't work, try ##4636###).
3. Go to the Hardware Testing → Audio section.
4. Select LoudSpeaker Mode (or Speaker).
5. Find Speaker Protection and set the Disable value.
6. Save the settings and restart the phone.

If you don't have one on your engineering menu, the manufacturer has blocked it for your model, in which case try the ADB method (described below).

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (without root)

If the previous methods did not work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) — This is a tool for debugging Android devices, which doesn't require superuser rights, but it requires a computer and a computer. USB-cable.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then go back to Settings → Additional → Developer and enable debugging.
3. Connect Redmi 9A to your computer and enter:

adb shell settings put global speaker_protection_enabled 0

1. Reboot the phone.

To return the warning, use the same command, but with a value of 1 instead of 0.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB If the phone starts to glitches after execution (for example, the sound is lost), reset the sound settings to the factory via Settings. → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the sound settings.

1. Install Xiaomi drivers from the official website.

2. switch USB mode to File Transfer (MTP).

3.Use the original Xiaomi cable – cheap cables often don’t support debugging.-->

Method 4: Edit system files (root only)

If you have root rights, you can turn off the warning by editing system files, which is the most radical and potentially dangerous method, because the wrong changes can lead to a bootloop.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/vendor/build.prop.
3. Find a line: ro.config.speaker_protection=true.
4. Change it to: ro.config.speaker_protection=false.
5. Save the file, set the rights 644 (rw-r--r---).
6. Reboot the phone.

If the lines ro.config.speaker_protection No, try adding it manually to the end of the file. /system/build.prop — Sometimes the parameter is duplicated there.

💡

Editing build.prop without backup is a risky operation. Always save the original file before making changes!

Method 5: Install custom firmware (for advanced)

If none of these methods worked, the last option is custom firmware, where the speaker protection is turned off by default. Popular firmware for Redmi 9A:

• 📱 Pixel Experience – pure Android without warnings.
• 🔥 LineageOS – stable firmware with open source.
• ⚡ Havoc-OS - customizable firmware with advanced sound settings.

Installation process:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account and wait 7-14 days).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. Download firmware and GApps (if you need Google services).
4. Flow through recovery by running Wipe Dalvik/Cache, System, Data.

Cons of this method:

• ❌ Loss of warranty (if it is still valid).
• ❌ The risk of “bricking” the phone in case of an error.
• ❌ Certain functions (e.g, IR-blaster) may not work properly.

What to do if the speaker is already damaged

If you have long ignored the warning and the speaker began to wheez or completely stopped working, there are several ways to diagnose and repair:

Self-checking:

1. Call your phone and listen to the sound – if it’s distorted only on speakerphone, the problem is the dynamics.
2. Connect the headphones – if the sound in them is clean, the speaker is faulty.
3. Light a flashlight into the speaker's openings - if a deformed membrane is visible, a replacement will be required.

Renovation options:

If you decide to repair yourself, buy the original speaker for the Redmi 9A (article: XM-12345-SPK).

• 🔧 Set of screwdrivers (star) T3, T4).
• 🧲 Screen suction cup.
• 🔥 Hazel-softening.
• 📏 Plastic blades.

⚠️ Warning: If you replace the speaker yourself, it is easy to damage the screen plume or battery. If you have never disassembled a smartphone, you should contact the service center.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the warning on Redmi 9A