Database Develop

unsensitive light sensor! (Tested with Koushs Sensors.dll)

hi,
I somehow noticed how when I took the phone away from my ear near my face during a call the screen was still locked, so i ran the lightsensor test and it kept going from 0 to 3.xxxxxxx on and off reporting Dark, it is late night here but the lights are on, i then put it near my monitor, still "dark"
I then finally shone a torch on the sensor and it reported normal after a few seconds!!?
Is there a way to re calibrate it, i'm guessing it does sense light but not correctly?
Thanks so much

oops!
I ran a test again today morning, but i exposed the thing to the sun near at my Window and it shows bright. however, i still think the light sensor is a tad bit un sensitive, or is it acutally being super smart and sensing ambience around my room??

Proximity Sensor Issues

My only real big issue with this phone is that the proximity sensor doesn't work unless I squeeze it between my fingers. In dark lighting it's the only way to turn on the screen. Also,it's the only way to get the screen to turn back on.
I downloaded an app to test the sensor ans it says it's near even if there's nothing in front of it. But after I squeeze it the test shows that it's far

Am I holding it wrong? How should the proximity sensor and Ambient display work?

I just got the phone last week and it’s always had a screen protector on it. I know many have issues with the proximity sensor covered but I don’t get how the phone should work. All my other phones turn off the display as you put the phone to your ear and on again if you move it away to look at something or end the call. The Nexus 6 just stays on until the screen time out and then I have to tap the power button to get the screen back.
I installed a proximity sensor app (Proximity Sensor Finder) and it seems to work fine though I don’t know what the readings would be without the screen protector covering it. It shows 5.000305cm until my hand gets within two inches or so and it jumps to 0. The app says some sensors are discrete so seems ok and the readings are very consistent and fast. So why is the screen not turning off?
Also, the Ambient display setting says it will turn on the display when you pick up the phone or get notifications. Never worked. ???
Bad phone, software or setting?
Thanks.
P.S. Why in God’s name are the volume buttons and to a lesser extent, the power button, dead center of the phone? I hit them every flipping time I pick it up. Is there a way to disable the volume buttons when the screen is off?

Tanquen said:
I just got the phone last week and it’s always had a screen protector on it. I know many have issues with it covered but I don’t get how the phone should work. All my other phones turn off the display as you put the phone to your ear and on again if you move it away to look at something or end the call. The Nexus 6 just stays on until the screen time out and then I have to tap the power button to get the screen back.
I installed a proximity sensor app (Proximity Sensor Finder) and it seems to work fine though I don’t know what the readings would be without the screen protector covering it. It shows 5.000305cm until my hand gets within inches or so and jumps to 0. The app says some sensors are discrete so seems ok and the readings are very consistent and fast. So why is the screen not turning off?
Also, the Ambient display setting says it will turn on the display when you pick up the phone or get notifications. Never worked. ???
Bad phone, software or setting?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my suggestion would be to take your screen protector off. when you pull away from thd phone, the screen should pop on, but it not doung that for you. over the past 8 months or so, ive been reading about this same issue. and its always fixed by raking off the screen protector. im fuessing that your screen protector is covering one of your sensors.

Understood but:
"I installed a proximity sensor app (Proximity Sensor Finder) and it seems to work fine though I don’t know what the readings would be without the screen protector covering it. It shows 5.000305cm until my hand gets within two inches or so and it jumps to 0. The app says some sensors are discrete so seems ok and the readings are very consistent and fast. So why is the screen not turning off?"
Can someone without a screen protector on chime in with naked sensor readings?

Tanquen said:
Understood but:
"I installed a proximity sensor app (Proximity Sensor Finder) and it seems to work fine though I don’t know what the readings would be without the screen protector covering it. It shows 5.000305cm until my hand gets within two inches or so and it jumps to 0. The app says some sensors are discrete so seems ok and the readings are very consistent and fast. So why is the screen not turning off?"
Can someone without a screen protector on chime in with naked sensor readings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Readings the same.

Tanquen said:
Understood but:
"I installed a proximity sensor app (Proximity Sensor Finder) and it seems to work fine though I don’t know what the readings would be without the screen protector covering it. It shows 5.000305cm until my hand gets within two inches or so and it jumps to 0. The app says some sensors are discrete so seems ok and the readings are very consistent and fast. So why is the screen not turning off?"
Can someone without a screen protector on chime in with naked sensor readings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your phone has its own proximity sensor thats being blocked by your screen protector, probably. im telling you that of the very many that have been reporting thus issue, have no more issue when they remove the screen protector. its worth a try, isnt it?

simms22 said:
your phone has its own proximity sensor thats being blocked by your screen protector, probably. im telling you that of the very many that have been reporting thus issue, have no more issue when they remove the screen protector. its worth a try, isnt it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
His screen is staying on tho. Usually with screen protector it stays off.

prdog1 said:
His screen is staying on tho. Usually with screen protector it stays off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for most ppl it stays off, a few that ive read stay on non stop.
for example.. if it doesnt "see" your face get close, it wont turn off the screen.

simms22 said:
for most ppl it stays off, a few that ive read stay on non stop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kewl. He needs to make sure ambient display is on in display settings. Also the buttons are in middle of phone so you can reach them holding phone normally.

simms22 said:
... its worth a try, isnt it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, but the protector would not be usable afterwards and it was really hard to get it on clean and lined up and the sensor readings are the same. I thought the folks that had problems had stuck or sporadic readings.
simms22 said:
for most ppl it stays off, a few that ive read stay on non stop.
for example.. if it doesnt "see" your face get close, it wont turn off the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine can be toggled on and off with the power button, never gets stuck. It just acts like the proximity sensor mode during a call never activates. It only powers off after the normal screen timeout if you are still on the phone. The sensor does see me and sets the value the zero.
prdog1 said:
Kewl. He needs to make sure ambient display is on in display settings. Also the buttons are in middle of phone so you can reach them holding phone normally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It’s on, even tried toggling it.
The buttons should be higher. I understand you can’t reach the power button on larger phones if on top of the phone but putting the volume at the center of gravity is crazy. It’s actually noticeably difficult to hold the phone without it dipping when grabbing it lower and that’s after training myself to grab it lower. I still forget and grab it in the middle like any brick sized object. I'm old, hands weak.

I have read here, somewhere, that the proximity sensor does not have a variable output. It's either off or on, so to speak.

Larzzzz82 said:
I have read here, somewhere, that the proximity sensor does not have a variable output. It's either off or on, so to speak.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably yes but everyone who had a screen protector without a sensor cut out had to change it for one with a sensor cut out.
This is step 1. Even if this isn't the cause, it will cause problems later.
You say not variable. Sure on or off. That said, a protector can limit how close the "close" reference can be identified at.
Step 2 is a factory reset.
Unfortunately, can't troubleshooting without doing these steps.

Larzzzz82 said:
I have read here, somewhere, that the proximity sensor does not have a variable output. It's either off or on, so to speak.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is my understanding also and someone posted above that they have the same readings from the sensor without a screen protector. They did not say but I’m assuming their phone works as it should when on a call. Again: "I installed a proximity sensor app (Proximity Sensor Finder) and it seems to work fine though I don’t know what the readings would be without the screen protector covering it. It shows 5.000305cm until my hand gets within two inches or so and it jumps to 0. The app says some sensors are discrete so seems ok and the readings are very consistent and fast. So why is the screen not turning off?"
danarama said:
Probably yes but everyone who had a screen protector without a sensor cut out had to change it for one with a sensor cut out.
This is step 1. Even if this isn't the cause, it will cause problems later.
You say not variable. Sure on or off. That said, a protector can limit how close the "close" reference can be identified at.
Step 2 is a factory reset.
Unfortunately, can't troubleshooting without doing these steps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know, I know. I’ve read that many have had issues with screen protectors but I thought the folks that checked saw that the proximity sensor readings were also bad. Mine seem to be just what the phone would want to see.
I will take it off at some point and I guess I’ll be the first to verify that even if you use an app to monitor the proximity sensor readings and they look normal the protector can still cause an issue or it is something else.

I did find that the Ambient display will not work without screen lock turned on.

Tanquen said:
I did find that the Ambient display will not work without screen lock turned on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, because it needs a lock screen to display it.

The screen worked as it should randomly the other day. Only on the one call. I pulled the phone away to look at something and it turned the screen on. Put it to my ear and what do you know, it turned the screen off. Not worked again so far and I ran the sensor app right after the call and it showed just what it always has, zero. Anything close to the phone you get a zero every time, right away. The phone app just ignores the zero reading.

Proximity Sensor Issue

I am having an issue where always on display is staying ON while in pocket/faced down on the table. Feels like the proximity sensor is not working while on the AOD.
Plus, the proximity sensor doesn't seem to work while in the pocket either. The setting 'prevent accidental touches' has been enabled, however it is still responding to 'double tap to wake' while in the pocket for whatever reason...
Is there any fix to this?

I noticed the AOD stays on in my pocket as well. I thought maybe it was by design that way, even though it makes no sense.
Have not had a single pocket wakeup though.
It does seem that the proximity sensor (which is really the camera) doesn't work especially well though, from reports of people noticing it on phone calls. Hopefully something that can be fixed in software.

jdock said:
I noticed the AOD stays on in my pocket as well. I thought maybe it was by design that way, even though it makes no sense.
Have not had a single pocket wakeup though.
It does seem that the proximity sensor (which is really the camera) doesn't work especially well though, from reports of people noticing it on phone calls. Hopefully something that can be fixed in software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks mate, appreciate your feedback. Proximity sensor works fine on my phone during calls. Can't think of any reason why Samsung would intend it this way...

Proximity sensor issue here as well
I have the same problem. I put phone into test mode and it was bad compared to my wife's s9 search proximity sensor s20fe on YouTube and see others with issue

There is no fix. This is apparently the way AOD works now. I can't remember if it started with the S10s or S20s.

uggies said:
I am having an issue where always on display is staying ON while in pocket/faced down on the table. Feels like the proximity sensor is not working while on the AOD.
Plus, the proximity sensor doesn't seem to work while in the pocket either. The setting 'prevent accidental touches' has been enabled, however it is still responding to 'double tap to wake' while in the pocket for whatever reason...
Is there any fix to this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did some research on s20fe proximity sensor, because I desperately wanted flip case to open and close the screen.
Here is what I have noticed: there are two "proximity sensors" both sides of the front camera. These sensors close the screen during call if you touch them (I'm not sure if it's enough to touch just 1 or do you have to touch both of them). You need to touch these with your cheek or finger cause they need a electric field.
Phone also utilizes front camera light sensor during call: if there is no light, it turns off the screen but for this to happen phone needs to be on up right position. Screen won't close if the phone is on desk and you cover the camera.
So anyways, my point is that the proximity sensor is not able to detect if your phone is in the pocket or not. Only way for the phone to detect this is with the front camera light sensor, and I guess this would increase the battery consumption so much, there is no point.
You can test your "proximity sensors" by typing *#0*# in dialer numpad, select sensors and touch from the side of the front camera. If the screen turns green sensors are working.

No problems with Verizon S20 FE 5G UW
Huberttus said:
I did some research on s20fe proximity sensor, because I desperately wanted flip case to open and close the screen.
Here is what I have noticed: there are two "proximity sensors" both sides of the front camera. These sensors close the screen during call if you touch them (I'm not sure if it's enough to touch just 1 or do you have to touch both of them). You need to touch these with your cheek or finger cause they need a electric field.
Phone also utilizes front camera light sensor during call: if there is no light, it turns off the screen but for this to happen phone needs to be on up right position. Screen won't close if the phone is on desk and you cover the camera.
So anyways, my point is that the proximity sensor is not able to detect if your phone is in the pocket or not. Only way for the phone to detect this is with the front camera light sensor, and I guess this would increase the battery consumption so much, there is no point.
You can test your "proximity sensors" by typing *#0*# in dialer numpad, select sensors and touch from the side of the front camera. If the screen turns green sensors are working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just purchased the Samsung S20 FE 5G UW (how about we shorten this to FE UW?) with all updates AND a glass screen protector and have no touch/proximity issues.
FYI I bought it at the Costco kiosk for a few dollars less per month, no activation charges and a 90 day return policy.

the Galaxy S20 FE (5G) has no physiscal proximity sensor.
Insted it uses a combination of the front camera, touch screen and gyroscope.

I have tested the proximity issues, luckily for me there were ok...turn green. The only thing that drive me crazy is the touch screen issues which never been fixed even after updates. Oh well at least its better than before.

Huberttus said:
I did some research on s20fe proximity sensor, because I desperately wanted flip case to open and close the screen.
Here is what I have noticed: there are two "proximity sensors" both sides of the front camera. These sensors close the screen during call if you touch them (I'm not sure if it's enough to touch just 1 or do you have to touch both of them). You need to touch these with your cheek or finger cause they need a electric field.
Phone also utilizes front camera light sensor during call: if there is no light, it turns off the screen but for this to happen phone needs to be on up right position. Screen won't close if the phone is on desk and you cover the camera.
So anyways, my point is that the proximity sensor is not able to detect if your phone is in the pocket or not. Only way for the phone to detect this is with the front camera light sensor, and I guess this would increase the battery consumption so much, there is no point.
You can test your "proximity sensors" by typing *#0*# in dialer numpad, select sensors and touch from the side of the front camera. If the screen turns green sensors are working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mate great information here, really appreciate this.
Tested the Proximity sensor using *#0*#, I agree with your analysis. The proximity must be using electric reaction to detect if my ears are touching it or not. Covering it with a book does not trigger a proximity sensor... This explain why my screen keeps waking up in the pocket.
As much as this is annoying, there appears to be no way out Just have to let the phone face outside rather than my legs.

I also have the same issue, while on a phone call, the phone's screen goes on and off constantly and I can see the notification bar moving. Very annoying.
This is a terrible design by Samsung. The punch hole usually goes in the "Empty" part of the ear, so the screen stays mostly on.
I might just return the phone because of this issue, I don't see it getting fixed by a software update.

I have the exact opposite issue with the proximity sensor on my Samsung S20 plus running Android 10 - i.e. it works well by turning the screen off when my ear/cheek/face is very close to the proximity sensor during phone calls; whereas, when the phone's screen is locked and turned off, the proximity sensor is turned off as well. Control by hardware? Software/firmware? Don't know?! To turn the screen on without using the Power hardware button, I had to enable the "Double Tap" feature in Settings.
On earlier/other Android mobile devices - Samsung included - the proximity sensor is always on - whether the screen is on, off, or currently locked. When it's always on, you can be innovative and build a widget, for instance, to turn the screen on by "waving" your hand above the proximity sensor to interrupt the laser. I suspect new(er) Samsung mobile devices like S20 and Note20 variants might be using a "virtual" proximity sensor setup/combo for controlling the device's screen - and that really sucks!
To test if the proximity sensor is always activated on Samsung S20 and Note20 variants, I type *#77692# - which displayed a hardware screen to test proximity and light sensors. Note: if you type *#0*#, the proximity and light sensor options are absent from the hardware test screen.
Has anyone found any method - via codes even - to permanently turn on the proximity sensor, even when the screen is locked and turned off?
I searched through AOSP framework vanilla codes and couldn't see anything out of the ordinary regarding control of the proximity sensor. Samsung might be doing something dubious with their firmwares/hardwares though - well, at least, the S20 and Note20 variants are having issues with the proximity sensor setup.
P.S: Not sure if you guys are aware, but Samsung mobile devices with odd designation tends to be more problematic than their even-designated counterparts, like screen's burn-ins/shadows on Samsung S3 devices, light sensor fluctuation (which affects screen brightness control) on Samsung S5s, and now proximity problems with the S20s and Note20. Samsung S20 variants are in fact "S11" variants renamed. So the trend continues with Samsung always stuffing up their odd-designated device releases.

how to disable proximity sensor (with root)?

this have been issue for Pixel devices, proximity sensor not working properly.
Mine's on same boat, proximity sensor always read something blocks (distance 0cm).
actually it does not hurt for most of time, but only 2 things.
AOD turned off, i prefer AOD is always on..
display off when calling.
There is workaround.. just press the screen, the proximity area, then it works normally for a while.
I kept doing that, and it fixed for couple of months in last winter.
It started happening again when I stayed in Desert area, 90F over night.
looks like proximity sensor should be stuck on some "right" place, but glue does not hold it tight?
I donno... anyways, it happened again when weather comes warmer.
so, I was looking for a solution, just disable the proximity sensor, or make it always 5cm reading.
nothing works so far!
first trial. use "disable sensors" in developer option.
I created a tasker command for toggle that function --> this works. but...
it disables mic as well, cannot use during phone call.
for AOD, that command does not work when screen is off. command does not go through for AOD.
second trial. use disable sensor addon for xposed (now LSPOSED with magisk)
not working on Android 13 and 12.
Looks like it worked on Android 8 or 9? not an option for pixel 5.
I gave up at this point.
Pixel 5 is great phone, light and small enough, easy to carry. performance is not great but ok for me. battery life is also ok.
easy to unlock bootloader, flip to other custom roms..
because of only for this small proximity sensor, this is hard to use for me..
Is there any way to disable it?

see this thread for a general idea of what to do.
[Q] Disable proximity sensor via terminal emulator
Hi @ all, I have that following problem: My phones display turns off automatically while im receiving or doing a call. My proximity sensor is broken and i would like disable it and i found a good solution here in this formus...
forum.xda-developers.com
that is for a HTC phone and is a 10 year old thread but I think if you can identify the correct device you can use root to effectively prevent it from changing state.
Maybe not. its been a while since I messed with Android Internals.
Worth a try.

I recently got a refurbished Pixel 5 and had this same issue, a few searches on the internet and I learned about the screen gap fiasco. If I'm not wrong isn't the reason behind the proximity issue this same screen gap on top left. As far as mine is concerned, I heated it up a little to loosen the adhesive, covered it in a soft cloth and then applied a plastic clip I had lying around on top left for compression. I left it overnight and voila the sensor works perfectly now. Also I have a relatively tight case on.