topic Re: Disable proximity sensor in XZ Series

Disable proximity sensor

kaandemir — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 10:55:47 GMT

How can I disable my XZ's proximity sensor. Screen goes black when I make a call and a during call. Because sensor it's ain't working. At the sensor tests it's always at the same value. It's ain't changing at any situation. Thx

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 09:35:58 GMT

Hi @kaandemir, sorry to hear about this.

You can't disable this sensor as it is a hardware sensor, so we'll have to some troubleshooting!

To start with, is the sensor covered by for example, a screen protector? If it is, try removing it and see if there is any change. You can also make sure that there is no dirt or moisture on the sensor by wiping it clean with a dry cloth.

Do the test for the sensor when you have cleaned it and made sure that it's not covered by anything.

The test can be found in Settings > Support > Tests > Ear proximity.

Let me know how it goes and have a great weekend!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

kaandemir — Sat, 05 May 2018 09:46:18 GMT

Any of this ideas couldnt solve my problem. I send it to the Sony back at 1 May. I wish they can solve it or give me a new phone....

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Mon, 14 May 2018 13:57:24 GMT

Hi again @kaandemir and thanks for the update!

I really do hope so as well, and feel free to keep me posted!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Nidal2 — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 23:25:17 GMT

I find it a bit condescending and insulting that when someone is trying to get some help regarding something that's fairly obvious like the proximity sensor not working properly and the answer is, oh make sure there is nothing covering the sensor!

This is very unhelpful, the user already identified the problem as a faulty sensor and wanted to disable it.

I have the same problem with my phone and it makes it extremely annoying to use my phone while a call is active. I spared no effort trying to fix it, but sadly it was all in vain.

Why the lack of transparency? Why the inability to admit, we are sorry we admit we made a phone with a faulty sensor and now we can't fix it.

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Nexdown — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:37:37 GMT

My proximity sensor doesn't work as well, and it happen right after the end and my warantee of 6 month. It is really really really annoying we just can't make any call because if we happen to go to the voice mail, or if the people we are calling dont hang out the phone, we can't use our phone like forever.

Please find a solution.

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 13:41:29 GMT

Hi @Nidal2, sorry to hear about your device.

If the sensor is covered by for example, a screen protector (that does not have a cut out for the proximity sensor), it will not work as it should, therefore we always suggest checking this first as the sensor can't be disabled.

If you have done all the troubleshooting available, such as safe mode and performing a software repair, there is something wrong with the hardware part of the sensor and your device will need to be examined by a technician at an authorized service centre. I won't be able to help you with creating a service order as all service cases are handled by your Local support team, so give them a call and they will assist you further.

@Nexdown, sorry to hear that you are experiencing the same behaviour.

Regarding the warranty, have you double checked with your Local support team how long it's valid for? I know it varies between markets/regions, but I'm not sure if any market has 6 months, as far as I know it's 12 or 24.

You can also try the troubleshooting steps that I have posted in this thread, if you haven't done that already.

Keep me posted!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Dedbit — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 11:35:02 GMT

I have the same issue with the proximity sensor - I guess phone got too hot or something and that's why it is broken.

btw. it helps when i touch the camera on the back of the phone and push it a bit - sensor is working then.

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 12:50:59 GMT

Hi @Dedbit, sorry to hear about the sensor not working correctly.

That sound more like it would be related to hardware since it works if you push the back of the device around the camera and in that case, I would recommend that you have your device examined at an authorized service centre.

Your Local support team will assist you further with this matter, so please get in touch with them.

Feel free to keep me posted!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Guipucci — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 22:14:02 GMT

I think mine has a bug with whatsapp since since I make test does not work, go to WhatsApp listening to an audio and it works by passing audio through speaker but not turning off screen. Then switch to test and sensor works, make calls and it works but erratically. I bet the problem is that unholly crapy App that when you are listening to an audio and another audio from the same person enters unlocks the screen, turns up the volumen leaving you deaf, same if you get an incoming call when listening to an audio close to your ear. At least a few weeks ago those illuminated brains of communication put a broom after years of developping superuseful emoticons that regular People use everyday... So maybe some Day they think about the sensor issues, but I Wonder if they think the broom is a magical transportation device since they don't picked one in their whole life. Keep developping cool senseful emoticons like the Prince Girl or the Black chinese guy

Re: Disable proximity sensor

GoaColin — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:57:27 GMT

All of the answers so far are replies as to how to get the sensor working.

That is not the question asked or my question.

How do you disable the proximity sensor?

Testing my sensor shows it is not working although the light sensor is.

I need to be able to disable the proximity sensor so that I can make phone calls. So many calls you make nowadays you need to go through a keypad to define an answer Press1 to ..., press 2 for this ...., press 3 for that... etc.

My phone an Xperia Z5 is working perfectly apart from this proximity sensor. When I make a call the screen immediately goes black and the only way to get out of a call is to pull the SIM out and force a reboot. The power switch will not turn off the phone or cut the call or turn the screen on.

So what if it is a hardware sensor? This must interact with the software to tell the software to turn the screen off. I need to be able to disable it or the phone is useless.

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 08:36:07 GMT

Hi @Guipucci, thank you for the very detailed information.

Could you try making a call in safe mode? In safe mode downloaded applications, such as WhatsApp won't be loaded and you can make a phone call and see if there is any change.

To get out of safe mode, just restart the device and everything will be back to normal!

Let me know if that helps!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 08:46:31 GMT

Hi @GoaColin,

There is no setting to disable the proximity sensor. If the device does not turn on the display when you take it down from your ear there is something not working with the sensor.

Have you tried any of the troubleshooting in this thread? Such as making sure the sensor is not covered by anything.

You can also use a headset or speaker phone as the proximity sensor will not be activated when using either of these two alternatives.

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Guipucci — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 10:48:47 GMT

I did what you asked and sure it does work flawlessly.

I work in a computer shop and I changed the screen of my z3 5 times and some other 5 times my z3 compact. Usually I repair laptops, desktops and other gadgets but I´m lucky to renounce repairing phones or tablets since the spare pieces are cheap, fragile and more and more you have to use glue and crap so what I do with my xperia is buy second hand recovered screens.

Anyways in my xperience I see things are getting more and more complicated but you guys have improved quality for what I can tell in this device which I bought for 30 euros with a broken screen and just put on a second hand screen for another 30.

Some people don´t like sonys but you have to surrender to evidence that they´re though as hulk, they´re quite nice to repair and software in the latest devices is carefully crafted and I can tell that because my first pda with phone (smartphone term was not coined then) was the hp ipaq and after that an htc with windows as well and from them the xperia mini pro, the xperia pro (god i miss the qwerty slider), the SP wich I rooted to cyanogen with 0 google app and was a monster, and then the z3 and the z3 compact, and now this x compact.

However may I get back to whatscrapp... That app from the beginning is telling people what to do and pushing things their ways, that social justice emoticons fall to absurd having the royal guard lady, the aladdin lady, the flying fairy guy or the chinese guy in all fancy colors... But still cannot get my Sony selfie camera work in mirror properly, the camera button is useless in that whatscrapp, the focus is made by a drunk guy with parkinson. So talking about the sensor no surprise it was going to make me some rectal love at any time more than it does when incoming calls.

So let´s be honest here... It is far more important that today there is a male lion in the emoticons discriminating the female lions.

If I can get Sony´s attention here PLEASE PLEASE BRING BACK A QWERTY SLIDER!!! Not only because I was able to walk and write with my face up in the street but because the keyboard on display didn´t cover the webpages and apps and I could do much more. And I think that it´s good that you guys keep the software efforts in the underlying and functionality more than falling to untested trends. But then again if a qwerty slider resurrects will whatsapp obey to it or will it bring the fairy black guy when I press f?

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 12:28:57 GMT

Hi again @Guipucci!

Yeah, I have seen some tear down videos on other devices where it's almost impossible to remove the back panel and other things, which makes it complicated to repair them yourselves. I guess this kinda is the point though but still..

I think that very few percentage of smartphone owners care that much about security updates, "standard" Google experience, but this has always been very important for me personally and I do also really like the Android "UI" in Sony Xperia devices. I actually helped my mom and dad setting up their devices that isn't an Xperia and after 10 minutes or so I got really frustrated with how the UI worked.

I have never used WhatsApp myself, so I can't really comment on how it works and what features it has, but I know it's one of the biggest apps available these days so there is a lot of people using it. Have you tried updating the app or removed it and installed it again?

Regarding a physical keyboard, I'm not sure if there any plans to introduce this again, but lately it seems that features are rather removed than added, so I doubt it will, but I will of course forward the feedback.

Have a nice day!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Guipucci — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 17:07:09 GMT

Hi, so my sensor just seemed to die. I was sure it was whatscrapp because calls were working fine and the safe test mode was ok.

In the dark I can see the sensor glowing. My guess is that this component is so fragile? I mean how many connectors does it have? If it´s just positive and negative it means that electricity is arriving so it should be broken inside. On the other hand the light sensor which is next to it works fine and so do the buttons that are on the same piece so it´s not likely that the connector to the board was badly put. Besides it does not seem like a connector that can jump off...

Just for those engineer guys up above... are they configuring proximity sensors so that if they die they´re always off?

As for software I did a whole wipe with no results... so I installed the xperia companion and did a software repair which seemed to do a wipe. I don´t know there´s anything to do on the software/firmware side. I work more with computers mostly windows, and when I get problems wipe all partitions but also we´re getting problems with uefi, switchable graphics and more and more complex bios.

By the way I´ve hated the proximity sensor my whole life since I´ve my ears pierced and always have funny things with it. More things come with the rain and stuff so I would like to have that in the interface and keep using the power button to blank the screen if i wanted to.

Yeah I think about the funcionality issues every day and taking control out of the user. Funny thing is the more advanced we are the more tied up we´re ending. So I will end up hooking my washing machine, my fridge, my lights, my everything to some artificial stupidity so I can live comfortably like a kobe cattle and live happy forever not working at all... like the magical man from happy land in gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane XD

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 14:15:53 GMT

Hi again @Guipucci,

I have no clue how the it looks inside the device as I don't work with repairing the devices, but since you have already performed a software repair and it worked fine a few days ago and there hasn't been any update to the Xperia XZ, it unfortunately sounds hardware related.

I always liked the proximity sensor but it has always worked for me so I'm a bit biased!

To my knowledge, if the sensor "dies" it will always be in the annoying way when it doesn't turn on during calls when you remove the phone from the ear, goes dark as soon as you click the green call button.

Technology is in most cases awesome, but sometimes the old fashion way is the way to go!

Re: Disable proximity sensor

gorka01 — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 03:06:29 GMT

hubnot sure if this voids warrant (i think not), but go install VirtualXposed from Git, then [XPOSED] Sensor Disabler module in Google Play

Open VirtualXposed, add the Sensor Disabler module (add app), enable it (manage xposed module), reboot. Enter into Sensor Disabler module, find the Proximity options and check Remove sensor, and... Voilá!

Tested in my Xperia X Compact, but will work in any device

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Trombim — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 09:12:07 GMT

~~Tan bien he tenido el mismo problema con mi zx... Estoy muy descontente con la Sony y voy dejar de comprar esta marca, pues es el segundo teléfono en que tengo problemas.~~

So well I had the same problem with my zx ... I am very unhappy with Sony and I am going to stop buying this brand, it is the second phone I have problems with.

Re: Disable proximity sensor

Jonas — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 12:26:59 GMT

Hi @Trombim, sorry to hear that.

Your question has been translated to English as this is an International forum, please post any replies in English and it will be easier for me and other users to assist you.

Have you tried troubleshooting this? Even if there is something wrong with your device there may be a solution for it.

You can find all the troubleshooting available for this behaviour in my previous posts in this thread.

Let me know if any of the troubleshooting helped!