Screen mirroring on Android is a feature that can both save (for example, when connecting to a TV) and annoy. You suddenly discover that all interface elements are flipped horizontally, the text is read backwards, and the photographs look like in a distorting mirror. This most often occurs after connecting to external displays, accidentally pressing a keyboard shortcut, or a glitch in accessibility settings. In 90% of cases, the problem is solved in 2-3 minutes, but the methods differ depending on the smartphone manufacturer and Android version.

In this article we will analyze all the current methods for disabling mirroring: from standard settings to commands ADB and hidden engineering menus. Let us separately dwell on the nuances for Samsung One UI, Xiaomi MIUI, Google Pixel and other popular shells. If your smartphone does not respond to touches due to an upside-down interface, do not panic: at the end of the article there is a section with solutions for such cases.

What is screen mirroring and why is it turned on

Mirroring (or mirror display) is a mode in which the contents of the screen are reflected horizontally, as in mirror For example, the letter โ€œPโ€ turns into โ€œิ€โ€, the right arrow points to the left, and your camera selfie becomes โ€œcorrectโ€ (without inversion). On Android, this function can be activated in three cases:

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Connecting to an external display: many TVs and projectors automatically request mirror mode when connected via HDMI or Miracast.
  • โš™๏ธ Accessibility settings: in the menu for people with visual impairments, there is an option to invert the screen, which sometimes works accidentally.
  • ๐Ÿค– Software failures or viruses: rarely, but it happens that after updating the system or installing a suspicious APK file, forced mirroring is turned on.

On some smartphones (for example, Samsung Galaxy s One UI 5.0+), mirroring can be turned on when the mode is activated Dex or when using proprietary functions like Smart View. It is important to distinguish mirroring from rotating the screen (when the picture is rotated 90/180 degrees) - these are different problems, and they are solved in different ways.

๐Ÿ“Š Have you encountered screen mirroring on Android?
Yes, after connecting to TV
Yes, due to a glitch in the settings
No, but I know what it is
What is this anyway?

Method 1: Disabling through screen settings (for most smartphones)

If mirroring appeared after connection to an external display, first check the display settings. This method works on pure Android (for example, Google Pixel, Motorola) and most shells, except MIUI (for that, see the next section).

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Screen (or Settings โ†’ Display).
  2. Find item Rotate screen, Orientation or Display mode.
  3. Check whether the parameter Mirroring, Mirror mode or Mirroringis enabled. If so, disable it.
  4. If there is no such item, go to Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Gestures โ†’ Screen rotation and reset the settings.

On some devices (for example, Sony Xperia) mirroring may be hidden in the menu Settings โ†’ Accessibility โ†’ Visual corrections. If the problem persists after disconnecting, try restarting your smartphone - sometimes changes are applied only after reboot.

โ˜‘๏ธ Checking basic settings

Done: 0 / 4

Method 2: Instructions for Xiaomi (MIUI) and Redmi

On smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO with a shell MIUI mirroring is often enabled through hidden settings or after using the function Second Space. To remove the effect, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Screen.
  2. Scroll down and select Advanced settings (or Additional).
  3. Find the item Screen reflection (on English firmware - Screen mirroring) and disable it.
  4. If there is no item, go in Settings โ†’ Accessibility โ†’ Vision and check the option Invert colors (sometimes it works like mirroring).

If mirroring remains, try resetting screen settings:

Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Reset settings โ†’ Reset screen settings

On some models (for example Xiaomi 12T or Redmi Note 11) mirroring can be linked to a gesture. To check this:

  1. Go to Settings โ†’ Advanced features โ†’ Gestures.
  2. Find gesture Triple tap or Double tap press.
  3. Make sure that no function is assigned there Mirror screen.
What to do if MIUI does not respond to touches due to mirroring?

If the screen is upside down and does not respond to touches, connect the smartphone to the computer via USB and use the app Scrcpy for control from a PC. An alternative is gestures: swiping down from the top edge (even if the screen is upside down) usually opens the notification panel, from where you can get to the settings.

Method 3: Disabling via ADB (for experienced users)

If standard methods do not work, you can disable mirroring via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method is universal, but requires a computer and USB debugging enabled. Suitable for all versions of Android, including Android 14.

You will need:

  • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ A computer with installed drivers ADB (you can download from official Android website).
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Smartphone with USB debugging enabled (Settings โ†’ About phone โ†’ Build number - press 7 times, then return to Settings โ†’ System โ†’ For developers โ†’ USB debugging).
  • ๐Ÿ”Œ USB cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

  1. Connect your smartphone to the computer and confirm permission for debugging on the screen phone.
  2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
  3. Enter the command to test the connection: 
    adb devices

    The serial number of your device should appear.

  4. Run the command to disconnect mirroring: 
    adb shell settings put system screen_mirroring_mode 0
  5. Reboot your smartphone: 
    adb reboot

If the command did not work, try an alternative option:

adb shell content insert --uri content://settings/system --bind name:s:screen_mirroring_mode --bind value:i:0
๐Ÿ’ก

If ADB does not see the device, try switching the USB connection mode to "File Transfer" (MTP) in the notification shade of your smartphone.

Method 4: Reset accessibility settings (if mirroring is due to inversion)

Sometimes mirroring is confused with inversion of colors a function that changes colors to the opposite (black becomes white, blue becomes yellow, etc.) On some smartphones, inversion can work as a mirror image. To disable it:

  1. Go to Settings โ†’ Accessibility โ†’ Vision (or Settings โ†’ Accessibility โ†’ Colors and Contrast).
  2. Find the options:
    • ๐Ÿ”„ Color inversion (Color inversion)
    • ๐ŸŽจ Color correction (Color correction)
    • ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ Colorblind mode (Color blindness mode)

Disable all these options.

  • If available item Reset accessibility settings โ€”use it.

    • On Samsung path may differ:

    Settings โ†’ Accessibility โ†’ Improve visibility โ†’ Color inversion

    Important: on some devices, color inversion may be tied to a gesture or hotkeys. For example, on Google Pixel triple clicking on the power button turns on/off inversion. Check the gesture settings in the section Special features.

    Method 5: Checking the engineering menu (for advanced)

    If mirroring is not removed through standard settings, the problem may lie in engineering menu (Engineer Mode). This method is suitable for experienced users, since incorrect changes can lead to failures.

    To get to the engineering menu:

    1. Open the application Phone.
    2. Enter code: 
      ##36446337##

      (for Mediatek) or

      ##4636##

      (universal code).

    3. Go to the section Hardware Testing or Display.
    4. Find parameters related c Mirror, Flip or Rotation, and reset their values to 0.

      5. Engineering menu codes may differ depending on the processor:

      Chip manufacturer Engineering menu code Partition for mirroring
      Qualcomm Snapdragon ##4636## Display โ†’ Mirror Mode
      Mediatek (MTK) ##36446337## Hardware โ†’ LCD
      Exynos (Samsung) #0# Sensor โ†’ Mirror Test
      Google Tensor ##4636## Display โ†’ Flip Settings
      ๐Ÿ’ก

      Changes in the engineering menu can lead to unstable screen operation. If you are not sure, do not change parameters that you do not know!

      What to do if the screen does not respond to touches due to mirroring

      If mirroring has made the screen unusable (for example, the sensor has stopped responding to touches), use these methods:

      • ๐Ÿ–ฑ๏ธ Connect the mouse via USB: even if the sensor does not work, a USB mouse (or wireless via OTG adapter) will allow you to control your smartphone. Connect it and go to the settings as described above.
      • ๐Ÿ’ป Control via Scrcpy: the app allows you to control your Android device from your computer. Download it from GitHub, connect your smartphone via USB and follow the instructions.
      • ๐Ÿ”„ Gestures to reboot: on most smartphones, long pressing the power + volume up button causes a reboot. After a reboot, mirroring may be reset.
      • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Voice Assistant: Activate Google Assistant or Bixby (on Samsung) by voice and ask to open the screen settings. For example: โ€œOkay, Google, open the display settings.โ€

    If all else fails, all you can do is reset to factory settings. Remember that this will delete all data from the device! To reset:

    1. Turn off your smartphone.
    2. Hold Power button + Volume up (on some models - Power + Volume down volume).
    3. In the menu Recovery select Wipe data/factory reset (control - volume buttons, selection - power button).
    4. Confirm the reset and wait for the reboot.
    ๐Ÿ’ก

    Before resetting, try removing SIM card and memory card - sometimes mirroring is associated with errors in reading external drives.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about mirroring on Android

    Why does mirroring turn on by itself?

    Most often this happens due to:

    • A failure in settings HDMI/Miracast after connecting to the TV.
    • Activation of the mode for colorblind or visually impaired people in the accessibility settings.
    • Viruses or malicious applications that change system parameters.
    • Errors after updating the firmware (especially on custom ROM).

    Check the history of installed applications and remove suspicious ones.

    How to disable mirroring on Samsung Dex?

    In Samsung Dex mirroring mode, mirroring is controlled separately:

    1. Connect your smartphone to monitor.
    2. In the panel Dex find the icon Settings (gear).
    3. Select Screen โ†’ Mirroring and disable option.

    If the item is not there, update Dex via Galaxy Store.

    Is it possible to mirror only part of the screen?

    At the system level - no. But some. applications (for example ApowerMirror or Vysor) allow you to mirror only selected windows when broadcasting to a PC. To do this:

    1. Install the application from Google Play.
    2. Connect to the PC via USB/Wi-Fi.
    3. In the broadcast settings select Mirror selected area.

    Please note: this is not system mirroring, but software broadcast.

    Mirroring remains after resetting the settings. What should I do?

    If the problem does not disappear even after resetting, this may indicate:

    • Hardware failure of the controller. display (needs repair).
    • Damage to the firmware (try to reflash the smartphone via Odine or Fastboot).
    • Conflict with custom recovery (for example, TWRP).

    Contact the service center if you are not sure of your skills.

    How to prevent accidental activation of mirroring?

    To avoid re-activation:

    • Disable inversion gestures in Settings โ†’ Accessibility.
    • Uninstall applications for mirroring (for example, Screen Mirroring), if you do not use them.
    • Update the firmware - in new versions of Android, mirroring is disabled by default.
    • Use a password to change screen settings (available on some smartphones, for example, Huawei).