Have you noticed on your smartphone the eye icon in the top notification bar and don’t understand what it means? This symbol appears on Androiddevices for a reason - it signals the operation of one of the tracking or system optimization functions. Depending on the manufacturer (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei etc.) and firmware version (Android 12-14), the meaning of the icon may differ, but most often it is associated with monitoring mode activity, battery optimization or special features.

Many users try remove this icon through the standard settings, but it returns after a reboot. The reason lies in system processes that are automatically activated under certain conditions. In this article we will look at all possible reasons for the appearance of the eye iconways to disable it (including hidden developer settings), and also tell you which functions may stop working after deactivation. If you are using a device with a shell MIUI, One UI or ColorOS you will find separate instructions for each of them.

What does the eye icon mean on Android: 5 main reasons

The eye icon in the status bar is not a virus or a system failure. It indicates the operation of one of the system processes. Here are the most common reasons for its appearance:

  • 👁️ "Smart Stay" mode (on Samsung and some other devices) - the function tracks the user's gaze so that the screen does not go dark while reading.
  • 🔍 Battery optimization in the background: the system analyzes the activity of applications and limits their operation to save money charge.
  • 🛡️ Safety features (for example, Knox on Samsung or App Lock on Xiaomi), which monitor data security.
  • 🎯 Accessibility features: A mode for people with disabilities that tracks gestures or gaze direction.
  • 🤖 Google Play Servicesrelated to device usage analytics (for example, Google Play Services or Digital Wellbeing).

On some devices (for example, Huawei s EMUI), an eye icon may appear when activated Smart Assistant mode, which offers contextual clues. To determine exactly which function is at fault, try press and hold the icon - on some firmware this will cause a tooltip with the name of the process.

📊 On which device did you notice the eye icon?
Samsung
Xiaomi
Huawei
Google Pixel
Other brand

How to remove the eye icon through standard settings

If the icon is associated with one of the user functions (for example, Smart Stay or Digital Wellbeing), it can be disabled without root access. The instructions depend on the shell:

For Samsung devices (One). UI)

  1. Go to Settings → Screen.
  2. Find the option "Smart Stay" and disable it.
  3. If the icon remains, check Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Battery settings i deactivate "Adaptive battery".

For Xiaomi (MIUI)

  1. Open Settings → Accessibility → Smart features.
  2. Disable "Rise to wake" and "Double tap to wake".
  3. Check section Settings → Applications → Permissions → Autorun and limit background activity for unnecessary applications.

For "pure" Android (Pixel, Motorola, etc.)

  1. Go to Settings → Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls.
  2. Disable "Use Time Monitoring".
  3. Check Settings → System → Gestures → Gaze and attention (if available).

If after these steps the eye icon disappears, the problem is solved. If not, you will have to dig deeper.

Make sure that the icon is not associated with important functions (for example, parental controls)

Make a backup copy of your settings (Settings → System → Backup)

Check if developer mode is activated (it may interfere with changes)-->

Hidden settings: how to disable the eye icon via ADB

On some devices (especially with Android 12+), standard methods do not work due to manufacturer limitations. In this case, USB debugging and commands will help. This method is suitable for experienced users. ADB. This method is suitable for experienced users.

You you will need:

  • 🖥️ A computer with installed ADB Tools.
  • 📱 Enabled developer mode on a smartphone (activated by pressing 7 times on Build number in the phone settings).
  • 🔌 USB cable for connection.

Steps:

  1. Connect your phone to the PC and enable USB debugging.
  2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and enter: 
    adb shell settings list | grep eye

    This will show all the settings associated with the eye icon.

  3. If you find a parameter like smart_stay_enabled or eye_tracking_active, disable it with the command: 
    adb shell settings put global smart_stay_enabled 0
  4. Reboot the device.
What to do if ADB does not find the settings?

If the command adb shell settings list | grep eye does not produce results, try an alternative method:

1 Install the application App Inspector from Google Play.

2. Find the system application associated with the icon (for example, Smart Manager on Samsung).

3. Force stop it through Settings → Applications → [Application name] → Stop.

Attention! Using ADB may cause system instability if you disable critical services. On some devices (for example, Samsung with Knox) this may reset the security counter and void the warranty.

Disable via developer settings

If the eye icon appears due to activity tracking functions (for example, for testing applications), it can be deactivated in the developer menu:

  1. Activate developer mode (if you haven't already done so).
  2. Go to Settings → System → For developers (the path may differ on some devices).
  3. Find options related to:
    • 👁️ Eye Tracking (eye tracking)
    • 📊 Show CPU usage (show CPU usage)
    • 🔄 Background process limit (limit background processes)
  • Disable all suspicious options and reboot device.

    • On Xiaomi there may be a hidden option in the developer menu "MIUI Optimization" - disabling it sometimes removes system icons, but can lead to incorrect operation of the shell.

    💡

    If after disabling the options in in developer mode, the eye icon disappeared, but lags appeared - return the settings back and try another method.

    Culprit applications: how to find and remove

    Sometimes the eye icon is added third-party applications, especially:

    • 🔒 Antiviruses (Avast, Kaspersky, 360 Security)
    • 👶 Parental controls (Family Link, Kids Place)
    • 📱 Launchers (Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher)
    • 🔍 Optimizers (Clean Master, DU Speed Booster)

    To find the culprit:

    1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
    2. Sort by "Working now" or "Autostart".
    3. Check the permissions of each suspicious application - if there are items like "Screen monitoring" or "Activity tracking", this could be the reason.
    4. Uninstall or stop the application, then restart the phone.

    If deleting the application did not help, check system services:

    Manufacturer Suspicious service How to disable
    Samsung com.samsung.android.smartswitch Stop via Settings → Applications
    Xiaomi com.miui.analytics Disable in Settings → Applications → System
    Huawei com.huawei.android.hsf Limit background activity
    Google Pixel com.google.android.apps.wellbeing Uninstall updates or disable

    ⚠️ Attention! Disabling system applications can lead to unstable operation of the phone, especially on devices with MIUI or EMUI. If errors appear after deactivating the service, return the settings back.

    What to do if nothing helps?

    If you have tried all the methods, but the eye icon remains, perhaps he hard-wired into the firmware. In this case, radical measures remain:

    • 🔄 Reset to factory settings (before doing this, make a backup copy!).
    • 📥 Flashing to custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), but this requires unlocking the bootloader and may void the warranty.
    • 🛠️ Contacting a service center —if the icon appears after the update and interferes with operation.

    On some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy S22+ s One UI 5.1) the eye icon can be part security updates and cannot be removed without root access. In this case, all that remains is hide it:

    1. Install the application Nacho Notch or Energy Bar from Google Play.
    2. Set up masking status bar so that the icon blends into the background.

    ⚠️ Attention! Flashing or obtaining root access voids the warranty can lead to data loss. On devices with Samsung Knox this will also reset the security counter, which will block access to Samsung Pay and other protected functions.

    💡

    If the eye icon does not interfere with the operation of the phone, it is better to leave it - it may be associated with important system processes, disabling which will lead to failures.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the eye icon on Android

    Why is the eye icon after disabling Smart Stay? remains?

    On some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy A52) not only Smart Stay, but also Battery optimization serviceis responsible for the icon. Try disabling Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Adaptive battery. If it doesn't help, check Digital Wellbeing in Google settings.

    Can the eye icon be a virus?

    No, the eye icon itself is system iconand not a virus. However, if it appears after installing a suspicious application, check your phone with an antivirus (for example Malwarebytes). Viruses rarely use standard Android icons, but can disguise their activity as system processes.

    How to hide the eye icon without disabling the function?

    If the icon is in the way, but the function is needed, try:

    1. Install launcher with support for customizing the status bar (for example, Nova Launcher + module TeslaUnread).
    2. Use ADBto hide a specific icon: 
      adb shell settings put global icon_blacklist eye

      (does not work on all devices).

    Why is the eye icon blinking on Xiaomi?

    On Xiaomi (especially with MIUI 13/14) the blinking eye icon is usually associated with with the "Rise to Wake" function. data-i="264">MIUI optimization or MIUI optimization. Disable them in Settings → Display → Smart features. If the blinking continues, check Settings → Applications → Application management → Autorun and disable unnecessary services.

    Can I remove the eye icon forever via root?

    Yes, but this requires superuser rights editing system files. For example:

    1. Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer.
    2. Go to /system/media/theme/default/com/android/systemui/.
    3. Find the file ic_notification_eye.xml (the name may differ) and rename it.
    4. Restart the device.

    ⚠️ Risk! Incorrect editing of system files can lead to "briku" (inoperability) of the phone Make a backup copy. before changes.