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Gayle Kidder
Oct 5, 2020
I spent days trying to fix this issue on my Pixel 3a XL. My proximity sensor was working fine, so that was definitely not it. I finally found the solution that fixed it for me in a posting about this bug with Pixel 2, so it's been around awhile. This is what worked for me: Go to Settings > Display > Adaptive brightness. Turn it ON. (My setting was OFF, but you can try toggling it, if yours is ON.) Restarted phone and the issue was fixed.

UPDATE: Well, it was fixed for a while. Now it's back to black. It seems to occasionally work properly, then not. I suspect it has to do with the adaptive brightness changes. I'm not sure how to solve this once and for all.
Last edited Oct 8, 2020
Diamond Product Expert Penelope R. recommended this
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codesplice
Product Expert Alumni
runtimeterror.dev/how2ask
Mar 30, 2019
Hi,
 
This happens when the phone's proximity sensor detects an obstruction. It's supposed to black out the screen on a call while the phone is against your ear so that you don't accidentally press any buttons, but there may be other issues which cause this behavior.
 
Do you have a case or screen protector on your phone? You'll want to be sure that those aren't interfering with the proximity sensor which is located directly above the upper speaker grille. You might also try cleaning the glass in front of the sensor as smudges and sometimes interfere.
 
Have you tried rebooting the phone into Safe Mode to see if the problem continues there?
 
Cheers,
John
Last edited Mar 30, 2019
Platinum Product Expert Jason Chasteen recommended this
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Peter Ford 1056
Sep 3, 2020
Yes, I have actually found it true that the slightest bit of smudge over the prox sensor shuts down the always on display and puts the phone into dark mode. Now I try keeping smudge off the top of the screen when making calls.  Is the smudge so normal? Or has the oleophobic coating worn off? Strange. I have old lgs that were cheap to buy, that's screens hardly ever needed cleaning
SunnyRio
Sep 3, 2020
This is absurd, this sensor should be able to be turned off.  If the air conditioning in my car fails, I switch it off, it doesn't stop me using the car!
Mad Max 905
Sep 4, 2020
This happens because the screen area around the proximity device unit, usually top right corner, has lost contact with phones body at its back, due to usage or heat, that causes the glue to wear. So must pry to open the screen a little more, then insert amount of plastic glue not too little or too much. Then using big paper clip, the black clipper to press clapped down hard both screen and phone, give it 3 days for glue to dry and stick hard.  Make sure apply glue at both side left and top border. Now in some days after removing the paper clip, there's still an opening, apply insert more glue then press again using big paper clip. Done. The proximity should l work again
Penelope R.
Diamond Product Expert
Pixel, Android and Accounts.
Sep 4, 2020
Hi Hucker.  There is a way to turn off sensors from within Developer Options (method described earlier in this thread).  However, that would entail turning off all sensors.
 
Please leave your suggestion as a feature request in Settings > About Phone where your feedback will be noted by the development team and implemented in a future update if possible.  You won't receive a personal response to feedback unless the team requires further information.
 
Regards, Penny
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