How Do You Turn off the Flashing White Dot on Pixel 5?

Wondering what’s up with that annoying flashing white dot on your Google Pixel 5’s status bar? Well, you’re not the only one. Many users are wondering what’s the role of that mysterious white dot. Rebooting your phone makes it go away for five to ten minutes, but then it comes back again every time. Let’s explore how you can permanently get rid of the white dot.

Why Is That White Dot on Google Pixel 5’s Screen?

The flashing white dot on your Google Pixel 5 is actually your proximity sensor. The sensor flashes white whenever an app tries to access it. As a quick reminder, your device relies on the proximity sensor to check if the display is close to your ear. The terminal automatically powers off the screen during calls to ensure that you don’t touch anything by mistake.

How to Get Rid of the Flashing White Dot on Google Pixel 5

Disable Flip to Shhh

Navigate to Settings, go to System, select Gestures, and tap Flip to Shhh. Turn off the option, and check if the flashing dot issue persists on your Pixel 5 display. However, keep in mind that disabling this option prevents your phone from entering “Do Not Disturb” mode when placed face down.

Disable Home Assistant

If the issue persists, disable the proximity sensor on the Home Assistant app. However, keep in mind that the issue usually returns after opening the app. The Home Assistant tends to constantly monitor proximity, so you may want to close the app completely.

Disable Apps Using the Sensor

Some apps can keep the proximity sensor active all the time, which can be an issue on the Pixel 5. As a quick reminder, previous Pixel models had an infrared light sensor that was completely invisible.

For example, many users complained the NotifyBuddy app often keeps the proximity sensor active. One quick tip to identify which of your apps is using the proximity sensor is to go to Settings → Apps → All apps and manually kill one app at a time until the flashing dot goes off.

Transfer Data Without a Cable

According to users, the flashing white dot issue often occurs when you copy data from your old phone to your new Google Pixel 5 device using a cable. Perform a factory reset, and then copy your data using your Wi-Fi backup instead.

Conclusion

If your Pixel 5’s proximity sensor keeps flashing white, disable the Flip to Shhh option. If the issue persists, turn off the Home Assistant app as well. Check if other apps keep the proximity sensor active all the time and disable them. Additionally, you can reset your phone and transfer data without using a cable. Which of these solutions did the trick for you? Let us know in the comments below.