How to turn on the flash on the Xiaomi phone when shooting a photo: all ways and life hacks

Photos in the dark or low light are often blurry, noisy or too dark. Flash on Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi lines) can significantly improve the quality of images, but not all users know how to activate it correctly. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to turn on the flash, from the standard camera application to third-party programs, and also talk about hidden settings and typical errors that interfere with the correct operation of the backlight.

It’s important to understand that the flash switching algorithm may vary depending on the phone model and the MIUI firmware version. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12, the camera interface has its own features, and on budget devices like the POCO M5, some functions can be simplified. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that will suit most of the modern gadgets of the brand.

If you've never used a flash, or it suddenly stopped working, don't rush your phone to the service. 90 percent of the time, it's software-based -- you just need to know where to look for the switches and how to reset the camera to the factory settings. And for those who like to experiment, we've got a bonus: how to use the flash as a flashlight or even control it through an engineering menu.

1. Standard method: enabling the flash in the Camera app

The most obvious and quick method is to activate the flash directly in the regular camera app. On most Xiaomi smartphones, the algorithm looks the same, but there are slight differences depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14).

1. Open the Camera app** (the icon is usually on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Switch to Photo Mode (if you have Video, Portrait or Night mode activated, flash may not be available).
3. In the upper right corner of the screen, find the lightning icon (🌟) — This is the flash switch.
4. Choose one of the modes: 🔦 Auto flash will only work in low light (recommended for most cases). 💡 On – the flash will be triggered at each shot, regardless of the conditions. 🚫 Off. – Flash turned off (useful for shooting in well-lit rooms). 🌙 Flashlight only (not available on all models) – includes constant backlighting for video or shooting in the dark.

If the lightning icon is not on the screen, try to expand the additional settings panel by swiping your finger up or down the screen (depending on the model). On some devices, such as the Xiaomi 12T, the flash button can be hidden under the More menu (three dots or stripes).

Battery charge > 20% (flare consumes a lot of power)

The camera lens is clean (dust or prints degrade the quality)

Camera mode - "Photo" (in the "Video" flash may not work)

Distance to the object - at least 1 meter (otherwise the picture will be overcast)-->

An important nuance: on some models (e.g. Redmi 10C), when HDR mode is activated, the flash can automatically turn off, which is because Xiaomi optimizes its shooting algorithms for better light/shadow balance. If you want a flash, temporarily turn off HDR in the camera settings.

2.Why the flash doesn't turn on: typical problems and solutions

Sometimes users find that the flash does not respond to clicks or is not on the menu at all, the reasons can be both software and hardware, and let's discuss the most common cases and ways to eliminate them:

Critical information: on Xiaomi smartphones with double LED-flash (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T Pro, one of the lamps can be responsible for the color temperature, and if one of them doesn't work, the images will have an unnatural hue (blue or yellow), and then you need to have a diagnostic at the service center.

If none of these things worked, try resetting the camera to the factory settings.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Camera app** and tap it.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

Yeah, it works no problem.

Yes, but sometimes it bugs.

No flash (budget model)

I don't know how to check.-->

3. Flash in third-party applications: Google Camera, Open Camera and others

Xiaomi’s standard camera app doesn’t always offer flexible flash settings. Many users install alternative programs like Google Camera (GCam), Open Camera or Footoj to control backlighting more precisely. Let’s look at how to set up flash in the most popular ones.

Google Camera (GCam)

This app is known for its advanced photo processing algorithms, but flash settings here have their own peculiarities:

1. Download and install a compatible version of GCam for your model (for example, a BSG or Wichaya modification is suitable for the POCO X3 Pro).
2. Open the app and go to the settings (cog icon or three dots in the corner).
3. Find the Flash mode section and select the desired option: 🔄 Auto Flash - Automatic Mode. 💡 Flash on – always on. 🚫 Flash off – always off. 🌟 Torch – constant illumination (analogue of a flashlight).

Note: In some versions of the GCam, the flash may not work due to conflict with MIUI drivers.

• 📱 Disable battery optimization for GCam in phone settings.
• 🔄 Switch to another application modification (e.g., with Celso Azevedo or XDA Developers).
• 🛠️ Manually activate Force Flash mode in the engineering menu (requires root rights).

Open Camera

Open Camera is a free, open source app that supports advanced flash settings:

1. Install Open Camera from Google Play or APKMirror.
2. Launch the app and tap the icon ⚡ top-down.
3. Select a mode: 🔦 Auto - Automatic turn on in low light. 💡 On - forced inclusion. 🚫 Off - offline. 🌟 Torch – Persistent Light (useful for macro photography).

For fine tuning, go to Settings → Flash settings, where you can set pulse duration and brightness.

💡

If the flash in third-party apps is unstable, try turning off the Camera Improve feature in the MIUI settings. Go to Settings → Special Features → Camera Improvement and deactivate the option.

4 How to use a flash as a flashlight or for video shooting

A flash on Xiaomi can work not only for photos, but also as a permanent light source, which is useful for video shooting in dark rooms or as an improvised flashlight.

Flashlight mode in the notification curtain

The easiest way to turn on constant lighting:

1. Swipe your finger down to open the notification curtain.
2. Find the badge. 🔦 Light and tap it.
3. To turn off, re-click the icon.

If the icon is not in the quick menu, add it:

1. Open the curtain completely (pull down twice).
2. Put the badge on. ⚙️ Edit (pencil).
3. Find the flashlight in the list and drag it to the active area.

Constant lighting during video shooting

In the standard Xiaomi camera app, you can turn on the flash as a permanent light source for video:

1. Open the Camera app** and switch to Video mode.
2. Put the badge on. ⚡ (Lightning) and select only a flashlight (or Torch in English version).
3. Start recording - the flash will burn constantly.

Limitation: On some models (e.g. Redmi 9A), constant backlighting in video mode can overheat your phone. If the device gets hot, take a break for 5-10 minutes.

💡

Flash in flashlight mode consumes up to 30% of battery power per hour. To save energy, reduce the brightness of the screen and turn off unnecessary background processes.

5. Hidden flash features: engineering menu and secret codes

For power users who want to gain full control of the flash, there are hidden settings available through the engineering menu or special commands, which require caution, as incorrect changes can lead to malfunctions in the camera.

Access to the engineering menu

To open the engineering menu on Xiaomi, follow the following steps:

1. Open the phone application** (call).
2. Enter the code ##4636##
3. In the menu that opens, select Hardware Testing.
4. Find the Flashlight or Camera section.
5. Here you can test the flash, change the light intensity or reset the driver settings.

Use of the screen as a light source

In extreme cases, you can illuminate the object using the screen of another phone or tablet:

1. Open a white screen on the second device (such as an empty document or web page).
2. Increase the brightness of the screen to maximum.
3. Place it at a 45 degree angle to the subject.

⚠️ Warning: When shooting with external light sources, turn off the flash on your phone to avoid conflicting color temperatures, otherwise the photo may get an unnatural hue (for example, green or purple).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the outbreak on Xiaomi