Xiaomi Redmi 9A is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but its owners often face questions about managing the flash. Despite the simplicity of the device, the function of turning on the LED is not always obvious: in some camera modes, the flash button may disappear, and additional options appear in the MIUI settings. This article will help you understand how to use the flash for photography, video recording and flashlight mode, and also solve typical problems, from a gray lightning icon to a complete lack of reaction to presses.
We have tested all the methods on the Redmi 9A with MIUI 12.5 and MIUI 13 firmware (including global and Chinese versions), so the instructions are relevant for most users. Particular attention will be paid to the hidden feature of forced flash on the engineering menu, which is rarely mentioned in the official guides. If your smartphone behaves outside the box, at the end of the article you will find a checklist for troubleshooting.
Basic method: enabling the flash in the Camera app
The most obvious method is to use the standard Camera app, but even here, there's a nuance: the location of the flash button depends on the mode you choose.
1. Open the Camera app (the icon on the home screen or in the app menu).
2. Make sure that you select the Photo mode (usually it opens by default).
3.In the upper right corner of the screen, find the zipper icon (🌟) — That's the flash switch.
- 🔦 Auto – flash is triggered automatically in low light.
- 💡 Incl. – forced inclusion at each shot.
- 🚫 Off. - The flash is completely off.
- 🌙 Night mode – the flash is turned off, but the processing of dark scenes is improved (not available on all firmware).
If the lightning icon is gray and inactive, it means that the flash is not supported in the current mode. For example, in the Portrait or Panorama modes on Redmi 9A, the LED is blocked programmatically. Switch back to Photo or Video (in the second case, the flash will work as a permanent backlight).
2. Flash like a flashlight: quick access and settings
On the Redmi 9A, the LED flash can be used not only for shooting, but also as a flashlight, which is switched on separately from the camera and has its own features:
Method 1: through the notification panel
Swipe your finger from top to bottom across the screen to open the notification bar. among the quick switches, find the flashlight icon (🔦). If it is not, click on the pencil (Edit) and add the flashlight widget there.
Method 2: Voice assistant
Activate Google Assistant (or XiaoAI on Chinese firmware) and say, “Put the flashlight on,” which works even when the screen is locked (if the settings allow the assistant to lock).
⚠️ Note: With prolonged use of the Redmi flashlight 9A If your smartphone gets hot, let it cool for 5-10 minutes or the system will force the LED to shut down.
Method 3: gestures (hidden MIUI function)
In MIUI 12.5+, there's an undocumented ability to double-press the power button to activate the flashlight.
- Go to Settings → Special features → Gestures.
- Find the option of Double pressing the power button.
- Select the action of the Lantern.
The flashlight is turned on through the notification panel |Responds to voice command |Double pressing of the power button |Does not overheat with prolonged use-->
3. Forced flash activation via engineering menu
If standard methods fail (e.g., the zipper icon in the camera is inactive or the flashlight is not turned on), you can try activating the flash through an engineering menu, which requires caution, but often helps with software failures.
Instructions:
- Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
- You will be taken to EngineerMode (if the combination doesn't work, try ##4636###).
- Go to the Hardware Testing → Lights section.
- Find Flashlight and select Turn On.
If after these manipulations the flash has worked, but ceased to respond to standard methods, reset the camera settings:
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the camera, press Warehouse → Clear the data.
- Reboot your smartphone.
⚠️ Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose.Incorrect settings can lead to network loss or camera problems.
4.Why the outbreak doesn't work: diagnosing problems
If the flash on the Redmi 9A does not turn on either way, the causes can be both software and hardware.
| Symptoms. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The lightning badge in the cell is grey | Shooting mode does not support flash (for example, Portrait) | Switch to "Photo" or "Video" |
| The flashlight goes on, but goes out immediately. | Overheating or work time limitation | Let the phone cool down, check the energy saving settings |
| The flash doesn't work in the camera or like a flashlight. | Software failure or damage to the LED | Reset the camera settings, check through the engineering menu |
| The flash flash flashes arbitrarily | Application conflict (e.g. Flash Alerts) | Turn off flash notifications in special features settings |
If the problem is not resolved, try rolling back camera updates:
- Go to Settings. → Annexes → Camera. → Three points (⋮) → Remove updates.
- Reboot the phone.
What to do if the outbreak burns out physically?
5. Additional flash features: what you didn't know
The Redmi 9A flash has more than just highlighting footage, and here are some hidden features that will come in handy in everyday use:
- 🎵 Musical lighting: In some firmware MIUI The flash can flash to the beat of the music. Activated through the settings. → Sound. → Sound effects (not available on all versions).
- 🔔 Flash alerts: You can set the LED blinking when you call in or SMS. Path: Settings → Special facilities → Rumor → Notification flash.
- 📸 Manual brightness setting: In Pro mode (in the Camera app), you can adjust the flash intensity (from 10% to 100%).
- 🔋 Energy saving: If you turn on Battery Mode in the settings, the flashlight brightness will automatically drop to 50%.
Photographer's advice: When shooting in dark rooms, try the flash + night combination.
- Turn on the camera Night mode (moon icon) 🌙).
- Forced activate the flash (lightning icon) 💡).
- Hold the smartphone as still as possible - the exposure will take 2-3 seconds.
💡
If you shoot often in the dark, turn off the HDR option in the camera settings – this will speed up the processing of flash shots.
6. Alternative applications for flash control
If standard means MIUI You don't like it, there are dozens of alternative apps on Google Play to work with the flash.-5 And they chose the most stable:
| Annex | Functions | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flashlight (from Devmob) | Lighting with brightness adjustment, SOS-signal | Minimalist interface, no advertising | No widgets for the main screen |
| Tiny Flashlight | Blinking flashlight, timer, color filters | It works on all versions of Android | Advertising in the free version |
| Flash Alerts 2 | Flash notifications for calls and messages | Flexible settings for each contact | Reduces the battery when used actively |
Before installing third-party apps, check permissions: some ask for access to Camera, Microphone and Contacts for no obvious reason.
How to remove the standard Camera app?
Some users are trying to replace their native MIUI camera with Google Camera or other alternatives, but you can't completely remove the standard app, which will cause system failures.
- Turn off the updates to the camera in Google Play.
- Install alternative software (e.g., GCam for Redmi 9A is available on the 4PDA forum).
- You can hide the standard camera through Settings → Apps → Disable (but this won’t remove it completely).
7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
Even experienced users sometimes make flash errors on the Redmi 9A. Here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:
- ❌ Using a flashlight with a low battery charge (less than 15%) can cause your phone to crash. MIUI blocks the operation of the flash at a critical charge level.
- ❌ Clicking on a screen while shooting with a flash. 9A This can confuse focus and lead to blurry images. Use serial photography (hold down the down button).
- ❌ Update the camera through APK This often breaks the flash, install updates only through Google Play or MIUI Updater.
- ❌ Ignoring overheating. If the phone body gets hot and the flashlight keeps working, it shortens the LED's lifespan.
How to check if the LED has burned?
If the flash does not work in any mode, run the test:
- Enable Developer Mode (click 7 times on the MIUI version in your phone settings).
- Go to Settings → Additional → For developers → Hardware test.
- Select Flashlight Test. If the test shows an error, the LED is defective.
💡
On the Redmi 9A, the flash and flashlight use the same LED. If one doesn't work, the other won't work, except for the software constraints in specific modes (e.g. Portrait photography).