How to change the color of the notification indicator on Xiaomi Redmi 7: all ways

Xiaomi Redmi 7 is one of the most popular budget smartphones of the brand, but even it has a small drawback: limited settings of the notification indicator. By default, the LED flashes only white or blue, which is not always convenient for distinguishing between types of alerts. Fortunately, there are several ways to expand the functionality and customize the color indicator to your needs - from standard MIUI tools to advanced methods using ADB.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current methods for changing the color of notifications on Redmi 7, including hidden firmware functions, third-party apps and manual settings via your computer. Special attention will be paid to the nuances of working on different versions of MIUI (10 to 14) and possible limitations. If you want your smartphone to signal missed calls with red light and messages in messengers – green, this guide is for you.

Why can’t Redmi 7 change the color of the indicator through standard settings?

The main problem lies in the hardware limitations of the model. Unlike Xiaomi flagship devices (for example, Mi 9 or Redmi K20 Pro), Redmi 7 is equipped with a single-color LED, which physically cannot display the full palette of RGB. However, the manufacturer has laid the possibility of software emulation of different shades due to:

• 🔹 Alternating blinks – a rapid change of white and blue creates the illusion of purple or blue.
• 🔹 Changes in brightness – adjusting the intensity of the glow allows you to simulate pastel tones.
• 🔹 Color filters – some firmwares have a tint setting through system settings.

It is important to understand that the full RGB-The indicator on this model is not possible, but the advanced settings allow you to achieve visual diversity. For example, for notifications from WhatsApp, you can set the blinking with a pause of 2 seconds, and for SMS — with a pause of 1 second, which will help distinguish them even without unlocking the screen.

Method 1: Configure through hidden MIUI settings (without root)

The safest method is to use built-in firmware tools, which works on all versions of MIUI for Redmi 7 (including global and Chinese), but requires activation of the developer mode.

1. Open Settings → About the phone and 7 times tap on the item MIUI version until the notification appears You became a developer!.
2. Return to the main settings menu and select Additional settings → For developers.
3. Activate the debugging switch over USB and confirm the action.
4. Connect the phone to your computer and type in the command line (or Terminal on the computer). Mac/Linux): adb shell settings put global notification_light_pulse 1 This command includes a pulsed indicator mode, allowing you to emulate additional colors.

Once you have completed the command, restart your device. Now, in the notification settings for each application (e.g. Settings → Notifications → WhatsApp), the color indicator option will appear with a choice of 3-5 options (depending on the version of MIUI).

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC| Enable debugging on USB| Download ADB Tools (platform-tools)| Connect your phone with the original cable-->

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 12.5+) After updating, the indicator parameters are reset. To avoid this, save the current settings before the update via the command: adb shell settings list global | grep notification

Method 2: Applications for indicator management (with and without root)

If you don't like the standard settings, you can use third-party utilities, and we tested 5 popular apps and selected the two most reliable ones:

For installation of Light Manager (without root):

1. Download APK from the official website (XDA Developers).
2. Install the application by pre-allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings → Applications → Special Rights).
3. Start Light Manager and give you access to notifications.
4. On the menu. LED Settings select an app (like Telegram) and set up: 🔘 Color (blue, red, green available - emulated) 🔘 Frequency of blinking (from 0.5 to 3 seconds) 🔘 Priority (important for conflicting notifications)

💡

If the indicator does not work after installing the application, restart the phone and check if MIUI blocks the background activity of the utility in the Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.

For LED Blinker Notifications (with root), the possibilities are wider:

• 🎨 Color gradient adjustment (smooth transition between shades).
• 🔔 Linking unique melodies to each color.
• ⏱ Flexible flashing times (e.g. 2 short flashing times) + 1 long).

⚠️ Note: root-access applications can cause soft-brick in conflict with system services MIUI. Before installation, create a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 3: Manual editing of system files (for advanced)

This method is suitable for users with an unlocked bootloader and TWRP installed. It allows you to change the parameters of the indicator at the system file level, but requires caution.

1. Download and install Root Explorer or any other file manager with root access.
2. Cross the path. /system/vendor/overlay/ and find the file. notification_light_overlay.apk (or similar to the light in the title).
3. Copy the file to your computer and open it with APK Editor.
4. In the section res/values/colors.xml Find lines with colors (for example, #FF0000FF For blue, and replace them with the right ones: <color name="notification_light_color_1">#FFFF0000</color> <color name="notification_light_color_2">#FF00FF00</color>
5. Save the changes, sign the APK (use the uber-apk-signer) and replace the original file in /system.
6. Reset the device.

After editing the system files, the indicator will flash the selected colors even for standard notifications (calls, SMS), but the next MIUI update will reset the changes. To avoid this, create an automatic reset script:

#!/system/bin/sh


cp /sdcard/notification_light_overlay.apk /system/vendor/overlay/




chmod 644 /system/vendor/overlay/notification_light_overlay.apk




reboot

Save him like restore_light.sh into /sdcard/ Start after each update via Terminal Emulator.

Problems and Solutions: Why does the color of the indicator change?

Even after setting it up correctly, Redmi 7 users often find that the indicator continues to flash in a standard color.

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge – at a level below 15%, the indicator may be turned off.
• 📱 The firmware version is on MIUI 13+ some ADB-commands blocked.
• 🔧 Availability of updates in new versions MIUI Additional options may appear.

💡

On Redmi 7, it is physically impossible to achieve pure red or green because of the single-color LED. All the "color" effects are software emulation through alternation or change in brightness.

Alternative ways to visualize notifications

If the indicator setting did not bring the desired result, consider alternative options:

• 📱 Always-on Display (AOD): Redmi 7 doesn’t have this feature, but it can be emulated using Always On. AMOLED (works even IPS-screen).
• 🔔 Audio profiles: Set up unique tunes for each notification type in Settings → Sounds and vibrations.
• 💡 Screenlight: Enable the option of Notifications Backlight in screen settings – the phone will briefly turn on the display when new messages are sent.
• 📌 Widgets on lock screen: Use apps like Notisave to display notifications directly on the locked screen.

To activate Always On Display:

1. Install Always On AMOLED from Google Play.
2. Provide permissions to display over other windows (Settings → Special Rights).
3. In the application settings, select: 🕒 Mode of work — “Only upon notification". 🎨 Display style – “minimalistic” (saves charge). 🔋 Brightness – not more than 10%, so as not to put the battery down.

This method consumes more power than an LED, but allows you to display not only the color, but also a portion of the notification text.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up the indicator on Redmi 7