How to quickly turn off the flashlight on your Xiaomi phone: 5 proven methods

Why Xiaomi flashlights can not turn off and how to fix it

The flashlight on Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi line) sometimes behaves unpredictable: it turns on spontaneously in your pocket, does not respond to presses, or remains burning after use. The reasons lie in MIUI settings, control gestures or hardware failures. For example, on models with an infrared port, the flashlight can be activated when you press a physical button, and on new devices – through double pressing on the screen.

In this article, we will discuss all ways to turn off the flashlight, including hidden MIUI 14/15 functions and workarounds for older models (for example, the Redmi Note 4 or Mi A1). Particular attention will be paid to situations where the flashlight freezes in the on state due to a software failure - this requires specific actions that few people know about.

Before proceeding to the instructions, check:

• 🔦 Does the case block the flashlight button (relevant to the POCO X3, Redmi 9).
• 📱 Is there any moisture in the connector? USB-C — This can cause false positives.
• 🔄 Have you recently updated your software? MIUI 14.0.5 was a flashlight gesture bug.

Method 1: Disconnect via the notification panel (fastest)

It is a versatile method that works on all Xiaomi devices regardless of the MIUI version. It is suitable even for phones with a broken screen (if the sensor is working).

Algorithm of action:

1. Swipe your finger down the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the flashlight icon (usually located in the front row next to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth).
3. Touch the icon once, the flashlight will turn off. If the icon is illuminated in yellow, the flashlight is active.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 12.5 Enhanced for Redmi Note 10 Pro, the flashlight icon may be hidden in the second swipe of the panel. If it is not, swipe down again to open all the icons.

Method 2: Using physical buttons (for older models)

On Xiaomi smartphones until 2019 (e.g. Redmi 5 Plus, Mi 8), the flashlight can be controlled through hardware buttons. This is true if the screen is not responding or the notification panel is not available.

Instructions:

• 🔘 Hold the power button for 2-3 seconds until the shutdown menu appears.
• 🔦 In some firmware there is a separate flashlight button - press it.
• 🔄 If there is no button, try double pressing the power button (configured in Settings). → Screen. → Double press of the power button).

⚠️ Note: New models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5) The flashlight hardware is disabled by default. It can be returned via Settings. → Special facilities → Physical buttons, but it requires root rights.

Method 3: Gestures and Quick Actions (MIUI 13 and later)

In recent versions of MIUI, the flashlight can be turned on/off with gestures, but these same gestures sometimes work by accident. For example, on Xiaomi 13, the flashlight is activated by double pressing on the back panel, and on POCO F4, by shaking the phone.

To turn off the flashlight through gestures:

• 👆 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Gestures.
• 🔍 Find the flashlight or quick action section.
• ❌ Turn off all gestures associated with the flashlight (such as Double-clicking on the screen or Shaking).

If the flashlight is already on and not switched off:

1. Repeat the gesture that turned it on (for example, shake the phone again).
2. If it does not work, lock and unlock the screen (sometimes resets the flashlight state).

Method 4: Forced shutdown via engineering menu (for experienced)

If the flashlight is on and does not respond to standard methods, you can use the engineering menu, which is suitable for devices based on Qualcomm Snapdragon (most Xiaomi and POCO).

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
2. In the engineering menu, select Hardware Testing → Lights.
3. Find Flashlight and set the Off value.
4. Save the settings and restart the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu - this can lead to loss of warranty or unstable camera operation. If not sure, use an alternative method (see next section).

💡

If the engineering menu doesn’t open, try entering ##4636## and select Hardware info → Flashlight control.

Method 5: Reset flashlight settings (if nothing helps)

In rare cases, the flashlight may not turn off due to a failure in the MIUI settings, which occurs after updating or installing custom firmware, and the solution is to reset the settings associated with the flashlight without losing data.

How to reset:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 In search, type a flashlight (or Flashlight on English firmware).
• 🗑️ Choose Clear Data and Reset Settings.
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

After discharge:

• ✅ The flashlight will return to factory settings (control only through the notification panel).
• ❌ All user gestures for the flashlight will be removed.

💡

Resetting flashlight settings does not remove photos or apps – only system settings associated with the LED are affected.

What to do if the flashlight still does not turn off

If none of these methods worked, the problem could be hardware:

• 💡 Sticking buttons – on models with a physical flashlight button (for example, Redmi) 3S) she might be bothered.
• 🔋 Damage to the plume - after falling or repairing.
• 🦠 Viral software – some applications (for example, fake flashlights from APK) block out standard management.

Actions in such cases:

1. Check your phone for viruses with Mi Security or Malwarebytes.
2. If you recently dropped your phone - contact the service center (repair of the flashlight plume is worth it). ~800–1500 ₽).
3. For the Redmi Note 5/6 with a sticky button, try cleaning it gently with alcohol (without disassembling the phone!).

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3 NFC, Redmi 10) flashlight can spontaneously turn on when the battery charge is low (below 5%). MIUI, So the user can find the outlet in the dark. → Battery → Energy conservation → Additionally.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashlight on Xiaomi