How to permanently turn off the flashlight when calling Xiaomi: 5 proven methods

Are you tired of your Xiaomi or Redmi getting blinded by a flash of light every time you call in?This feature, designed to draw attention in noisy places, is often a source of irritation — especially at night or in dark rooms. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn't always make it obvious that in some versions of MIUI, the option is hidden so deep that it is almost impossible to find it without instructions.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can turn off your flashlight when you call, from standard settings to hidden options in the engineering menu. You’ll learn how to do this on Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/11, POCO F5/X5 and other devices with MIUI 12-14. And if your smartphone doesn’t want to “obey”, we’ll tell you what to do in such cases.

Why Xiaomi turns on the flashlight when calling and can it be turned off?

Flash Alerts was added to MIUI as part of a special feature system, originally designed for people with hearing impairments, where bright lights help to detect a call when the sound is turned off or unavailable, but over time, the feature began to turn on by default on many devices, causing users to dissatisfaction.

Can I turn it off? Yes, but with some nuances:

• 📱 Most models Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO (2019–2026 d.) the option is disabled through standard settings.
• ⚙️ Some of the scalings (especially) MIUI For global market, item may not be available – you will need an engineering menu.
• 🔧 If the flashlight continues to work after the shutdown, the fault may be third-party software (for example, applications for calls or custom firmware).

It’s important to understand that on older models (before 2018) or custom firmware devices (like LineageOS), the path to settings may be different. If your smartphone doesn’t respond to standard methods, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone.

Method 1: Disconnection through “Special Opportunities” (MIUI 12–14)

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI settings. It works on most modern devices, including the Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO X5 Pro.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Special Opportunities section (on some firmwares – Additional → Special. features).
3. Select the item "Hearing" (or "Audio/Visual prompts").
4. Find the Flash when calling option (may be called Flash Alerts or Visual Alerts) and turn off the slider.

If there is no item, try searching by settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner) and type in a flash or flash request. On some firmware, the option is hidden in Settings → Sound → Vibration and Sound.

Check the version. MIUI on the phone"|Make sure the flashlight works when calling (not from apps)|Close all third-party calling apps (Truecaller, WhatsApp)|Reboot your phone after the changes-->

Method 2: Engineering menu (for advanced users)

If the standard method didn’t work, you can try disabling the feature via an engineering menu (also known as Engineer Mode or CIT), which is suitable for Qualcomm Snapdragon-based devices (most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO).

Attention, the wrong actions in the engineering menu can disrupt the operation of the phone.

1. Open the Phone app and type in the combination: ##36446337## (some models may work ##4636##).
2. You will be taken to the Engineer Mode menu. Go to the Hardware Testing → Audio → Flashlight section.
3. Find Flashlight Notification and set the Disable value.
4. Save the settings and restart the phone.

If the combination does not work, try an alternative method:

• 🔧 Install the app MTK Engineering Mode (for devices on Mediatek) or Qualcomm Engineer Mode from Google Play.
• 📱 In the application, find the Hardware section → Flashlight and turn off alerts.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level Android setup tool that requires connecting your phone to your computer, but is guaranteed to work on all versions of MIUI.

Preparation:

• 💻 Install. ADB Tools on PC.
• 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB on the phone: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Click 7 times to become a developer, then additionally → For developers → Debugging by USB.
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in the device.

Instructions:

1. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices (should display the serial number of your device).
3. Execute the command to disable the flash when calling: adb shell settings put system flash_notification_enabled 0
4. Reboot the phone.

If the flashlight turns on again after rebooting, try an alternative command:

adb shell settings put global flash_notification_enabled 0

💡

Before using ADB, back up your data. If after commands the phone starts to work unstable, reset to factory settings.

Method 4: Third-party applications for flashlight control

If you don't want to go through the settings, you can use Google Play apps that allow you to flexibly manage your flashlight.

Warning: Some apps require permission to access notifications or root rights.Be careful when granting permissions - this can affect the security of the device.

If you have chosen the app, but the flashlight still works:

• 🔄 Check if it conflicts with other services (like Truecaller or Google Phone).
• 📵 Disable Battery Optimization for the Application in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Optimizing the battery.

Method 5: Resetting settings to factory (extreme case)

If none of these methods worked, and the flashlight keeps running when you ring, maybe the problem is a system failure or a setup conflict, and then a factory reset will help.

⚠️ Warning: Reset will delete all data from your phone, including photos, contacts and apps. backup through Settings → Google → Backup or Mi Cloud Backup.

How to reset your settings:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Erase All Data (may be called Factory Resetting).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After reset, check if the flash is on when calling, and if so, turn it off via Special Options (see Method 1).

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Resetting is a last resort, and before you do it, try all the other ways and make sure that it's not third-party software that's the problem.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after the flashlight is turned off, the torch may still work when ringing, and the reasons and ways to eliminate them are considered:

If your problem is not described above, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI — Some functions only appear after updating.
• 🔋 Battery charge – on some models, the flashlight does not work at low charge (less than 15%).
• 🛠️ Root rights – they can block system settings.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions