How to turn off the flashlight when calling on Xiaomi smartphones: the full guide

A flashlight that automatically turns on when an incoming call or notification is one of the company’s “chips” of firmware. MIUI on smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO. For some users, it’s a handy feature that helps you quickly find your phone in the dark; for others, it’s an annoying element that puts the battery down and distracts you at inappropriate times. Especially relevant problem for owners of models with powerful LEDs (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro)+), where the flash is at full brightness.

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all way to turn off a flashlight when you call, depending on the MIUI version, device model, and even regional firmware. In this article, we'll look at all the working options, from standard settings to hidden engineering menu options, and you'll learn why the feature can turn on on itself and how to prevent it.

If you have already tried to turn off the flashlight through Settings → Notifications, but nothing came of it – do not rush to reset the phone to the factory settings. In 90% of cases, the problem is solved without radical measures. The main thing is to correctly determine the source of automatic activation: it can be not only firmware, but also third-party applications (for example, Truecaller or Google Phone).

Always on |On only at night |Never on |Depends on contact |I don't know-->

Why the flashlight turns on when you ring: 3 main reasons

Automatic flashlight switching on is not a bug, it's a feature. The developers of MIUI added this feature for convenience, but they didn't implement it perfectly. Here are the key reasons why your Xiaomi can flash the screen:

🔹 Corporate logic MIUI. In Android-based firmware 10-14 (including MIUI 12-15) So the algorithm is, if the light sensor detects darkness and the phone is down, the flashlight is activated when the phone calls in, and it's supposed to help you find the device on the table or in the bag. AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) The function is more aggressive – the firmware mistakenly believes that the phone is in a dark room, even if it is not.

🔹 Third-party applications. Some callers (like Truecaller, Drupe, or Google Phone) have their own backlight settings. They can conflict with system settings. MIUI, What makes the flashlight work randomly.

🔹 Sensor errors: If the proximity or illumination sensor is contaminated or damaged, the system can falsely fire. For example, on the Redmi Note 11 Pro, there is a bug when the flashlight turns on when you call, even if the phone is lying upside down.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F4 GT or Xiaomi Black Shark) flashlight when ringing is controlled by a separate module in the firmware.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the firmware options built in. It works on most devices with MIUI 12 and later (including Android 13/14).

1. Open Settings and go to Notifications.

2. Slip on Call Notification Settings (some firmwares call the item Inbound Calls).

3. Find the flashlight option when you call (or flashlight) and turn off the slider.

If there is no such item, try an alternative path:

1. Go to Settings → Display.
2. Choose a flashlight (or lighting).
3. Deactivate the option Automatic Enablement at notifications.

On some models (for example, Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite), this option is hidden. To see it, you first need to turn on the developer mode (7 times tap the MIUI version in Settings → About phone).

Make sure your phone is not in power saving mode.|Check if the antivirus is blocking access to the settings|Update. MIUI last-minute|Restart the device before changes-->

Method 2: Use of the Engineering Menu (for advanced)

If standard settings don’t work, you can try turning off the flashlight through an engineering menu, which works on 80% of Xiaomi devices, but you need to be careful – wrong actions can disrupt the sensors.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##6484###
2. In the menu that appears, select Manual Test (or Manual Test).
3. Scroll to the Sensor section and tap on the Proximity Sensor.
4. Make sure the sensor is working correctly (cover the top of the phone with your hand – values should change from 5 to 0).
5. Go back to the main menu and select Hardware Test → Flashlight.
6. Turn off the Auto Flash on Call option (if any).

Some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global for Redmi 9A) may not have this item, so try the alternative code:

##36446337##

It opens the MMITest menu, where additional settings are sometimes available in the Flashlight section.

⚠️ Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose. For example, turning off the proximity sensor will cause the screen to not go out during a conversation.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (without root)

If the previous methods did not work, you can use the debugging of the ADB. This does not require superuser rights, but requires a computer and USB-The method is suitable for all models, including POCO X5 Pro and Redmi. K50.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable Developer Mode (7 taps on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone).
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB drivers (you can download from the XDA Developers website).
4. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) Enter: adb shell settings put global flashlight_call_enabled 0
5. Reset the device.

To get it back, use the command:

adb shell settings put global flashlight_call_enabled 1

If the team doesn’t work, try an alternative:

adb shell settings put secure flashlight_call_disabled 1

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Before using ADB, check if your antivirus (such as Avast or Kaspersky) is blocking your connection to your device.

Method 4: Third-party applications for flashlight control

If system methods do not help, you can install specialized software.

• 🔦 Flash Alerts 2 – allows you to flexibly adjust the backlight for calls, SMS There's a blacklist for specific contacts.
• 📱 Light Manager – Supports MIUI and is able to turn off the flashlight for individual applications (for example, only for WhatsApp or Telegram).
• ⚙️ MacroDroid creates automatic rules, for example, you can set up a macro: If you call in → turn off the flashlight».

Before installing, check the permissions of the application. Some programs (like Flash Alerts) require access to Special Opportunities and Overlay over other windows. On MIUI 14, these permissions are issued in Settings → Applications → Permission Management → Special Access.

Example of settings in MacroDroid:

1. Create a new macro with an Inbound Call trigger.
2. Add the action Turn off the flashlight (or run the command with echo 0 > /sys/class/leds/torch-light/brightness).
3. Save and activate the macro.

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi with Android 13+ Some flashlight management apps may not work due to Google's restrictions on access to the flashlight API camera-flash.

Method 5: Manual disabling through file system (root)

If you have superuser rights, you can turn off the flashlight at the system file level, which is suitable for power users and works on 100% of devices, but requires caution.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/vendor/overlay/.
3. Find a file with a name that contains flashlight or torch (e.g. FlashlightOverlay.apk).
4. Rename the file by adding.bak at the end (e.g. FlashlightOverlay.apk.bak).
5. Reset the device.

An alternative option is to edit the build.prop file:

1. Open /system/build.prop in the text editor.
2. Add the line: ro.vendor.xiaomi.flashlight.call=false.
3. Save the changes and restart the phone.

Some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU) may not have these files, so try to delete or freeze the com.android.torch system application via Titanium Backup or Lucky Patcher.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If you’ve tried all the ways but the flashlight still turns on when you call, check out the following points:

• 📱 On some models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro), the flashlight bug was patched. MIUI 13.0.4+.
• 🔄 Reset the settings. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Reset settings and select Reset all settings (without deleting data).
• 🛠️ Check the sensors. If the proximity or illumination sensor is damaged, the system may falsely fire).
• 📴 Turn off battery optimization for the Phone app. MIUI aggressively closes the background processes, which leads to failures.

If the problem persists, a hardware malfunction may be to blame, such as a flash controller defect on the Xiaomi 11T Pro that causes it to turn on randomly, in which case only the service center will help.

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On Android 12+ and MIUI 13/14, the flashlight can be controlled not only by firmware but also by Google Play services. Try turning off automatic synchronization in Settings → Google Accounts → Synchronization.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashlight on Xiaomi