How to turn off button lighting on Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide for all models

Touch or physical buttons on Xiaomi smartphones are a useful feature for use in the dark, but not everyone likes it. Some find it distracting, some find it too bright, and some just want to save battery power. Unfortunately, in standard MIUI settings, the option to turn off the backlight is often hidden or absent — especially on the budget models of Redmi and POCO.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 working ways to turn off button lighting on any Xiaomi device, from simple menu settings to ADB and third-party apps. All methods have been tested on MIUI 12-15 firmware and are relevant for 2020-2026 models. If you’re tired of the annoying glow of the Back, Home or Recent buttons, follow the instructions below.

Before you start, consider that some of the ways require developer rights or PC connectivity. If you're a beginner, start with the first two, they're the safest. For power users, we've developed advanced versions with ADB and system file modifications.

1. Disable the backlight through standard MIUI settings

On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro), the option to turn off the backlight buttons is hidden in the screen or additional settings menu. Check it for this way:

1. Open the Settings → Screen.
2. Scroll down and find the “Button Backlight” section (or Button Backlight in English firmware).
3. Switch the slider to the “Off” position or select Always off.

If you don't have one, don't worry. On most devices (e.g. Redmi 9A, POCO M3), this option is not in the basic configuration, so move on to the next one.

⚠️ Attention: On firmware MIUI 14+ European region (EEA) The button highlighting point is called the Ambient display and lock screen. → Button lights. If you don't find it, search by settings (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner).

2.Use of No Sound mode (for touch buttons)

Little-known life hack: On some Xiaomi devices, touch button backlighting (for example, on the Redmi 8A or POCO C31) automatically turns off when activating the “No Sound” mode (not to be confused with “Vibration”!).

• 🔕 Activate No Sound mode via the notification panel (swipe down) → bell icon with crossed-out speaker).
• 📱 Check if the buttons are turned off.
• 🔄 If not, turn the sound back and move on to other ways.

This method doesn’t affect physical buttons (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro), but it often works on devices with touchpad navigation, and the main drawback is that you have to keep your phone silent all the time, which is not always convenient.

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If the backlighting of buttons interferes at night, but during the day it is needed - use the automatic schedule for the "No Sound" mode in the Sound and Vibration settings → Sound modes.

3. Disconnecting the backlight through ADB (Universal Method)

If standard settings do not help, the most reliable way is to use the ADB-This method works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, including Redmi, POCO And Mi, but it requires a computer connection:

Install Xiaomi drivers on PC| Enable debugging over USB in your phone settings | Download ADB platform from Google | Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable-->

Step 1. Enable debugging over USB:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI version 7 times until the notification “You are a developer!” appears.
3. Return to Settings → Additional settings → For developers.
4. Activate Debugging via USB and confirm the resolution.

Step 2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command:

adb shell settings put system button_backlight 0

Step 3: Reset the device. The button lights should disappear. To bring it back, use:

adb shell settings put system button_backlight 1

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 for POCO F3) The first time you try it, try the alternative: adb shell settings put secure. button_backlight 0 If this does not help, then move on to the method of MIUI Tweaks.

4. MIUI Tweaks app (for advanced users)

If ADB seems too complex, you can use a third-party MIUI Tweaks app that allows you to manage hidden MIUI settings, including button highlighting. Note: the application requires root rights or activated debugging over USB.

Instructions:

1. Download MIUI Tweaks from the XDA forum (available for free).
2. Install. APK-file and open the application.
3. Go to the Display section → Button backlight.
4. Select Disable and save the changes.
5. Reset the device.

The advantage of this method is that you do not need to enter manually. ADB-But be careful: the wrong settings in the MIUI Tweaks can cause interface failures. We recommend you create a backup before making changes.

5. Manual editing of system files (for experienced)

This method is only suitable for users with root rights and knowledge of the structure of Android. Wrong actions can lead to a "brick" of the device!

The buttons are controlled by the system file /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl or /vendor/usr/keylayout/*.kl. To disable it, you need to change the keylights setting:

1. Get root access (for example, through Magisk).
2. Use Root Explorer or ADB Shell with superuser rights.
3. Find the Generic.kl file and open it in the text editor.
4. Find the string with keylights and replace the value with 0.
5. Save the changes, set the rights 644 and restart the device.

Example of a line before and after editing:

#Do:


key 158   BACK            WAKE_DROPPED    keylights=1



After:



key 158   BACK            WAKE_DROPPED    keylights=0

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO X3 NFC) The file may be called qwerty.kl or mtk-kpd.kl. Before editing, back up the file! MIUI change may be reset.

6. Alternative solutions: stickers, covers, energy saving settings

If the software methods didn’t work or you don’t want to take risks, there are a few physical ways to hide the backlight:

• 📱 Use a case with high sides - it will close the LED buttons.
• 🎨 Plug on the buttons matte film or tape (carefully so as not to interfere with the pressings).
• 🔋 Enable the Supersaving Mode (Settings) → Battery → Supersaving mode – it turns off some of the lights.
• 🌙 Set a dark theme and reduce the brightness of the screen – this will reduce the visibility of the backlight.

These methods won't remove the backlight completely, but they will make it less annoying. For example, on Redmi 9T, many users simply paste their buttons with black tape -- cheap and angry.

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If you're afraid of breaking something, start with physical methods (cases, stickers) that don't require any intervention and are completely reversible.

FAQ: Frequent questions about button highlighting on Xiaomi