How to remove backlight when calling Xiaomi Redmi: all ways (including hidden)

A flash of camera or bright screen when you call Xiaomi Redmi can be annoying, especially at night or in public. Many users are unaware that this feature can be disabled both through standard MIUI settings and using hidden developer settings. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways for the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4 and other devices based on MIUI 12-14.

Complicating the problem is that newer versions of firmware often move menu items or hide them. For example, MIUI 14 may call the backlight option a different name than MIUI 12. We've taken these nuances into account and put together universal instructions that work independently of the system version, and you'll learn how to return the backlight if it suddenly disappeared after the upgrade.

Why does Xiaomi Redmi flash a screen or flash when you call?

Inbound call backlighting is a call notification feature that is activated by default on all Xiaomi smartphones. It works in two scenarios:

• 🔦 Camera flash – flashes bright light (if there is a phone in it) LED-flash).
• 📱 Screen backlight - the display is turned on at full brightness and flashes white.

This feature is useful in noisy places where you may not hear the bell, but in the dark or when the battery is low, it only interferes, and in fact, on some models (for example, the Redmi Note 9 Pro), the backlight works even in Do Not Disturb mode, which contradicts the logic of this mode.

In MIUI 13 and later, backlighting can also be duplicated on the external screen (if you have a model with Always-on Display, like the Redmi K50), which is an additional source of irritation that can also be turned off.

Method 1: Disconnect via call settings (the easiest)

If you only need to remove the on-screen backlight or flash flash, start with this method. It works on all Redmi models and does not require developer rights.

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → select Settings.
3. Go to Incoming Calls (or Calls in older versions of MIUI).
4. Find the screen light or flash option when calling and turn off the slider.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 Global), this item may be called Flash notification or Screen flash. If you don't find it, search by settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner).

⚠️ Attention: On the Redmi Note 8/9 With custom firmware (e.g., Pixel Experience), this method may not work. 3 (setting up special possibilities).

Method 2: Disconnecting via "Special Features" (for MIUI 12-14)

If you don't have the right item in your call settings, try turning off the lights through the special feature menu, which works even on the POCO F3 and other models with a lightweight version of MIUI.

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Select Hearing (or Sound and Vibration in the newer versions).
3. Find the Notification Flash or Visual Alerts section.
4. Turn off Flash slider when calling and/or screen highlighting.

On some devices (e.g. Redmi 10C), you can also adjust the backlight color (white/blue/red) or the blinking frequency here. If you want to completely remove the effect, just deactivate all the options in this section.

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If the backlights are turned off, check the settings in Settings → Sound and vibration → Vibration when calling. The option may have reset.

Method 3: Using Developer Mode (for Power Users)

If standard methods don't work, you can turn off the backlight through the developer's settings, which is universal, but requires activation of the hidden menu.

First, turn on the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI version 7 times in a row (you will be notified "You became a developer").
3. Return to the main settings menu → Open More → For developers.

Now turn off the lights:

1. In the developer menu, find Debugging → Notification flash.
2. Turn off the option to Allow Flash when calling.
3. For screen backlight, find a screen simulation and deactivate the flashing screen.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13.5 for the Redmi Note 10 Pro), the option may be called Notification Light, which you also need to disable.

⚠️ Note: Do not change other options in the developer menu unless you are sure of their purpose. USB Unnecessarily, it can create a vulnerability to malware.

Method 4: Disable via notification settings (for MIUI 14)

In the latest versions of MIUI 14, backlight control has been moved to the Phone app notification settings, a method that is relevant for the Redmi Note 12, POCO F5 and other new models.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the phone in the list and click on it.
3. Select Notifications → Incoming challenges.
4. Turn off the options: 💡 Screenlighting 📸 Camera flash 🔴 Blinking indicator (if any)

You can also set up the call sound, vibrations and notification banners in the same menu, and if you want to leave backlighting only for certain contacts, use the Exceptions in the notification settings.

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On MIUI 14, the backlight when calling is tied to the general notification settings, not to a separate menu, which means that turning it off will not affect other alerts (SMS, messengers, etc.).

Method 5: Using third-party apps (if nothing helps)

If the built-in settings do not allow you to turn off the backlight, you can use third-party utilities. For example, the Flash Notifications app (available on Google Play) allows you to flexibly configure or completely disable flash and screen blinking.

How it works:

1. Install the app and grant it the rights to Notices and Camera.
2. In the main menu, select Flash on Call.
3. Turn off the slider or set exceptions for individual contacts.

To get back the lights:

1. Check if the Power Saving Mode (Settings → Battery) is activated.
2. Update your firmware to the latest stable version (Settings → System Update).
3. Reset the settings of the Phone application (Settings → Applications → Phone → Storage → Reset).

If the problem persists, try to clear the system cache:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.
3. In the Recovery menu, select Wipe Cache (use volume buttons for navigation).
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about backlighting when calling on Xiaomi