How to turn off flash when calling Xiaomi Redmi 5: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi 5 is one of the most popular budget smartphones of the brand, but its owners often face an unexpected feature: flash flash flashes when incoming calls and notifications. This option can be annoying, especially at night when bright lights wake up others. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to turn off the flash, including hidden MIUI settings, changing system files and alternative solutions for different versions of firmware.

Complicating the problem, some versions of MIUI (especially 10-12) may not have the standard switch in the settings or not work correctly. We tested all methods on Redmi 5 with firmware from MIUI 9 Global to MIUI 14, and also took into account the nuances for Chinese (China ROM) and European (EU ROM) versions. If you have tried to turn off the flash through the settings menu, but nothing worked, do not rush to reset the phone to factory settings.

Why does the flash flash flash flash when calling and notifying?

Flash Alerts was originally designed for hearing-impaired people, which allows visual alerts of an incoming call or message when the sound is turned off or the smartphone is in silent mode. On Redmi 5, this option is activated by default in some regional firmware, and in others, it is turned on after the system update.

The main reasons why the outbreak may not work properly:

• 🔄 Update MIUI — After upgrading to the new version of the firmware settings are reset or new features appear, including forced flash alerts.
• 📱 Factory reset – sometimes after a hard reset flash turns on automatically, even if it was previously disabled.
• 🛠️ Manual intervention – installation of custom firmware, modified cores or control applications LED-The indicator may also affect the flash.
• 📵 Application conflict – some programs (e.g. Flash Alerts 2 or LED Blinker can duplicate the system function.

Interestingly, Redmi 5 can flash not only when calling, but also when SMS, notifications from messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), or even when the battery is low, depending on the settings of the particular firmware, in the next sections we will discuss how to disable each of these scenarios.

Method 1: Standard shutdown via settings (MIUI 9–14)

In most cases, you can turn off the flash via the settings menu, but the path to this option varies depending on the version of MIUI. Below are the current instructions for all the firmware versions that Redmi 5 supports.

For MIUI 9-11:

1. Open the settings → Additional settings.
2. Select Special Opportunities.
3. Scroll down to the Hearing block and tap the Flash at notifications.
4. Move the slider to the off position.

For MIUI 12-14:

1. Go to Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Select Flash at Notifications (may be called Visual Alerts).
3. Turn off the Calls and Notifications option separately.

Don’t forget to check the MIUI version in Settings → About the phone

Make sure you have enough battery power (minimum 30%)

Close all background apps that may block settings

Restart your phone before changing the settings-->

If your firmware does not have a flash point at notifications, this may mean:

• 📌 Your version. MIUI modified (for example, custom firmware Xiaomi.eu or LineageOS).
• 🔧 Settings reset to factory, and the option is hidden (solved through Engineer Mode).
• 📱 You have a Chinese version of the firmware (China) ROM), where some functions are only available after unlocking the bootloader.

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If the settings don’t have a “Flash at Notifications” option, try typing “flash” or “flash” in the settings search bar – sometimes it helps to find hidden options.

Method 2: Use of Engineer Mode (Engineering Menu)

If the standard method didn’t work, you can try turning off the flash via the Engineering Mode, which works on most versions of MIUI, but you need to be careful – incorrect changes can cause malfunctions in the phone.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337###
2. You will be taken to Engineer Mode. Go to Hardware Testing → Audio → LoudSpeaker Mode.
3. Scroll down to Flashlight Notification (or Torch Notification).
4. Set the Disable value and save the changes.
5. Reboot the phone.

Important: Some Redmi 5 firmware may not have Flashlight Notification, in which case try the alternative route: Hardware Testing → LED → Notification Light Settings and disable all flash-related options.

Warning: Changing the parameters in Engineer Mode may result in:

• 🔊 Loss of sound in a speaker or microphone.
• 📵 Violation of sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption.

⚠️ Note: If after changes in the engineering menu the phone started to work incorrectly, reset the settings through Settings → Additionally. → Recovery and reset, which will bring all the parameters back to factory, including the flash settings.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android devices, which requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Redmi 5

ADB Tools

Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(If the device is not identified, install drivers for Xiaomi Redmi 5.)

adb shell settings put global flash_notification_enabled 0

This command turns off the flash for all notifications. If you want to turn off just for calls, use:

adb shell settings put global flash_notification_call_enabled 0

Once you've completed the commands, restart your phone. The changes will take effect immediately.

⚠️ Note: If after use ADB If the flash continues to flash, check if the settings of third-party applications (for example, Flash Alerts or Light Flow) are blocked, they must be removed or disabled manually.

Method 4: Delete system files (root only)

If you have root rights, you can delete the system files responsible for flash notifications, which is the most radical and only suitable for experienced users, as improper actions can lead to a phone "brick".

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/media/audio/notifications/.
3. Find files with names that contain flash or torch (for example, flash_notification.ogg).
4. Remove them or rename them by adding.bak at the end.
5. Reboot the phone.

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Deleting system files is a last resort, and make sure to back up your system files via TWRP or MIUI Backup before doing so. If you're not sure what you're doing, use other methods.

Method 5: Alternative solutions (if nothing helps)

If all of the above methods fail, try alternatives:

1. Use of third-party applications

Applications like Flash Alerts 2 or Light Manager can take control of the flash and force it to be disabled, but they require additional permissions and can conflict with system settings.

2. Firmware rollback

If the problem occurred after the MIUI update, you can return the previous firmware version.

1. Download the stable version of MIUI for Redmi 5 from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Use the Mi Flash Tool to run through Fastboot.
3. Reset your settings after the rollback.

3. Contact the service center

If the flash flash flash flashes due to a hardware malfunction (for example, damage to the camera plume), self-disabling may not help, in which case it is better to contact an authorized Xiaomi service.

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Before visiting the service center, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will save your files if your phone is reset.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to turn off a flash, users often make mistakes that only complicate the situation, and consider the most common ones:

Another common mistake is to disable permissions for system applications (e.g. com.android.phone or com.miui.flashlight).

• 📵 Network loss (the phone will stop catching the operator's signal).
• 🔦 Incorrect operation of the flashlight (the flash will be activated arbitrarily).
• 📱 Interface freezes MIUI.

If you've already made one of these mistakes, don't panic. In most cases, the phone can be recovered through:

• 🔄 Reset to factory settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Recovery and discharge).
• 📱 Fastboot Flashing (instructions are available on the forum) 4PDA).
• 🛠️ Recovery through TWRP (if a custom Recovery is installed).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions