Owners of Xiaomi’s budget and mid-range smartphones often face a situation where the device starts flashing a flashlight randomly during an incoming call. On the Redmi 9, this feature, conceived as useful for hearing-impaired or noisy places, can irritate, drain the battery and attract extra attention. The standard path through the audio settings menu does not always give the desired result, since system notifications can be blocked by third-party applications or specific access rights.
The main reason is that two different mechanisms are responsible for flashing a flashlight: the system's "Flash at Notifications" and the phone app's access to hardware. To completely solve a problem, you need to consistently check both points, and ignoring one of them often leads users to believe that the instruction is not working, although the problem lies in duplication of settings.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail all possible scenarios for disabling this feature on the MIUI shell. You will learn not only to remove blinking, but also to understand what permissions applications require to control the hardware components of a smartphone.
Disabling the system function of notification flash
The first and most obvious step that is often overlooked is the global accessibility setting. There's a separate section in the MIUI shell that's designed for people with hearing impairments, where the flashing of a flashlight is activated at any sound signal, and if that switch is active, it will run over the call settings.
To navigate to the desired menu, you need to open Settings and scroll down to Advanced Settings, which is where you hide the parameters that affect the physical behavior of the device, find Special Opportunities, and select the Visual Tab (or just the Visual Effects section depending on the firmware version).
Inside, you'll find the Notification Flash option, if the slider is blue, the function is active, turn it off, put the switch in an inactive state, and then the smartphone will stop flashing to text messages, messages from messengers and, importantly, incoming calls if they are processed by the system notification module.
⚠️ Note: Once this feature is disabled, the LED flash will stop flashing when you receive messages from WhatsApp or Telegram. If you need an indication only for calls, this method will not work – go to the next section.
It's worth noting that some versions of the firmware may have slightly different paths, so you can search by settings. Click on the magnifying glass at the top of the settings screen and type in the flash request. The system will suggest you go to the right switch, which will save time searching the menu.
Setting up access rights to the Phone application
If the system function is disabled, but the flashlight continues to blink during the call, then the permission to use the flash is the Phone app itself. In modern versions of Android and MIUI, applications request access to hardware components, and this access can be revoked manually.
Find the Phone (green handset) icon on your desktop. Click on it and hold your finger until the context menu appears. Select About (app information). In the window that opens, look for Application Permissions or Other Permissions.
In the permission list, find Use flash or Flashlight Control, which can be the default "Always Ask" or "Allowed" checkbox, click on this and select "No" option, which will force the dialer app to stop the LED from activating during the incoming connection.
☑️ Access rights verification
After changing the settings, it is recommended to make a test call from another number, if the flashlight does not catch fire, the problem is solved. However, if you use third-party calls (such as from Google or Truecaller), the procedure must be repeated for each of them separately, as the rights are issued individually for each of them. APK-file.
Verification of third-party applications and themes
Often, third-party utilities for (decorating) the interface or managing calls cause incorrect LED behavior. Redmi 9 users like to install themes from the MIUI Themes store, which can have their own flashing scripts that do not depend on system settings.
Remember if you have recently installed:
- 📱 Third-party number determinants (Call Blocker, GetContact and analogues).
- 🎨 Design themes that change the call screen.
- 🔦 flashlight applications with a “signaling” function or SOS.
- 📞 Alternative applications for dialing.
If you have these programs in your memory, you should check them first. Go to your application settings and look for Flash on call, Flash on call, or Light indicator. Even if you have everything turned off in your system settings, third-party software takes priority and can ignore global bans.
⚠️ Note: Some memory cleaners and antiviruses also have notification management modules. Check the settings of such programs if standard methods do not help.
To diagnose, try running your smartphone in Safe Mode, press the turn off button, and when the Turn off icon appears on the screen, press it and hold your finger, and the system suggests that you go to Safe Mode, and if the flash on the call does not work in this mode, then the third-party application is to blame.
Comparison of disconnection methods
To make it easier for you to navigate the problem, we have compiled a comparison table that will help you choose the right path depending on your specific situation and the version of the software.
| Method | Affects the calls. | Influences SMS/Messengers | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting up special opportunities | Yes. | Yes (all notices) | Low. |
| App permissions Phone | Yes. | No. | Medium |
| Disconnection in third-party software | Depends on the app. | Depends on the app. | Tall. |
| Resetting settings (extreme case) | Yes. | Yes. | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, the most selective method is to control the permissions of a particular application, which allows you to leave the blinking for messages if you like it, but remove it for voice communication.
Specificity of MIUI and firmware bugs
The MIUI shell installed on Redmi 9 is known for its periodic software errors. Sometimes the settings "fly" after updating the system or cleaning the cache. In rare cases, there is a bug where the slider in the settings is visually turned off, but the function continues to work.
In this situation, cleaning the Settings application data will help. This will not delete your personal files (photos, contacts), but will reset the system configuration settings to factory ones. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps, find Settings and click Clear → Clear all data.
Risks of resetting app settings
Also worth checking for system updates. Xiaomi developers regularly release security patches and bug fixes. Go to Settings → About the phone and click on the MIUI version. If there is a software version available, install it - perhaps the problem with the LED module management has already been fixed by engineers.
Alternative scenarios and hardware problems
There is a rare but possible scenario where the flash is not caused by software but by a hardware failure of the power controller or a button sticking. If the flash flash flash flashes at random moments, not only when calling but also in standby mode, this may indicate a malfunction.
Check if the on button or volume button is clamped. In some firmwares, double-pressing the volume button can activate the flashlight. Also make sure that the charging connector is free of moisture or dust that can cause false closure of the contacts.
💡
If the flash flash flashes in the off state of the phone when charging is connected, this is the normal behavior of the battery charge indicator, and it is programmatically impossible to turn it off.
If the software methods are powerless, and the blinking is chaotic and accompanied by heating of the case, it is recommended to contact an authorized service center.
Questions and Answers (FAQ)
Can you make the flash flash flash only when you call from your favorite contacts?
Why did the Android update turn on the flash again?
Does the flashing of a flash affect its life?
How to turn off the flash screen instead of flash?
💡
Disabling the flash completely requires checking two independent settings: the global switch in special features and individual permissions for the Phone application.
To sum up, the display management on Xiaomi Redmi 9 requires careful attention to system details, and following these steps, you can fully control the behavior of your device and get rid of excess light noise.