How to turn on flashlight on Xiaomi when calling: 5 proven ways

Skip an incoming call on a Xiaomi smartphone is a problem that almost everyone has faced, especially in noisy places where the vibration is not felt and the sound is drowned out by the surrounding sounds. The solution is: flashing a flashlight when you call is a visual signal that you can not miss. But how to turn it on devices with MIUI firmware?

Unlike iPhones or smartphones on pure Android, where the feature is often activated in two clicks, on Xiaomi, everything is not so obvious. The manufacturer hides the setting in the depths of the menu, and on some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) it is not at all in the standard settings.

In this article, we will discuss all the working methods, including those that are not officially documented, you will learn how to make a flashlight flash on MIUI 12/13/14, which applications will work for this, and why on some devices the function may not work even after all the manipulations.

1. Standard method: setting up in the menu of special features

On most Xiaomi smartphones (e.g. Redmi 9, Mi 11 Lite), flashing flashlights when calling is enabled through the menu of special features.

1. Open Settings → Special Features (or Additional Features on Some Firmware).

2. Go to the Hearing section (sometimes called Audio/Visual prompts).

3. Find the option “Blink a flashlight when calling” or Visual Alerts → Flashlight.

4. Activate the switch and select the flashing color (usually white or orange is available).

If you don't have one, don't worry. On some models (POCO F3, Black Shark 4), the manufacturer has removed this option from the interface, so move on to the following methods.

2. Hidden setting through the engineering menu (for advanced)

On devices with MIUI 12.5 and later, there is a hidden engineering menu where you can force flashing of the flashlight. Attention: this method requires caution - wrong actions can disrupt the system.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##36446337## (code for sensor test).
2. In the menu that appears, select LED Test or Flashlight Test.
3. Find the Flash on Call option (also known as Torch on Call) and activate it.
4. Save the changes and restart the device.

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Note: On some models (Redmi Note 8 Pro, Mi 9T), this code may fail or cause a crash. Before using, check if your device supports the engineering menu through a model + "engineering mode MIUI" search.

3. Apps from Google Play: Top-3 decision

If the standard methods didn't work, third-party tools would come to the rescue, and we tested dozens of apps and selected the three most reliable ones:

• 🔦 Flash Alerts 2 is the most popular solution with support MIUI. It allows you to adjust the color, frequency and duration of the blinking. POCO X4 Pro and Redmi. K50.
• 📞 Flash Notification 2 supports not only calls, but also notifications from messengers".
• 💡 Flash On Call & SMS — A simple, ad-free app optimized for Xiaomi, can flash a flashlight when you're in the middle of a flashlight. SMS and WhatsApp calls.

How to set up (for example, Flash Alerts 2):

1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
2. Launch it and provide permissions to the Camera (to control the flashlight) and Notifications.
3. Turn on the Flash on Call option and select a color.
4. In Advanced settings, mark Ignore DND to make the blinking work in Do Not Disturb mode.

Check the reviews on compatibility with your Xiaomi model

Clear the cache of the Phone application (Settings → Applications → Phone → Storage)

Disable battery optimization for utility (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization)

Reboot the smartphone after installation-->

4. Adjustment via ADB: for users with root or unlocked bootloader

If you are ready for more complex manipulations, you can turn on the flashing flashlight through ADB-This method is suitable for devices with unlocked bootloader or root rights.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Platform Tools on your PC.
2. Connect your smartphone to your computer and activate Debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock the developer menu).
3. Open the command line in the adb folder and type: adb shell settings put global flash_notification_enabled 1
4. To check, enter: adb shell settings get global flash_notification_enabled (should be returned 1).
5. Reset the device.

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Attention: On some firmware MIUI 14 This parameter may reset after the update. To fix the setting, use the command: adb shell cmd device_config put systemui flash_notification_enabled true

5. Alternative methods: screen blinking and LED-indicator

If the flashlight refuses to blink, other visual alerts can be used:

• 📱 Blinking screen: Included in Settings → Special facilities → Screen blinking. Works on the Redmi Note 11 and later.
• 🔴 LED-indicator: On models with LED (Mi 10, Mi 11 can be adjusted to blink color in Settings → Notifications → Light indicator.
• 🔊 Vibration. + sound: Combination in Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Vibration on the bell.

For devices without LEDs (like POCO F4), there is a workaround: use the Light Flow app, which emulates light notifications through the screen.

6 Why the flashlight doesn't blink: Common problems and solutions

Even after all the settings, blinking may not work. Here are the most common reasons and solutions for Xiaomi:

• 🔋 Optimizing the battery: MIUI aggressively closes the background processes. Add the blinking app to the exceptions (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications).
• 📱 Firmware update: After update MIUI The settings may reset. Check them again.
• 🔦 Hardware limitations: On some models (Redmi) 9A) The flashlight doesn't physically support fast blinking. Try to reduce the frequency in the app settings.
• 🛠️ Conflict with other utilities: Disable other flashlight management apps (e.g. Torchie).

If nothing works, check the flashlight manually. Go to the Control Panel (swipe down) and turn on the flashlight. If it doesn't burn, there's a hardware problem (possibly a damaged LED or controller).

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On some MIUI 14 firmware, flashing flashlights only works when the screen is unlocked. To fix this, turn off the "Show notifications on locked screen" function in the security settings.

7 Safety and battery: myths and reality

Many users fear that flashing flashlights will shorten battery life or overheat the device, and let's see what's true and what's not.

✅ The facts:

• Modern LEDs in Xiaomi smartphones are designed for millions of cycles on / off. Blinking when calling (1-2 minutes) will not cause harm.
• The energy consumption when flashing a flashlight is about 0.1-0.3 W, which is comparable to the operation of the proximity sensor.

❌ Myths:

• "The flashlight overheats the phone" is wrong. LEDs emit minimal heat, and MIUI thermal throttle will limit their operation when they overheat.
• “Blinking drains the battery in an hour” – in practice, losses are 1-2% per hour of active use.

🔋 Savings tip: If you are concerned about battery consumption, set up blinking only when repeated calls (option is available in Flash Alerts). 2) or limit the duration of the blinking to 20-30 seconds.

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Flashing a flashlight on Xiaomi is safe for the device if used correctly, the main thing is not to leave it on for the watch (for example, in flashlight mode) and monitor the temperature of the device in hot weather.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashing flashlight on Xiaomi