Why flashes flash on Xiaomi when calling and how to turn it off forever

Have you noticed that on your Xiaomi smartphone, the flashlight starts flashing when you receive an incoming call or notification?This is not an accidental error, but one of the functions of the alert system, which can both help (for example, in a noisy room) and annoy, especially unpleasant when the flash is triggered at night or in a dark room, blinding others.

In this article, we will explore all the possible causes of flashing flashlights on Redmi, POCO and Mi, and provide 5 proven ways to disconnect, from standard settings to hidden developer parameters. Some methods work even on custom firmware, while others require minimal technical skills. Choose the right option and take back control of the LED!

Why flashlights flash when ringing: official and hidden reasons

On most Xiaomi smartphones, flashing a flashlight on an incoming call is part of Notification Light, which is activated by default on many models starting with MIUI 10 and later.

• 📱 System notifications: not only calls, but also SMS, messages in messengers (if synchronization with flash is enabled).
• 🔋 Low battery power: On some devices (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro), the flashlight flashes red at a charge level below 15%.
• 🛠️ Firmware errors: after updating MIUI Alert settings may be lost, including the operation of the flash.
• 📲 Third-party applications: Some programs (such as Flash Alerts 2 or Flash On Call) force blinking.

Interestingly, on the POCO F3 and Xiaomi 12T, this feature is implemented through a separate module in the settings, whereas on the Redmi 9A it can only be disabled through ADB or configuration file editing. Check your model in the table below to see which method is right for you.

On devices with a Qualcomm processor (for example, POCO X3 Pro) flashing of the flashlight may be connected to the operation of the module qti_sensor_hal, It's a system that controls the LEDs, and it requires the superuser's rights to shut it down.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

If your smartphone runs MIUI 12-14, try the easiest method – disabling the feature through the notification menu, which works on most modern models, including the Redmi Note 10/11, POCO F4 and Xiaomi 12 Lite.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Notifications and Status bar.
2. Go to the Application Notifications section.
3. Select the Phone (or Calls) app.
4. Click on Flash at notifications and move the slider to the Off position.

If this item is not, check the section Special Opportunities. → Rumor → Notification flash. Some firmware has the option hidden there.

See the version. MIUI on the telephone"|Make sure the flashlight doesn’t flash because of a third-party app|Reboot your phone after the changes-->

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global and MIUI Europe can be a different way to set up. If you don't find a partition, try changing the region to India, where the feature is often explicitly available.

Method 2: Using ADB to turn off blinking (no root)

If standard settings don't work, use the Android debugging bridge (ADB), which works on all Xiaomi models but requires a connection to a computer. Importantly, once the commands are executed, the blinking will shut down forever, even after the settings are reset.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB drivers (for example, via the Mi Flash Tool).
4. Open the command line and type: adb shell settings put global flash_notification_enabled 0
5. Reset the device.

To check if the blackout has worked, call your phone from another device. If the flashlight is still flashing, try an alternative command:

adb shell settings put secure flash_notification_enabled 0

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If the blinking returned after executing the commands, check if the settings reset after the MIUI update. In this case, repeat the procedure or use the root method.

Method 3: Editing system files (root required)

On older models (such as the Redmi 5 Plus or Mi A2) and custom firmware, standard methods may not work, in which case you will have to manually edit the system files responsible for managing the LEDs.

You'll need:

• 📱 Root access (for example, via Magisk).
• 📂 File Manager with support for root (Root Explorer, Mixplorer).
• 🔍 Backup of the system (in case of errors).

Instructions:

1. Open the file manager and go to /system/build.prop.
2. Find a line. ro.miui.has_led_notification=1 and replace 1 on 0.
3. If there is no line, add it to the end of the file.
4. Save the changes, set the 644 license and restart the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing build.prop can lead to bootloop (a looped reboot).If you are not sure about your actions, use a backup or contact a specialist.

Method 4: Disconnecting through notification management applications

If flashing flash is caused by a third-party application (for example, Flash Alerts or LED Blinker), it can be turned off without interfering with system files.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app responsible for the flash (often the name has the words Flash, LED, Alert).
3. Open its settings and select Stop or Disable.
4. Remove the application if it is not system-specific.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI by xiaomi.eu), flashing flashlights are controlled via the MiuiHome module to turn it off:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.home

But remember: this will turn off other launcher functions, so use the method only as a last resort.

Method 5: Resetting settings to factory (last resort)

If none of these things worked, and flashing the flashlight became a real problem, then you have to reset to the factory settings, which is a radical method that will delete all the data from the device, but bring it back to its original state.

How to reset:

1. Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After restarting, set your phone as new.

After reset, check if the flashing has returned. If so, the problem lies in the firmware, and it is worth considering flashing to a custom version of MIUI (for example, xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience).

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Setting reset deletes all data, including Google and Xiaomi accounts.Be sure to untie the device from Mi Account before the procedure to avoid being blocked after the reboot.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When trying to remove flashing flashlights, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 Settings are reset after the update: this is due to Xiaomi’s policy, which resets some settings when installing new versions. MIUI. The solution is to repeat the disconnection through ADB Or use Tasker to automatically apply settings.
• 🔒 No access to ADB: If drivers are not installed, try using Universal. ADB Driver or turn on Debugging by USB (security parameters in the developer settings.
• 📱 The flashlight flashes only in certain applications: check the settings of alerts in messengers (for example, WhatsApp or Telegram) – there may be a separate option for controlling the flash.

If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS), flashing flashlights may be associated with the Lighting Service module. APK-file.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions