How to remove flash when calling Xiaomi Redmi

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often experience flashes when an incoming call arrives, a feature that engineers have conceived to be useful for hearing-impaired people often becomes a source of irritation in real life, especially in the dark or in cinemas, where a flash can disturb the peace of others or even frighten the wearer.

Fortunately, MIUI and the new HyperOS have mechanisms to manage this behavior, but not everyone can find the right setting the first time, as the option can be hidden in different menu sections depending on the version of the operating system, and in this article we will discuss all possible ways to turn off the flash and return comfortable use of the phone.

Why flash flashes on Xiaomi when you call

The flashing feature is technically called "Accessibility Flash" and for hearing-impaired users, visual signal is a critical way to know when a call is coming in if it's not being picked up, which is why, by default, this option can be activated in some regions or firmware versions.

There are also third-party apps from the Google Play store that intercept the camera to create effects. If you have installed any "calling", design themes or flashlight programs, the problem may be that they conflict with Xiaomi's system settings, in which case a standard shutdown in the menu may not work without removing malicious software.

It is important to understand the difference between a notification and an incoming call. The system can handle blinking differently for messages from instant messengers and for direct calls through SIM-So you often have to check your settings in multiple places to make sure you're completely disabled.

Disconnection through the standard settings menu

The easiest and safest way to solve the problem is to use the system’s regular tools. The path to setup may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13, 14) or HyperOS, but the logic remains the same. You do not need superuser rights or a connection to a computer.

First, go to the main settings menu, click on the gear icon on your desktop or notification curtain, then look for the section that provides additional device features, which is often called "Advanced" in new firmware versions, and "Advanced Settings" in the old ones.

Inside this menu, you should look for a item associated with light indicators, which can be called "Lighting Effects," "Flash at Notifications," or "Blinking." That's where the switch is that activates or deactivates the work. LED-module upon receipt of the signal.

Note that once this feature is turned off, the phone will stop flashing not only when calling, but also when receiving SMS or notifications from apps if they are tied to this system setting.

Configure via the phone application

In some versions of the MIUI shell, flash control is directly placed in the settings of the Phone application. This is logical, since it is responsible for processing incoming calls. If you do not find the right item in the general settings of the system, you should check the settings of the caller itself.

Open the app you make calls through (standard with green or blue handset). In the upper right corner or lower menu, find the three-dot or gear icon for the menu. Click on it and select "Call settings" or simply "Settings."

In the list that opens, look for the "Incoming Calls" section, where subtle settings of the phone's behavior during the call can be hidden, including the option to flash when calling. If the switch is active, just turn it to the "Off" position.

⚠️ Note: If there is no flash item in the Phone app menu, it means that your firmware version controls this feature exclusively through the system settings described in the previous section.

Also on this menu, check the "Mode in your pocket" settings, and sometimes it's the proximity sensor that's running in this mode that may not interact properly with the flash, causing it to blink chaoticly when you take out the phone.

Use of the "Do Not Disturb" mode

If you need to temporarily remove the flash, such as during a meeting or a movie, but you don't want to completely turn off the function in the system, you can use Do Not Disturb mode, which blocks the beeps and usually turns off the call light indication.

You can activate it through the notification curtain (swipe from top to bottom), find the icon with the image of the crescent, after activation, the phone will behave quieter and calmer, but be careful: in this mode, you can miss a really important call if you do not set up the exception list.

For flexible settings, go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Do Not Disturb. Here you can set a schedule (such as auto-enabled at night) and select contacts that will make calls even in silence. In most cases, turning on this mode automatically extinguishes the flash when an incoming call is made.

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Set up automatic Do Not Disturb mode by geolocation (such as in a movie theater or office) so that the flash doesn’t bother you at inappropriate times.

Special opportunities and limitations

Sometimes the reason for the blinking goes deeper into the Accessibility section, which, as mentioned earlier, was designed for visually impaired or hard of hearing users, and if you accidentally activate an accessibility profile, the flash can be forced to work.

Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. Carefully review the active services list. You should be interested in the section related to hearing or visual notifications. Some versions of MIUI have a separate "Hearing" subsection where the "Flash at Notifications" switch is located.

If you find an active switch there, turn it off. This action should stop blinking completely. Also check if Mono-audio or other audio profiles are on, which can influence notification behavior in a complex way.

Impact of Third-Party Apps and Themes

Don't discount the impact of third-party software. MIUI Themes shells allow you to change not only icons, but also system sounds and effects. If you've recently installed a new design theme, the problem may be that. Some themes have their own notification settings that overlap the system.

Try to temporarily switch to a standard Classic or Default theme, go to the Themes app, select a profile, and click Apply. If the flash stopped flashing after that, then it was a customization issue, in which case, look for the settings inside the theme itself or refuse to use it.

Also check the list of newly installed applications. Flashlights, smart calls, or video calling apps can request access to the camera and use the flash to their advantage.

⚠️ Warning: Be careful when installing apps from unknown sources (not from Google Play or Mi GetApps) they may contain malicious code that force-activates a flash for advertising or mining, masquerading as a system process.

Resetting and system update

If none of these methods worked, there may have been a software failure, configuration files may have been corrupted, and now the phone is not properly processing LED control commands, in which case more radical measures should be considered.

The first thing you need to do is check for updates. Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI. If a new version of the firmware is available, install it. Updates often contain bug fixes, including those related to the periphery of the device.

If the update didn’t work or the system is already up to date, you can try resetting your phone’s apps and notification system. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps, look for Phone, Contacts and System Settings. Select Clear → Clear All Data for each of them. This action won’t delete your contacts or call history, but will return the settings of those apps to factory settings.

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Factory Reset is a last resort, and only resort to it if the flash is interfering with life and other methods do not work, having previously backed up important information.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)