How to return the flashlight to the lock screen Xiaomi Redmi: remove the wallpaper carousel

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi smartphones after upgrading to MIUI 12.5-14 often face an unexpected problem: the familiar flashlight label on the lock screen disappears, and its place is taken by a wallpaper carousel (a feature of Lockscreen Wallpaper Carousel).

Compounding the problem, Xiaomi’s settings don’t have an obvious switch to turn off the carousel and return the flashlight. The manufacturer doesn’t advertise this moment, and the official documentation is blurred. Meanwhile, the solution exists — and it doesn’t require root rights or complex manipulations. Below we’ll discuss all the working ways to return the flashlight, including hidden settings and workarounds for different versions of MIUI.

It is important to understand that the algorithm of actions may differ depending on:

• 📱 Smartphone models (Redmi Note 10 Pro vs Redmi 12)
• 🔢 Versions MIUI (12.5, 13, 14 or global/Chinese firmware)
• 🔧 Regional features (on some firmware options are hidden deeper)

Why did the flashlight disappear from the lock screen?

The reason behind the flashlight label’s disappearance is Xiaomi’s policy of “simplifying” the interface. Since MIUI 12.5, the company has been actively implementing a Lockscreen Wallpaper Carousel, which replaces the lower labels on the lock screen by default, part of a monetization strategy: the carousel shows wallpaper from partners (including paid options), and the flashlight and camera fade into the background.

Key points:

• 🔦 On the old versions. MIUI (up to 12.5) the flashlight and the camera were fixed labels.
• 🎨 V MIUI 12.5-14 were replaced by a carousel, but the possibility of returning the labels remained.
• 🔧 On some firmware (for example, Chinese) the option to turn off the carousel is hidden in the engineering menu.

Interestingly, on flagship models (Xiaomi 13, Redmi K60), the flashlight sometimes stays in place, and on budget models (Redmi 10A, Redmi 9C), it is removed first, which is due to audience segmentation, with premium users less likely to experience such “optimizations”.

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If you have a Redmi Note 11 or newer, check for updates – the latest versions of MIUI 14 have brought back the ability to select shortcuts directly for some regions.

Method 1: Disabling wallpaper carousel through lock screen settings

The easiest method is to deactivate the wallpaper carousel in standard settings, which works on most devices with MIUI 13/14 (global and European firmware).

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Slip on the lock screen wallpaper (or Wallpaper Carousel).
3. Find the wallpaper carousel switch and turn it off.
4. Return to the main screen of lock settings – there should appear the option of shortcuts.
5. Select the Flashlight and Camera (or other apps you need).

If there is no label even after the carousel is turned off, then your firmware uses an alternative method (see Method 2).

Method 2: Manually add a flashlight through the "lock screen editor"

On some firmware (especially Chinese or modified ones), the shortcut option is hidden in the lock screen editor, a method that is universal for the Redmi Note 10/11/12 and other models.

Step-by-step:

1. Press the empty space on the home screen (as when adding widgets).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear toolbar – tap the icon ⚙️ Settings.
3. Select the Lock Screen (or Lock Screen Settings).
4. Find the shortcuts section and tap it.
5. In the list of available apps, select the Flashlight and Camera (or others).
6. Save the changes and check the lock screen.

If the editor doesn’t have a shortcut option, try an alternative path:

Settings → Display → Additional settings → Lock screen → Application shortcuts

Method 3: Engineering menu (for advanced users)

If the standard methods don't work, there's an engineering menu (#4636##) that's suitable for Redmi with custom or Chinese firmware, where the options are hidden.

Warning: Changes to the engineering menu can affect system stability. Do not edit other settings unless you are sure of their purpose.

Instructions:

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
2. In the engineering menu, select Testing (or Testing).
3. Scroll down to the Lock Screen Settings section.
4. Find Wallpaper Carousel and set the value of Disabled.
5. Return to the basic lock screen settings – there should appear the option of selecting shortcuts.

On some devices (Redmi K50, POCO F4), the path may be different:

##6484## → Manual Testing → Lock Screen → Shortcuts

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Engineering menus are the last resort. If the lock screen stops working correctly after the changes, reset the settings via Settings → System → Reset (without deleting the data).

Method 4: Use of third-party launchers (alternative)

If neither method worked, you can bypass the restriction with a third-party launcher (like a Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher) which doesn’t return the flashlight to a standard lock screen, but adds it to the quick access widget.

How to set up:

• 📥 Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
• 🔧 Go to the launcher settings: Nova Settings → Lock Screen.
• 💡 Enable Lock Screen Widgets option.
• 🔦 Add the flashlight widget (or create a shortcut through Activities).

The disadvantage of the method: the widget will only be available after unlocking the screen (but not on the lock screen itself), but this solution works even on Redmi with heavily stripped firmware.

Frequent problems and solutions

Even after successful settings, the flashlight may disappear or not work properly.

Problem 1: The flashlight appears, but disappears again a day later.

Solution: This involves automatically activating the wallpaper carousel. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Additional and turn off Auto Update.

Problem 2: Only the camera is displayed on the lock screen, and there is no flashlight.

Solution: In the shortcut settings (Settings → Lock screen → Shortcuts), check if there is a limit on the number of shortcuts (sometimes you can select only one application).

Problem 3: After the MIUI update, the flashlight disappeared again.

Solution: Xiaomi sometimes resets after updates. Re-set shortcuts (see Method 1).

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If the flashlight is unstable (turns on with a delay), clear the lock screen app cache in the settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → System → Lock screen → Clear cache).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

If you're facing another problem, please describe it in the comments and we'll help you find a solution. Don't forget to include the device model and the MIUI version, which is critical for accurate diagnosis.

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On some Redmis (e.g. Redmi A1), the flashlight on the lock screen is turned off at the firmware level, in which case you only have to use a widget on the home screen or quick settings in the curtain.