How to turn on the flashlight on the Xiaomi phone: all ways + troubleshooting

The flashlight on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most popular features that helps in the dark, when searching for items or in emergency situations. Despite its apparent simplicity, many users face difficulties: the button disappears from the notification curtain, the flash does not respond to presses, then after updating MIUI, the usual gesture stops working. In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to turn on the flashlight on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices – from standard to hidden, and also tell you what to do if the function refuses to work.

Xiaomi phones have a variety of firmware and MIUI shell versions that can dramatically change the layout of controls. For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro with MIUI 14, the flashlight button is in one place, and on the POCO X5 with MIUI 15 for the Global version, we took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that will be suitable for most models released after 2018. If your smartphone is older, check the fault section, which describes the typical problems for outdated devices.

1. Fastest way: button in notification curtain

This is a standard method that works on 90% of Xiaomi devices.

1. Swipe your finger down the screen to open the notification bar.
2. If the panel is not fully opened, swipe again - now the extended menu will open.
3. Find the flashlight icon (🔦) and tap her once.

The flash should start immediately. To turn off the flashlight, re-click on the same icon. If the button is not in the curtain, you can add it manually (read about this in the next section).

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On some models (for example, Redmi 9A), the flashlight is activated by double pressing the power button if you activate this function in the settings.

Please note: on devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 or Xiao) POCO F5) The flashlight can be automatically adjusted to the lighting, so if the flash is too dim, make sure that it's covered by a finger or a case.

2. How to add a flashlight button to the curtain if it is not there

If the flashlight icon disappeared after updating or resetting, it is easy to return:

1. Open the notification curtain and tap on the icon ⚙️ («Edit" or "Settings»).
2. In the list of available tiles, find the "Lightlight» (🔦) And drag it to the active area.
3. Click on "Ready" or "Save."

If there is no flashlight button in the list, this could mean:

• 📱 There is no flash driver (relevant for custom firmware).
• 🔧 Disabled function in the system settings (rarely, but happens after resetting).
• 💡 The flash is physically damaged (check if the flash camera is working).

Make sure your phone is not in power saving mode.

Check if the Quick Settings feature is enabled in MIUI

Update the firmware to the latest version

Reset the device-->

3. Turning on the flashlight through gestures and hot keys

Xiaomi offers several alternative ways to activate a flashlight without opening the curtain.

Method 1: Double pressing the power button

This feature is available on most models, but it's disabled by default.

1. Go to Settings → Special features → Gestures and movements.
2. Find the option “Double press the power button” and select “Flantern”.
3. Now quickly press the power button twice - the flash will turn on.

Method 2: Google Voice Assistant

If you have a Google Assistant setup, you can say:

• 🎤 «Okay, Google, turn on the flashlight»
• 🎤 «Hey Google, light up»

The function works even on a locked screen if the assistant settings allow access to the flashlight.

Method 3: Widget on the desktop

For quick access, you can add a flashlight widget:

1. Long press on the free space of the desktop → “Widgets”.
2. Find the flashlight widget (usually in the Tools section).
3. Drag him on the screen.

4. Turning on the flashlight through camera settings

If standard methods do not work, you can use the camera:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Switch to “Photo” or “Video” mode.
3. Slip on the flash icon (⚡) and select "On" or "Auto».
4. Close the camera and the flashlight will continue to work.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro), the flashlight automatically turns off when the camera is closed.

This method is useful if:

• 🔄 You need to turn on the flashlight on the locked screen (on some firmware, the camera opens swipe down on the lock screen).
• 🛠️ Notification curtain does not work (for example, after a failed update).
• 📱 Installed custom firmware without standard tiles.

5. Problem Solving: The flashlight does not turn on

If the flash doesn't respond to either of these ways, it can be software or hardware.

On Xiaomi models with infrared flash (for example, Redmi Note 5), the standard flashlight may not work, instead using IR illumination for night shooting, in which case the brightness will be significantly lower.

6. Alternative applications for flashlight control

If the standard methods do not suit, you can use third-party utilities.

• 🔦 Flashlight Alerts – allows you to configure flashing flashlight for notifications (calls, SMS).
• 🌓 Tiny Flashlight + LED — supports the adjustment of brightness and colors (on devices with RGB-flash).
• 🔧 Flashlight Widget – adds a widget with quick access to the lock screen.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party apps, only give access to the camera to proven utilities from Google Play. Some flashlights may contain malicious code masquerading as system permissions.

To install the application:

1. Download it from Google Play Market (don’t use APKs from unverified sources!).
2. Open and provide access to the Camera and Flash.
3. Follow the instructions in the application for setting up.

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A standard flashlight in MIUI consumes a minimum battery charge (about 1-2% per hour), whereas third-party applications with background work can discharge the phone 2-3 times faster.

7. Features of the flashlight on different models Xiaomi

The functionality of the flash may vary depending on the model and version of the MIUI. Let's consider the key nuances:

On flagship models (such as the Xiaomi 14), the flashlight can integrate with the light sensor: if you point the phone down, the brightness automatically decreases to avoid dazzling. On budget devices (such as the Redmi A2), this feature does not exist.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashlight on Xiaomi