How to turn on the flashlight on the Xiaomi phone: all the ways of 2026

The flashlight on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most popular features that helps in the dark, when searching for things or in emergency situations. Despite the apparent simplicity, not all users know that there are several ways to activate the backlight on the brand’s devices: From a standard swipe in the notification curtain to voice commands and hidden gestures, and more so on new models (e.g. Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Note 13 Pro).+) There are additional settings of brightness and color temperature of the flashlight, which many do not even suspect.

In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of turning on the flashlight on Xiaomi, Redmi and other phones. POCO, And you'll also learn why sometimes the flashlight doesn't work and how to fix it without going to the service center.

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1. Standard method: through the notification panel

The most obvious and universal method is to use a notification curtain, which works on all Xiaomi models, regardless of the version. MIUI (12 to 14) and the year of release:

1. Unlock the phone screen (if it is locked).
2. Swipe down the screen to open the notification bar.
3. Find the flashlight icon (🔦) and tap her.

On certain devices (e.g, POCO F5 or Redmi K60) The icon can be hidden behind the "More" or "Edit" button if it's not in the main curtain:

Note: on Xiaomi flagships (for example, 13T Pro or Mix Fold 3) in the curtain can be a double flashlight icon - one for normal mode, the other for the normal mode. SOS-Don't confuse them!

⚠️ Warning: If the flashlight doesn't turn on after you click on the icon, check if you have battery optimization apps on your phone (such as Greenify or AccuBattery.

2. Quick access via the lock button (hidden function)

Few people know, but on most Xiaomi smartphones, you can turn on the flashlight without unlocking the screen — right from the locked device. MIUI 12 and newer, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Xiaomi 12 Lite.

Instructions:

1. On the locked screen, press the power button (lock) twice quickly.
2. The flashlight will be turned on for 3 seconds to check the surroundings (Fast Light function).
3. To fix the backlight, tap the flashlight icon in the lower corner of the lock screen.

If the double press doesn't work, it's disabled in the settings.

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select “Double pressing the power button”.
3. Set the value of "Lightlight."

This method is especially convenient in the dark, when you do not want to waste time unlocking the phone. A2) The feature can conflict with camera start gestures if they are configured to the same button.

3.Voice control: "OK, Google" and Alice

If your Xiaomi smartphone supports voice assistants (Google Assistant or Alice from Yandex), the flashlight can be turned on with a voice command. This is convenient when hands are busy or the phone is lying on the table.

Methods of activation:

• 🗣️ Google Assistant: Say “OK Google, turn on the flashlight” or “Hey Google, turn on the flashlight).
• 🤖 Alice (Yandex): Say "Alice, turn on the flashlight." Some firmware may require pre-setting in the Yandex app.
• 🎤 Mi AI (Xiaomi built-in assistant: only works on Chinese firmware. Team:" (literally: "Xiao Ai, turn on the flashlight»).

To ensure that voice commands work without unlocking the screen:

1. Open the Google Assistant (or Alice) settings.
2. Go to the "Voice Access" or "Voice Recognition" section.
3. Enable the option “Allow access from locked screen”.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI Global (European firmware) voice control flashlight through Mi AI This can be disabled by default due to regional limitations. in this case, use Google Assistant.

If the voice assistant doesn’t respond to the command, check:

• 🔊 Is the microphone for the application enabled in the settings “Privacy” → Permits».
• 📶 Internet access (some teams require cloud processing).
• 🔄 Is the firmware updated to the latest version (in older versions) MIUI The voice control of the flashlight was unstable).

4.Gesturals and hidden combinations (for advanced users)

On smartphones Xiaomi with MIUI 13/14 There are hidden flashlight gestures that are not documented in the official instructions, which don't work on all models, but can be useful for quick access.

Method 1: A “V” gesture on a locked screen

On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T Or Redmi Note 11 Pro, you can turn on the flashlight by swiping your finger over a locked V-shaped screen (top down and straight up) to activate this feature:

1. Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Gestures.
2. Find the flashlight option and turn on the “V-shaped swipe” gesture.

Method 2: Triple tap on the screen

On the phones with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or POCO F4 GT) You can set a triple touch on the off display to turn on the flashlight:

1. Open the Settings. → Lock screen → Additional settings.
2. Select “Triple Touch” and assign the action “Lightlight”.

Method 3: Button combination (for older models)

On devices before MIUI 11 (like Redmi Note 8 or Mi 9) sometimes worked:

Press the power button + volume button for 3 seconds

However, this method is not guaranteed to work on new firmware and may conflict with the reboot menu call.

💡

If the gestures don’t work, try resetting the lock screen settings in Settings. → System system → Resetting settings → Reset your lock settings. It won't delete your data, but it will return the standard gestures.

5. Through system settings (alternative method)

If for some reason the flashlight doesn't turn on in the standard way, you can activate it through the settings menu, which is longer, but it's useful for diagnosing problems.

Instructions:

1. Open the settings (cog icon).
2. Go to the section "Connected devices» → «Lantern" (on some firmwares, the path may differ: "Additional → Lantern»).
3. Activate the switch "Enable the flashlight".

You can also set up the menu:

• 🔦 Brightness flashlight (available on flagships like Xiaomi 13 Ultra).
• 🔄 Automatic shutdown after a predetermined time (useful for battery saving).
• 🚨 Regime. SOS (flashing lights for emergencies).

If there is no separate flashlight setting, try:

1. Enter the search for settings request "lantern".
2. Use "Developer Mode" (activated by 7-fold press on "Version" MIUI» on the telephone»).

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience) may not have a flashlight menu at all, in which case use third-party apps from Google Play, such as Flashlight by Simple Mobile Tools.

Annex Party: When Standard Methods Fail

If the built-in flashlight refuses to turn on (for example, due to a software failure or after an update), third-party utilities will come to the rescue.

Top.-3 tested applications:

• 📱 Flashlight by Simple Mobile Tools – a minimalist ad-free app with a widget on the home screen.
• 🔦 Tiny Flashlight + LED — flashing SOS and brightness setting.
• 💡 Super-Bright LED Flashlight – optimized for Xiaomi and allows you to use a flashlight even when the battery is dead.

To install the application:

1. Open the Google Play Market.
2. Enter the name of the application in the search.
3. Click "Install" and give access to the camera/flashlight.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• ⚡ It works even if the system flashlight is broken.
• 🎛️ Additional functions: strobescope, color filters, auto-off timer.
• 🔄 You can set up a launch using Google Assistant or widget.

Important: After installing a third-party flashlight, turn off battery optimization for the app, otherwise it may not work in the background.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the flashlight installed.
3. Click on "Battery Limitations» → «No restrictions».

7.Why the flashlight doesn't work: Diagnostics and solutions

If neither of these methods involves a flashlight, the problem can be both software and hardware, and we'll look at the underlying causes and ways to fix them.

Programmatic failures:

• 🔄 Rebooting the phone – often helps with temporary system glitch.
• 📱 Reset flashlight settings: go to Settings → Annexes → All applications → Lantern and press "Reset».
• 🔧 Firmware Update: Check for Updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

Hardware problems:

• 💡 Burned LED – If the flashlight never worked, it may be damaged LED-camera.
• 🔋 Weak battery on some models (Redmi) 9A) The flashlight is turned off at a charge level below 5%.
• 💧 Moisture infestation - if the phone fell into the water, LED contacts could oxidize.

Diagnostics of hardware faults:

1. Try turning on the flashlight through the diagnostic mode: ##4636## From the Equipment Testing menu, select Flashlight.
2. If the LED does not light up even in test mode, the problem is precisely in the hardware.

⚠️ Note: If the flashlight stopped working after a phone drop or moisture hit, do not try to disassemble the device yourself - this may lead to loss of warranty.

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If the flashlight doesn't turn on either way, check it first through the engineering menu (#4636##.) If the LED doesn't respond, it's a hardware problem and you can't do without repairs.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashlight on Xiaomi