How to turn on the flashlight on Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro: all ways + problem solving

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is the flagship of 2018, which is still relevant thanks to the powerful hardware and flexible firmware MIUI. But even experienced users sometimes have questions about basic functions. One of them is how to turn on the flashlight on this smartphone. It would seem that could be easier? However, the Mi 8 Pro offers as many as 5 ways to activate the flashlight, and in some cases the function may not work due to software or hardware limitations.

In this article, we will not only show you all the possible ways to turn on the flashlight (including hidden ones), but also analyze the typical problems: why it does not shine, how to check the health of the LED and what to do if the function is lost after the MIUI update. We will focus on gestures and voice control, these chips save time, but many do not know about them. And you will learn how to adjust the brightness of the flashlight (yes, it is possible!) and why it works unstable on some firmware.

1. Basic method: through the notification panel (curtain)

The most obvious and quickest method is to use the notification bar. On the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, it is called by a top-down swipe (one finger for quick access or two for full disclosure). The flashlight here is represented by a separate icon, but its location may vary depending on the version of MIUI and user settings.

If the flashlight icon is not in the visible area, do the following:

• 📱 Swipe down the screen with two fingers to fully open the curtain.
• 🔍 Find the badge «⚡» or "Flashlight" (on some firmware - "Flashlight»).
• 🖱️ If the icon is not, tap the pencil ("Edit") in the upper right corner and add it to the active elements.
• 💡 Click on the icon once – the flashlight will turn on, re-pressing it will turn it off.

On the Mi 8 Pro with MIUI 12+, the notification panel supports quick switching: you can swipe down and tap the flashlight icon immediately without opening the curtain completely. This saves fractions of a second, but with frequent use becomes noticeable.

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If the flashlight is turned on with a delay (1-2 seconds), this may be due to battery optimization.

2. Power and volume buttons: secret combination

Few people know, but on the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, the flashlight can be turned on without unlocking the screen - directly from the locked device.

1. Hold the power button (on) and the volume button at the same time.
2. Keep them clamped for 2-3 seconds.
3. The flashlight will turn on even if the screen is off or the smartphone is locked.

This method works on MIUI stock firmware and does not require any additional adjustments.

• ⚠️ On some custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), this feature can be disabled.
• 🔋 If the battery is under 5%, the button combination may not work.
• 📱 Mi 8 Pro with damaged buttons is not applicable.

The advantage of this is that it's instant access in any situation, even if the touch screen isn't responding, for example, if you drop your phone and the glass cracks, but the buttons are intact, you can still turn on the flashlight.

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

If you have a voice assistant set up, you can turn on the flashlight by voice. There are two options on the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro:

1. Google Assistant (works on all firmware):
2. Alice from Yandex (requires the installation of the application):

This method requires:

• 🎤 Activate the voice assistant in settings (Settings) → Google → Google Assistant settings or settings → Annexes → Alice).
• 🔊 Allow access to the flashlight in the settings of the assistant application.
• 📶 Internet connection (for Alice, it is mandatory, Google Assistant works offline for basic commands).

Voice control is convenient when the hands are busy or the screen is dirty.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI (for example, MIUI 10 for Mi 8 Pro, voice commands may not work due to manufacturer limitations, in which case an alternative launcher (e.g., Nova Launcher) or firmware update will help.

4. Screen gestures: flashlight switching on without buttons

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro supports hand gestures, including flashlight gestures, to activate this feature:

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
2. Select the option "Flightlight" or "Double tap on the screen".
3. Set up a gesture: for example, double touch on the screen turned off.
4. Save the settings and test.

Once set up, you just need to touch the screen twice (in any part of it) and the flashlight will turn on.

• 🌙 At night, when you do not want to wake the screen with bright light.
• 👆 If one of the hardware buttons is broken.
• 🚗 Driving (you can turn on the flashlight without being distracted from the road).

Please note: Mi 8 Pro with AMOLED-Double-touching can accidentally unlock the device if the "Rise to Wake" function is also activated. To avoid false positives, turn off unnecessary gestures in the settings.

Make sure the screen is clean (mud interferes with the operation)|Disable the cover (it can block touches)|Check the sensitivity of the sensor in the screen settings|Reboot your phone if the gesture doesn’t work-->

5. Widget on the desktop: flashlight in one tap

If you use a flashlight a lot, it makes sense to put it on the main screen in the form of a widget.

1. Press and hold your finger on the free space of the desktop.
2. In the menu that appears, select “Widgets”.
3. Find the flashlight widget (usually in the Tools or Services section).
4. Drag it on the screen and fasten it in a convenient place.

Now the flashlight will be turned on with a single click on the widget.

• ⚡ Instant access without unnecessary swipes.
• 🎨 You can choose the size and style of the widget (on some firmware).
• 🔄 The widget works even if the notification bar is cluttered.

On the Mi 8 Pro with MIUI 11 and below, the flashlight widget may not be available in the standard set, in which case installing a third-party application, such as:

• 📌 Flashlight Widget (Simple and Lightweight).
• 📌 Tiny Flashlight + LED (luminously).

6. flashlight problems on Mi 8 Pro: why it doesn't work and how to fix it

If the flashlight on your Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro doesn’t turn on either way, the reasons may be both software and hardware.

You should pay special attention to the engineering menu, to check the health of the LED:

1. Enter the code ##4636## in the Phone app.
2. Go to the section "Equipment Testing".
3. Select Flashlight and activate the test.

If the torch is not included in the engineering menu, the problem is precisely hardware - most likely, the LED burned out or the contacts left.

⚠️ Note: On the Mi 8 Pro with a non-original rear cover (for example, after changing the glass), the flashlight may not work smoothly due to poor contact. LED-Check the density of the lid or contact the master for diagnostics.

7. Tuning the brightness of the flashlight: can you make the light weaker?

By default, the flashlight on the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro runs at maximum brightness, which is not always convenient. Unfortunately, the MIUI stock firmware does not provide built-in tools for adjusting.

• 📱 Third-party annexes: 🔦 Flashlight Brightness – allows you to smoothly adjust the brightness. 🔦 Tiny Flashlight + LED — Supports several levels of brightness and blinking.
• 🛠️ Engineering menu (for advanced): In some versions MIUI change the parameters LED through MTK Engineer Mode (requires root rights).
• 📝 ADB-Commands: Adb shell echo command 100 > /sys/class/leds/torch-light0/brightness can be set to brightness 0 before 255 (requires an unlocked loader).

It is important to understand that adjusting the brightness of the flashlight on the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro without root rights is possible only through third-party applications, but they can conflict with system processes. If after installing such software, the flashlight stopped working, clear the cache of the Flashlight application in the settings.

For those who do not want to install additional programs, there is a simple life hack: stick semi-transparent tape or thin paper on the LED - this will reduce the intensity of light without changing the settings.

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On the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, the flashlight brightness is fixed by default, but it can only be changed with the help of third-party tools or root rights.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashlight on Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro