Flashlight blinking when calling Xiaomi: how to turn on and configure

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where it is difficult to hear an incoming call in a noisy room or on the street, in which case the visual alert — flashing a flashlight — becomes an indispensable assistant, a feature available on most Redmi, POCO and Mi models, but not always activated by default.

In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions for turning on flashing flashlights when calling, including hidden MIUI settings, compatibility with different firmware versions, and solving typical problems. We will also discuss how to adjust the blink intensity and why the feature may not work on some devices.

We will pay special attention to models with AMOLED-We're going to use flashing instead of flashing a flashlight, which saves battery life and extends LED life. And for older devices, we're going to show you alternatives through third-party apps.

Why flashing a flashlight is useful and when it is needed

The function of visual alert when calling solves several tasks at once:

• 🔊 In noisy places – when the sound of the call is drowned out by ambient noise (for example, on the street or in transport).
• 🎭 In theater or cinema – where sound alerts are forbidden, but you can’t miss an important call.
• 🔋 Battery savings – on some models, flashing a flashlight consumes less energy than vibration + sound.
• 👓 For people with hearing impairments, visual signal becomes the primary way to alert them.

According to research, visual alerts increase the likelihood of detecting an incoming call by 40% in urban noise, while Xiaomi implemented the function with the most care: the LED flashes at the optimal frequency (1-2 times per second), without overheating or planting the battery.

It is important to note that in the models with AMOLED-displays (e.g. Xiaomi 13 or Redmi) K60) Instead of flashing a flashlight, you can use flashing of the screen, which is less noticeable, but absolutely safe for the matrix. A2) The flashlight can only flash when the screen is unlocked – this is a limitation of the hardware platform.

Official method: setup via the MIUI menu

The most reliable method is to use the built-in MIUI settings. The instructions are suitable for most devices on MIUI 12-14, including the Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 12T and others.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the section Sound and vibration.
3. Select the Alert when calling (some firmware may call settings).
4. Activate the flashlight slider (or Light Indication).
5. To fine-tune the tap on this item - here you can choose the color of blinking (white / color) and frequency.

If your menu does not have flashlight, check:

• 📱 Model of the device - on some budget smartphones (Redmi) 9A, POCO C31) function disabled at the firmware level.
• 🔄 Version MIUI — Update the system to the latest version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔧 Regional settings - on Chinese firmware (MIUI China option may be called differently (for example, ).

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 11T Pro), flashing flashlights only works when the screen is unlocked, which is done to save charge, but you can bypass the restriction through Developer Mode, which we will discuss in the next section.

Hidden settings: the developer's mode and ADB-team

If the standard method didn’t work, try activating the feature via Developer Mode or ADB. This will help on devices where the option is hidden by the manufacturer.

Method 1: Through Developer Mode

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the flashlight flashing item at the alerts and turn it on.

Method 2: ADB (for advanced users)

If the option is not available even in the developer mode, you can force it to be enabled via ADB:

adb shell settings put global flashlight_notification_enabled 1

Once you've done the command, restart the device. To turn off the blinking, use:

adb shell settings put global flashlight_notification_enabled 0

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Before using ADB, make sure that the smartphone is enabled debugging over USB (Settings → For developers → debugging over USB).

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU), these commands may not work due to the limitations of modified builds, in which case only custom recovery and system file editing will help – but this is risky and unwarranted.

Alternative methods: third-party applications

If the MIUI built-in tools don't allow flashing, you can use third-party apps, and we tested a few solutions and selected the most reliable ones:

To set up flashing with Flash Alerts 2:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and provide access to Notifications and Camera (required to control the flashlight).
3. Turn on the Flash on Call slider (blinking when calling).
4. In the Settings section, adjust the color, frequency and duration of the blink.

Important: Third-party applications can drain the battery faster than the built-in MIUI function, as they run in the background. If you notice a strong charge consumption, turn off the application auto-start or use it only when necessary.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after setting it right, flashing a flashlight may not work, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:

• 🔦 The flashlight does not flash when the screen is locked. → Check the Lock and Protection settings (Settings) → Lock screen → Some models need to turn off the energy saving when locked.
• 🔋 The function is disabled after restarting → This is a firmware bug. Helps reset the phone app (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Warehouse → Reset).
• 📵 The blinking works only for SMS, but not for calls → In the Sound and Vibration settings, check if blinking is included separately for Calls and Messages.
• 🔄 After updating MIUI function is lost → Reset network settings (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Reset settings) or wait for a patch from Xiaomi.

If none of the methods helped, check the hardware serviceability of the flashlight:

1. Open the Camera app and turn on the flashlight manually.
2. If it doesn't light up, the problem is with the LED or the plume, and then only the service center will help.

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On Xiaomi 12 Pro and later, flashing a flashlight when ringing can conflict with the Always-On Display feature.

Compatible with different Xiaomi models

The flashlight function when calling is supported by most Xiaomi devices, but there are nuances depending on the model and version of MIUI. We have compiled a compatibility table for popular smartphones:

On infrared devices (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro), flashing flashing flashlights can conflict with the remote control, in which case the remote is given priority, and the alerts do not work, the solution is to turn off the infrared port in the settings or use third-party applications.

For models with MIUI for Russia (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G), the function can be called Light Indication and located in the section Special features → Hearing.

Energy consumption and battery impact

Many users fear that flashing flashlights when calling will quickly drain the battery.

• 🔋 Average consumption: 1-2% charge per 1 minute of active blinking (at a frequency of 1 time per second).
• ⚡ Vibration comparison: flashing a flashlight consumes 2-3 times less energy than a vibration motor.
• 📉 Impact on the life of the flashlight: modern LEDs are designed for 50,000 hours of operation - when blinking 10 times a day they will last ~20 years.

To minimize battery consumption:

• 🔄 Set the minimum blinking frequency (1 time in 2 seconds).
• 🌙 Turn off the feature at night when calls are rare.
• 🔋 Use the Adaptive Battery (Settings) → Battery → Adaptive battery to optimize the system consumption.

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On smartphones with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12) instead of flashing the flashlight can be used to blink the screen – this saves up to 70% of charge compared to the LED.

If you notice that the battery is discharged too quickly after the blinking is activated, check:

1. Does the flashlight work in the background all the time (check through Settings → Battery → Battery use).
2. Does the feature conflict with other alerts (e.g. Always-On Display)?
3. Are there any power-intensive flashlight management applications (for example, Flash Alerts in the background) installed?

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions