Does the screen flicker when you call Xiaomi? Learning to turn off annoying backlights

Have you ever encountered a situation where, during an incoming call, your Xiaomi screen flashes violently like a New Year's lights? Not only is it distracting, it can cause discomfort - especially in the dark or when sensitive to flashes of light. The reason for this behavior lies in the proprietary MIUI feature, which should attract the user's attention to an incoming call. However, for many owners of the Redmi Note 10, POCO X3 or Mi 11, this becomes a real problem.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can turn off the screen flicker when you call, from standard MIUI settings to hidden developer settings and even hardware checks. It’s important to understand that on different Xiaomi models, the path to solving may be different: you can turn off one tick somewhere, and you need to dig deeper into system files, and we’ll also look at why the flicker can return after updates and how to prevent this.

If you've tried turning off the backlight in your call settings, but nothing has worked, don't rush to reset your phone to factory settings. 90% of the time, the problem is solved without drastic measures, and we'll show you how to do it right.

Why the screen flashes when you call: the official explanation from Xiaomi

The screen flickering feature when an incoming call is part of the MIUI proprietary shell, called Screen Flash for Calls.

• 🔦 Attract attention in noisy places where the vibration or sound of the ringing may be invisible.
• 👁️‍🗨️ Helping people with hearing impairments by replacing the audio signal with a visual one.
• 💡 Save battery power compared to the display’s constant backlight (flickering consumes less power).

However, in practice, many users are faced with the fact that:

• ⚡ Flickering too bright and causes discomfort (especially at night).
• 🔄 The function is automatically activated after updates MIUI.
• 📱 On some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) There is no obvious way to turn off this option in the menu.

Interestingly, Xiaomi’s official documentation describes the feature as a “useful innovation,” but user feedback suggests otherwise, with more than 60 percent of Xiaomi smartphone owners wanting to turn it off, according to surveys on the 4PDA and Mi Community forums.

Method 1: Disabling flicker through standard MIUI settings

On most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models (starting with MIUI 10 and later), the screen flicker function is controlled via the phone's settings menu.

1. Open the phone application (pipe icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to Incoming Calls (or Calls on some firmware) section.
4. Find the screen lighting option (can be called Screen Blinking or Flash for Calls in English firmware).
5. Move the slider to the off position.

If you have an older version of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 9 or lower), the path may be different:

Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Lighting when calling

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make sure you have the latest firmware update.

Make a backup of settings (optional)

Reboot your phone after the changes-->

Important! On some models (e.g., Xiaomi Mi A1/A2 with pure Android One), this option may not be on the menu at all, in which case you will have to use alternative methods described below.

Method 2: Disconnection through special features settings

If the standard path didn’t work, try disabling the flicker through the Special Features section, a method that often helps on devices with custom firmware or modified versions of MIUI:

1. Go to Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Choose Hearing (or Audio/Visual Tips).
3. Find the option Screen Blinking when calling or Visual Alerts.
4. Turn off all associated parameters.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU or xiaomi.eu), this section may be called Flash notifications. If you do not find the right option, try searching by settings (the magnifying icon in the upper right corner).

It’s also worth checking if the blinking Notification feature is enabled in specific app settings (like WhatsApp or Telegram), and sometimes screen flickering when calling can be linked to conflicting options.

Method 3: Using Developer Mode (for Power Users)

If standard methods don't work, you can try turning off flickering through the developer's settings, which requires caution, as improper changes can affect the stability of the phone.

First, activate the developer mode:

Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times in a row)

After that:

1. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
2. Find the section Animation or Visual Effects.
3. Turn off options: Windows animation (install No animation) Screen blinking at notifications (if any) Overlay errors (may affect the display of system alerts)

Reset the device.

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If the animations are still flickering but less noticeable, try to further disable the USB debugging option in the developer settings. Sometimes this helps reset the system notification cache.

Attention! Changing the settings in developer mode can lead to unstable operation of the interface. If after manipulations there are lags or errors, return all settings to the original state or reset the cache through Settings → Memory → Clean.

Method 4: Verification of hardware causes of flickering

If the software methods failed, the problem could be in the hardware of the phone.

To rule out hardware malfunctions, try:

• 🔧 Remove the cover and the protective glass - sometimes they press on the light sensors.
• 🌡️ Check the temperature of your phone during a call (use the app) CPU Monitor).
• 🔄 Test your phone in safe mode (hold the power button) → Safe regime).

If the flicker disappears in safe mode, the problem lies in one of the installed applications, most often conflicts are caused by:

• 📱 Ad-blocking apps (e.g. AdGuard).
• 🔊 Modified firmware or patches (e.g., Magisk modules).
• 🎵 Applications for customizing the interface (e.g., Substratum).

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If the screen flicker is accompanied by extraneous sounds (creeping, squeaking) or spontaneous reboots, this is a clear sign of hardware malfunction. In this case, self-repair is not recommended - contact the service center.

Method 5: Reset the settings of the Phone application (last resort)

If all the previous methods didn't work, you can try resetting the standard Phone app, which won't delete your contacts or call history, but will return all call settings to factory settings.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Phone app (or com.android.dialer).
3. Open Warehouse → Clear the cache and Reset the settings.
4. Reboot the phone.

Warning: After resetting, you may need to reconfigure:

• 📞 The sound of the bell and the vibration.
• 🔕 Blacklist (if used).
• 📱 Access to contacts and microphone.

If the screen flickering when calling is due to an error in the app's cache, this method will help in 80% of cases, however, if the problem is caused by the MIUI update, the reset may not have a long-term effect.

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Before resetting the Phone app, export your contacts to the VCF: Contacts → Settings → Import/Export → Export to storage. This will help you quickly recover your data if needed.

How to prevent flickering from returning after MIUI updates

Many Xiaomi users are faced with the fact that after updating the firmware, the screen flicker when calling returns on its own, this is due to the fact that MIUI resets some settings to the default values.

1. Turn off automatic firmware update: Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Points → Settings → Auto Update (off)
2. Create a backup of settings through Settings → Additional → Backup.
3. Use MIUI patches (e.g., Disable Flash on Call for Magisk).
4. Install an alternative call app (like Google Phone) where there is no flicker feature.

If you still updated the firmware and the flicker returned, check:

• 📲 Version MIUI — Sometimes the bugs are fixed in the following patches.
• 📝 Update logs on Xiaomi's official website (Changelog section).
• 🔧 Default settings – New lighting control options may have appeared.

Important! On some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global Stable), the screen flickering function is hard-wired into the system and cannot be disabled without rooting permissions, in which case the only way out is to go to custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu or LineageOS).

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen flickering on Xiaomi