Flash flashes when calling Xiaomi: how to turn off permanently or for individual contacts

Why does Xiaomi flash when calling and should it be turned off?

If your Xiaomi smartphone suddenly flashes when you receive an incoming call or notification, don't panic — this is a regular MIUI feature called Flash Alerts. It was originally designed for users with hearing impairments, but over time it has become available to everyone.

But not everyone likes this light show. First, regular flashes reduce LED life by 10 to 15 percent faster than normal camera use. Second, a bright flash at night can wake up households or blind in a dark room. Third, some users simply consider this feature useless. Fortunately, you can turn it off in a number of ways, from standard settings to hidden MIUI settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current methods, including disabling for individual contacts, resetting through ADB (for advanced users), and even hardware solutions if the software methods didn’t work, but first let’s figure out which Xiaomi models use this feature most often.

Which Xiaomi models have flash alerts on?

Flash Alerts was introduced in MIUI 8 and has been present in all versions of the shell ever since, but it depends on the model of the smartphone and the firmware version, and here is a list of the devices where flash flashing when calling is most common:

• 📱 Xiaomi Redmi Note 10/11/12 series – the function is activated by default in global firmware.
• 📱 POCO F3/F4/F5 — Here the flash flash is particularly bright because of the powerful LED.
• 📱 Xiaomi 11T/12T — In these flagships, the alert works even when the screen is turned off.
• 📱 Redmi 9/9A/9C — Budget models where the function can be enabled after the update MIUI.
• 📱 Mi 10/11 The series - here the flash flashes into the rhythm of the ringing melody.

If your model is not listed, it doesn’t mean that the feature isn’t — it can be hidden in settings or activated via MIUI Hidden Settings. For example, on the POCO X3 Pro, flash alerts only appear after manually turning on the special features menu.

Also, consider that on some devices (for example, the Redmi Note 8 Pro) flash only flashes when active mode "Do not disturb" or when the phone is lying down.

Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings

The easiest way is to use the feature menu, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later.

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to Special Features (or Additional Features on some firmware).
3. Select Flash Alerts (can be called Flash Alerts or Light Alerts).
4. Move the slider to the off position. for parameters: 🔔 Incoming calls 📩 Notifications ⏰ Alarm clock

If your MIUI version doesn’t have a separate flash alert, try an alternative route:

Settings → Sounds and vibrations → Vibration and light effects → Flash alert

After turning off, it is recommended to restart the smartphone, as some versions of MIUI cache the alert settings. If the method does not work, proceed to the next method.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 for Redmi Note 11) after the update, the settings may reset.

Method 2: Use of the MIUI Hidden Settings (Hidden Settings)

If there is no standard path on the menu, you can use hidden MIUI settings. This does not require root access, but you will need to install an additional application:

1. Download the MIUI Hidden Settings app from Google Play (Rohit Kumar).
2. Open the application and provide all the permissions requested.
3. Go to the System UI Tuner section (system interface setting).
4. Find Flash Notification and turn it off.

In the same menu, you can adjust the flash color (if supported by your model) or set individual rules for different types of notifications. For example, on the POCO F4 GT through Hidden Settings, you can make the flash flash flash only when calls from selected contacts are flashed.

If the app doesn’t find the right option, try clearing the cache or reinstalling it. Also make sure you have the latest version of MIUI installed – some of the features may not be available in the old firmware (below MIUI 12.5).

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If MIUI Hidden Settings doesn’t work, try an alternative, the Activity Launcher app, which allows you to run the hidden menu com.android.settings.Settings$NotificationLightSettingsActivity, where the flash setting is sometimes hidden.

Method 3: Disconnect for individual contacts

Not everyone needs to turn off the flash completely – sometimes it’s enough to make sure it doesn’t work when calling from specific people (such as coworkers or spammers).

1. Open the Contacts app and select the contact you want.
2. Click Edit (pencil icon).
3. Scroll down to the Sound and Vibration section (or Call Melody).
4. Select Additional settings → Flash alert.
5. Turn off the slider for this contact.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Execute the command to disable flash alert: adb shell settings put system flash_notification_enabled 0
4. Reboot your smartphone.

To return the feature back, use the same command, but with 1 instead of 0. This method works on all versions of Android, including MIUI 14 and HyperOS.

If the flash flash flash flashes after you execute the command, check if it is blocked by another application (for example, Truecaller or Mi Security), in which case you will have to turn off the alerts in each of them separately.

Method 5: Hardware shutdown (extreme case)

If the software methods don't work, you have to physically shut down the flash, which is a radical way to only use it if you:

• 🔧 You are confident in your smartphone skills.
• 📱 The phone is no longer guaranteed.
• 💡 You don’t need a flash for photos (or you use outside lights).

Instructions:

1. Turn off the phone and remove it. SIM-map.
2. Remove the back cover (it’s glued on most Xiaomis, so you’ll need a plastic shoulder blade and hair dryer to soften the glue).
3. Disconnect the battery plume (required!) to avoid short circuit.
4. Find the flash module – it’s usually located next to the main camera.
5. Carefully unfurl or cut the wires going to the LED (usually red and black wire).
6. Put the phone back together.

This is irreversible, because once you shut it down, the flash won't work on either calls or shooting, and there's a risk of damage to other components, so if you're not sure about your abilities, you'd better go to the service center.

⚠️ Attention: On models with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro) instead of flash can use the backlight screen (Always-On Display function.

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Before disassembling the phone, be sure to watch the disassembly of your model on YouTube - the location of plumes and mounts can differ even for devices of the same series!

Frequent questions about flash flash flash flash on Xiaomi