Light indicator on Xiaomi Redmi 8A: how to turn on and configure the notifications

Xiaomi Redmi 8A — One of the most popular budget smartphones of the brand, but many users face a problem: the light indicator notifications do not work out of the box. LED-The indication is activated by default, in Redmi 8A This function is often hidden in the depths of the firmware MIUI Or it needs more manipulation. In this article, we'll look at all the ways that you can turn on the LED, from standard settings to third-party workarounds.

It's important to understand that the Redmi 8A has a single-color white LED that's next to the front camera, and it can flash when charging, notifying or missing calls, but it's disabled by default on many versions of MIUI. The reasons are different, from battery savings to firmware localization for different regions, and we've tested all of these methods on current versions of MIUI 12-14 and are ready to share working solutions.

Why the light indicator on the Redmi 8A is not lit: the main reasons

Before you try to turn on the backlight, let’s understand why it may not work:

• 🔹 Disabled in settings - in some versions MIUI The option is hidden in the menu "Additional" or "Special features".
• 🔹 Energy saving mode – the function is automatically deactivated when the Battery or Super Energy Saving modes are activated".
• 🔹 Older Firmware - in Early Versions MIUI for Redmi 8A (below 11.0.5) the indicator may not work properly.
• 🔹 Hardware malfunction – rare, but there are problems with LED contacts (usually after falls or moisture hits).
• 🔹 shell conflict – some design themes or launchers (for example, POCO Launcher) can block the indicator.

If your smartphone has never flashed an LED (even when charging), check its physical condition first. Hold it to your ear in the dark and listen: when charging, you should hear a light high-frequency squeak (the LED driver is working), if it is not, the problem may be in the hardware.

Method 1: Enable through standard MIUI settings

In most cases, you can activate the indicator without third-party programs.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to Notifications and Status bar → Notification indicator.
3. Activate the Light indicator slider (if you have an option).
4. Customize the colors for different types of notifications (only white is available in Redmi 8A, but you can choose the flash mode).

If the Notification Indicator is not on the menu, try an alternative path:

Settings → Special features → Notifications → Light indicator

Important! On some firmware, the option only appears after you have your headphones connected or the developer mode activated. Also check if the feature in the Battery menu → Power Saving Modes is disabled.

Make sure your phone is over 20% charged.

Turn off the power saving modes

Check for MIUI updates

Reboot your smartphone before setting up-->

Method 2: Activate through an engineering menu (for power users)

If the standard settings didn’t work, you can try turning on the indicator through the engineering menu, which requires caution, since incorrect actions can lead to malfunctions of the phone.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##.
2. In the menu that opens, select Phone Information (or Testing).
3. Scroll down to the LED Testing or Light Sensor section.
4. Click on the Enable LED option (if available) and save the changes.

Note: on some versions of MIUI for Redmi 8A, the engineering menu may not contain options for controlling the LED, in which case further action is useless.

Method 3: Using Third-Party Applications

If the built-in techniques don't work, apps from Google Play will come to the rescue.The best options for Redmi 8A are:

How to set up Light Manager:

1. Install the app and provide all the permissions you have requested (including access to notifications).
2. In the main menu, select Light Settings.
3. Activate the Use Custom Light option.
4. In the Notification light section, adjust the color (only white is available for Redmi 8A) and the blinking frequency.
5. Save the settings and restart the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Some management applications LED They may conflict with system services. MIUI. If after installation, the smartphone began to slow down or discharge quickly, delete the program and reset the notification settings in the Settings menu. → Annexes → Application management → Settings (three points) → Reset the notification settings.

Method 4: Update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI

In older versions of MIUI (below 12.0), the light indicator function may not work correctly or at all.

How to update Redmi 8A:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check Updates and wait for the search to be completed.
3. If a new version is available, download it (Wi-Fi is recommended).
4. After downloading, click Reboot and Update.

If automatic updates do not help, you can install the firmware manually:

• 📥 Download the latest stable version MIUI for Redmi 8A from the official Xiaomi website.
• 📁 Place the.zip file in the phone’s root folder (not in the folder!).
• 🔄 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → Menu (three dots) → Select a firmware file.
• 🔄 Select the downloaded file and confirm the installation.

💡

Before updating your firmware, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will help you recover contacts and photos in the event of a crash.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When setting up a light indicator, users often make the following mistakes:

• 🚫 Ignoring Permissions – Management Applications LED If you don't give permission, the indicator won't work.
• 🚫 Use of incompatible applications – some utilities are designed for smartphones with RGB-Indicators (such as Samsung) and do not work with monochrome LED redmi 8A.
• 🚫 Power Saving Mode – Even if you activate the indicator, it won’t flash if Battery or Super Power Saving mode is enabled".
• 🚫 Skip reboot – after changing the indicator settings (especially through the engineering menu), be sure to restart the phone.

Another common problem is that the light only flashes when charging, not when notifying, which means that the function is partially activated.

1. Check if notifications for specific applications (such as WhatsApp or SMS) are disabled.
2. In the notification settings, select the priority "High" for the desired applications.
3. Make sure that the LED management application settings include the option “Show notifications on locked screen”.

Alternative ways to notify notifications

If the light indicator has not worked, consider alternative options:

• 🔊 Sound signals – customize unique tunes for different types of notifications in Settings → Sounds and vibrations.
• 📳 Vibration – Vibration response can be activated in the same menu for notifications.
• 🖼️ Ambient Display – short-term screen activation when notifications are received (activated in Settings) → Lock screen).
• 🔔 Floating notifications - in MIUI There is an option to display pop-up windows on top of other applications.

For maximum convenience, combine several methods.

• 💡 In the daytime, use Ambient Display (does not drain the battery).
• 🌙 At night, activate vibration or a quiet beep.
• 🔋 When charging – the LED will flash automatically (if the hardware is serviceable).

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If the light indicator does not work despite all attempts, most likely the problem is in the hardware (damaged LED or its driver), in which case only the service center will help.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions