Lantern on Xiaomi does not turn on: all the reasons and what to do in 2026

You are trying to turn on your flashlight on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, But nothing happens? Does the LED light up, the button in the curtain fail to respond, and in some cases, the phone even reboots when you try to activate? 9A, POCO M3), The Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mix Fold 3).

In 80% of cases, the malfunction is caused by software failures (for example, after an update). MIUI) Or mechanical damage (fall, moisture), less often hardware defects - a burnt-out LED or oxidized contacts on the board. In this article, we will analyze all possible reasons, from simple (permissions setting) to complex (replacement of a lamp in a service center), and also give step-by-step instructions for self-repair.

Important: if your smartphone is warranty, do not disassemble it yourself - this will void warranty obligations.

1. Programmatic causes: MIUI and application failures

So, to start with, the simplest thing is to check the software part, and most of the time, the flashlight stops working because of:

• 📱 System failure after update MIUI (Especially relevant for bet versions).
• 🔒 Lack of permissions for the Flashlight application or system services.
• 🧹 Cleaning cache or system application data manually.
• 🛠️ Conflict with SEOs (e.g. Greenify, AccuBattery).

The first thing you need to do is reboot your phone, which helps in 30 percent of cases, especially if the problem occurs after you install an app or update, and if the restart doesn't work, then move on to the next steps.

Verification of flashlight permits

In the latest versions MIUI (14+) The flashlight may not work due to a lack of permissions from the system application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show System.
3. Find the flashlight app (or Torch on the POCO).
4. Go to Permits and make sure it is included: 📸 Camera (required for some models with double lantern). 🔋 Auto-start (to keep the flashlight running in the background).

If you don't have permissions or they're disabled, turn them on and restart your phone. Then try activating the flashlight again through the notification curtain or the widget on your desktop.

Resetting the settings of the flashlight application

If the permissions are fine but the flashlight still doesn’t turn on, try resetting the app settings:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Lantern.
2. Choose Warehouse.
3. Click Clear the cache and Clear the data.
4. Reboot the phone.

The rollback will require:

1. Download stable firmware for your model from the official Xiaomi website.
2. Unpack the archive and move the firmware folder to the root of the phone’s memory.
3. Launch System Update → Three points. → Select a firmware file.

⚠️ Attention: Firmware rollback will reset all data on the phone. Pre-backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Hardware malfunctions: from contacts to LED

If the software methods didn’t help, the problem is probably the hardware. Consider typical hardware flashlight malfunctions on Xiaomi:

The most common hardware problem is the oxidation of the contacts after moisture or prolonged use, so if the phone falls or gets wet, take it apart and inspect the board.

Clearing of flashlight contacts

If the board shows traces of oxidation (green or white coating), they must be cleaned:

1. Turn off the battery (required!).
2. Wet the cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol (90%+) or liquids for cleaning contacts.
3. Gently wipe the contacts of the flashlight and the tracks on the board.
4. Let the board dry for 10-15 minutes.
5. Collect your phone and check the flashlight.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use acetone or conventional medical alcohol - they can damage the board. Also do not rub contacts with effort, so as not to damage the tracks.

Multimeter LED check

If the cleaning didn't work, the LED itself may have burned out.

1. Take the phone apart and find a flashlight (usually a small white or yellow square next to the camera).
2. Put the multimeter in diode check mode.
3. Touch the LED contacts with probes (polarity is not important).
4. If the diode is in good working order, the multimeter will show a voltage drop. ~1.8-3.3 V. If the screen remains on "0" - the LED burned.

It's almost impossible to replace an LED at home, you need to solder it with a microscope, and you should go to the service, and the cost of replacing a flashlight on Xiaomi in 2026 is:

• 💰 Budget models (Redmi) 10A, POCO M4) — 800–1 200 ₽.
• 💰 Mid-segment (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi Note 12 Pro+) — 1 500–2 500 ₽.
• 💰 Flagships (Xiaomi 14, Mix Fold 3) – 2,500–4,000 ₽.

3. Problems after falling or getting moisture

If the phone falls or gets wet, the flashlight may not work because of:

• 💥 Detached plume (often flies out on impact).
• 🌊 Corrosion on the board (appears 1-2 weeks after moisture enters).
• ⚡ Short circuit (the phone may overheat or spontaneously shut down).

In these cases, it is not recommended to turn on the flashlight or charge the phone - this can aggravate the damage, it is better to immediately take the device to the service.

2. Extract. SIM-memory-card

3. wet the moisture with a napkin (don't rub!)

4.Put the phone in a silica gel bag for 24-48 hours

5. Do not turn on until it is completely dry-->

3.1 How to check if there is moisture inside

On most Xiaomi models (except flagships with protection) IP68) There are moisture indicators -- little white circles that turn red when they come into contact with water:

• Under the lid SIM-map.
• Next to the battery (see after disassembly).

If the light went red, the phone came in contact with moisture.

1. Do not turn it on for at least 48 hours.
2. Put it in a bag of silica gel (eat in shoe boxes) or rice (less effective).
3. After drying, check the flashlight. If it doesn't work, bring it to the service.

3.2 Consequences of falling: what breaks most often

When falling on a hard surface, most often suffer:

• 📸 Camera/lightlighter plume - departs from the charge.
• 🔋 Battery Contacts – Phone May Not Be Powered On.
• 🛠️ The LED itself - cracks or falls off the board.

If the flashlight doesn't work after the fall, but the phone turns on and the camera is functioning normally, the most likely problem is the disconnected plume.

1. Take your phone apart (see the instructions in the spoiler above).
2. Find the plume going from the camera to the motherboard.
3. Gently disconnect and plug it back in (usually fixed by a latch).
4. Get your phone and check the flashlight.

⚠️ Warning: If after a fall, the phone starts to overheat, spontaneously turn off or not charge, do not turn on the flashlight or use the device.

4. Features on specific Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi models, Redmi and POCO They have unique flashlight problems. Let's look at the most common ones:

Nana POCO F3 and POCO X3 GT There's a bug where the flashlight only works when the charger is connected, and it's because the power controller is not working properly:

1. Turn off Battery Optimization for the Flashlight app in the settings.
2. If it does not help, reset to factory settings.

5. Diagnostics through the engineering menu

If there is no external damage and the flashlight is not working, you can check it through an engineering menu, which is suitable for advanced users.

To open the engineering menu:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. Go to Testing (or Hardware Testing)
4. Find Flashlight or Torch.
5. Press Test – if the flashlight does not light up, the problem is hardware.

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro), the engineering menu is blocked, in which case use an alternative method:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.android.settings/.TestingSettings

This command needs to be entered through ADB (Instructions for setting up is on the official Android website).

6. When to contact the service center

Self-repair is only justified in cases of software failures or minor hardware problems (contact oxidation, disconnected plume). In all other situations, it is better to contact the service.

• 🔥 The flashlight does not work after a short circuit (the phone overheats, turns off).
• 💧 The phone is wet and the flashlight doesn't turn on even after drying.
• 🛠️ Requires replacement of LED or soldering contacts.
• 📉 The problem occurred after a failed repair (e.g., a screen replacement).

The cost of diagnostics in authorized Xiaomi services – from 500 ₽. If the phone is warranty, repairs will be free (provided that the damage is not mechanical).

💡

Never settle for "cheap" repairs in informal workshops if the problem is related to the board. Poor soldering or replacement of components can lead to the complete failure of the phone.

7. Alternative ways to use a flashlight

If the standard flashlight does not work, and urgently need light, you can use alternative methods:

• 🔦 Third-party applications (e.g. Tiny Flashlight) + LED or Flashlight Widget).
• 📷 Flashlight through the camera: Open the camera, turn on video recording and direct the screen light to the surface.
• 💡 Screen usage: Set maximum brightness and open a white background (e.g., a blank page in the browser).

For the installation of a third-party flashlight:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Provide all necessary permissions (camera, access to notifications).
3. Add the app widget to your desktop for quick access.

⚠️ Note: Some flashlight apps contain ads or malicious code. Check reviews and rankings on Google Play before installing.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flashlight on Xiaomi