Flash to Xiaomi: how to turn on light indication in MIUI

Have you ever missed an important call because your phone was in your bag or in another room? Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi and POCO lines) have a useful feature called flash-to-call, which converts a camera flash into a light signal when you call in, which is especially convenient for people with hearing impairments or in noisy places where the vibration and melody of the call can go unnoticed.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can activate a flash on a call, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features for older models, why it might not work on some devices, how to get around manufacturer limitations, and what alternative solutions exist for models without built-in options, and a unique way to enable flash through ADB, which does not require root rights and works even on locked bootloaders.

Why doesn’t Xiaomi have a flash on a default call?

Many users are surprised that new Xiaomi smartphones (such as the Redmi Note 12 or Xiaomi 13T) do not have an obvious option to turn on the flash when calling.

• 🔋 Battery savings: The constant flashing of a flash consumes additional energy, contradicting Xiaomi's strategy to optimize autonomy.
• 🛡️ Camera protection: Frequent flash on can shorten LED life, especially in budget models.
• 📱 Simplify the interface. MIUI 14-15 Developers remove rarely used features from the main settings, leaving them in the “hidden menus".

However, this does not mean that the feature is completely removed. On most devices, it can be activated through Settings → Special Features or using third-party applications. On some models (for example, POCO F5), the option is hidden in the developer menu.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K60) Frequent flashing can cause a matrix burn effect, which is residual images on the display!

Method 1: Standard settings through "Special capabilities"

This is the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI 12-15. Instructions are suitable for models Redmi Note 11/12, Xiaomi 11T/12T, POCO X4/X5 and others:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the Special Opportunities section.
3. Select Hearing (or Sound and Vibration on some firmware).
4. Activate the Flash switch at notifications or Light Indication.
5. In additional settings (if any), select Calls from the event list.

If your menu doesn’t have Flash at Notifications, try an alternative path:

Settings → Notifications → Additional settings → Notification indicator → Flash

Make sure the flash is not covered with a cover or finger

Check that the function is not disabled in "Energy Saving Mode"

Update your firmware to the latest version of MIUI

- Restart your phone after changing your settings-->

On some devices (e.g. Redmi 10C), the option may be called Light Signal and be in the Sounds and Vibrations section. If you don't find the item in the standard settings, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Enable through the developer menu (hidden function)

On a number of Xiaomi models (mainly flagships and POCO series devices), the flash-to-call feature is hidden in the developer menu to activate it:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row until you become a developer!
3. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
4. Scroll down and find the Camera Flash Simulation or Camera Flash Notification option.
5. Turn it on and select the events for which the flash should trigger (calls, SMS, notifications).

This method works on the POCO F3/F4, Xiaomi 11 Lite and some other models. If the option is not on the developer menu, try the third method.

Yes, the function is in the settings.|No, I had to turn it on through the developer menu.|No, I'm using a third-party app.|I don't know, I haven't tried it yet.-->

Method 3: Use ADB-commands (without root rights)

If the first two methods fail, you can activate the flash via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for most Xiaomi devices, including the Redmi 9A, Xiaomi Mi A3 and other models with “cut-off” settings.

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and program ADB.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (in the developer menu).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Execute the flash activation command: adb shell settings put global flash_notification_enabled 1
5. Reboot the phone.

After the reboot, the flash should flash when incoming calls. If the function does not work, try an alternative command:

adb shell settings put system flash_notification 1

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI after updating the system of settings ADB To avoid this, set the settings as adb shell settings put global. flash_notification_enabled 1 && adb shell settings put secure flash_notification 1

Method 4: Third-party applications for flashing on a call

If the built-in methods didn’t work, you can use apps from Google Play.

To set up one of these applications:

1. Download and install the program from Google Play.
2. Provide all necessary permissions (access to notifications, camera).
3. In the application settings, select Calls in the event list.
4. Adjust the frequency and duration of the blinking.
5. Activate the Start When Download option so that the feature works after restarting the phone.

When using third-party apps, be aware that they can drain the battery faster than the built-in feature, and some programs require special permissions to access notifications that need to be confirmed manually.

💡

If the app doesn’t see call notifications, check if they’re disabled in Android settings. Go to Settings → Apps → Permissions Management → Notifications and turn on access for the program.

Why the flash on the phone does not work: common problems

Even after you set it up properly, it may not work, and here are the main reasons and ways to fix them:

• 🔋 Power saving mode. Power saving enabled can block the flash. Open Settings → Battery and productivity → Power saving mode and turn it off or add a flash control app to exceptions.
• 📱 Update to firmware. MIUI You can reset the settings.
• 🔒 Permission restrictions. On Android 12+ Applications may not be allowed to access the camera in the background. → Confidentiality → Permits → Camera and allow use.
• 🛠️ If none of the methods work, maybe your version. MIUI It's disabled at the system level, and then you can just flash it.

Pay special attention to models with infrared flash (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro), on such devices the LED may not flash due to hardware limitations.

💡

If the flash flash flash only flashes once and goes out, check the "Signal Duration" settings in the special features menu. Some firmware defaults to "Short", which you need to change to "Long."

Alternative solutions: light indication without flash

If your Xiaomi model does not support flash flashing (e.g. Redmi Go or Xiaomi Mi Play), you can use alternative lighting methods:

• 💡 Screen flash: Some applications (e.g. Flash Alerts 2) can flash the screen when you call, less visible than a camera flash, but still more effective than vibration.
• 🔦 Button highlighting on physical button devices (e.g. Redmi) 4X) You can configure the keys flashing through the engineering menu (code #3646633##).
• 📱 Smart watches or bracelets. If you have a Mi Band or Xiaomi Watch, set the vibration and light notifications on them — it's more reliable than a flash of a phone.
• 🎨 Animated wallpaper. Some live wallpapers (like Live Wallpaper: Flash Alert) flash when notified.

For owners of Xiaomi with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K50) There is an interesting life hack: you can configure Always On Display (AOD) So when you call, the screen will be completely white:

1. Activate Always On Display in the screen settings.
2. Install the AOD Notify app from Google Play.
3. In the program settings, select Full-screen splash for the Call events.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the outbreak on Xiaomi's call