Twinkle when calling Xiaomi: how to turn on the light indication in 3 minutes

Are you missing important calls because your smartphone is down or in your bag? Light display (flickering) on incoming calls is an indispensable feature for those who want to stay connected. On Xiaomi smartphones, this option works through the built-in LED or screen backlight, but by default it is often turned off. In this article, we will examine all the ways to activate flickering, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features for older models.

The feature is that it works even when the screen is locked and is not affected by the volume of the melody. This is especially convenient in noisy places or when the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode. We tested the instructions on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO X5 Pro and Mi 11 Lite — methods work on all devices with MIUI 12-14, including budget models. If your smartphone does not flicker after setting up, at the end of the article there is a section with a solution to typical problems.

What is a flicker when calling and why it is necessary

Incoming call lighting is a visual signal that helps you avoid missing a call when:

• 🔇 Phone in silent mode or in a bag
• 🎵 You listen to music through your headphones and you don’t hear vibrations.
• 🏭 Stay in a noisy place (at the factory, in transport, at a concert)
• 🌙 Use Do Not Disturb mode, but want to see notifications of important contacts

On Xiaomi, the flicker is implemented in two ways:

1. LED light is a small light bulb next to the front camera (not on all models, for example, is absent in the POCO F5).
2. Screen backlighting – a short-term display with flashing notification (works on all devices).

Important: on newer models (such as the Xiaomi 13T or Redmi Note 13 Pro), the manufacturer often abandons the physical LED in favor of software backlighting. This does not mean that the feature is not available, it just needs to be configured differently.

Method 1: Standard settings with "Notifications and Status Line"

This is the simplest method that works on 90% of Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12-14. Instructions are suitable for models with a physical LED (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Mi 11) and without it (POCO X4 Pro, Redmi A2).

Open Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification indicator. Here you will see two key parameters:

• 🔄 Blink the indicator - includes the flicker of the LED (if it is in the device).
• 📱 Blinking the screen - activates the backlight of the display when calling.

Activate both switches. To fine-tune, tap each item:

On models without an LED (e.g., POCO M5), the "Blink indicator" item will be inactive — that's OK. Just turn on "Blink screen."

Call your phone from another device|Put the smartphone down with the screen|See if you can see a flicker through the camera or a slit|Check the "Do Not Disturb" setting (should be disabled)-->

Method 2: Configure with "Special Features" (for older versions of MIUI)

If you don’t have a Notification Indicator (relevant to MIUI 11 and below) on your menu, try an alternative path:

1. Go to Settings → Special Features → Hearing → Blinking Notifications Indicator.
2. Turn on the Blink switch when you call.
3. Choose the color (if available) and frequency of flickering.

On some models (Redmi 5 Plus, Mi A2) this section may be called differently:

• 🔦 Settings → Additionally. → Notification indicator
• 🔔 Settings → Sound and vibration → Call indicator

Important! The firmware below MIUI 10 may not have a flicker function at all, and only custom firmware installation will help (see the alternative methods section for more on this).

Method 3: Use third-party applications (if standard methods don't work)

If the built-in settings don't work, install one of the specialized apps. We tested the 3 most reliable ones:

Instructions for setting up Flash Alerts 2 (the most functional solution):

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and provide access to Notifications and Camera (needed for flash flickering).
3. In the Calls section, turn on the options: 🔦 Flash - flickering with the rear camera 📱 Screen - backlight display 🎨 Color – choose a shade (e.g. red for calls, green for calls) SMS)

Exclusions of optimization

⚠️ Note: Flickering apps may conflict with charge saving features. If light signals disappear after 5-10 minutes after setting up, turn off Adaptive Battery in the settings MIUI.

Solving the Problem: Why the Flickering Fails to Call

If you have enabled all settings, but the indication does not work, check these points:

• 🔋 Power Saving Mode: Turn it off in Settings → Battery and performance: In economy mode, the system blocks background processes, including flickering.
• 🛡️ App Permissions: For third-party utilities (such as Flash Alerts) check access to notifications in Settings → Annexes → Permit management.
• 🔕 Do Not Disturb Mode: Even if the flicker is on, it may not work in this mode. Add the right contacts to the exceptions.
• 🔄 Update MIUI: On older versions of firmware (below) MIUI 12) the function may not work properly. Check for updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

If the flicker works but is too weak:

• For LED: Try changing the color to a brighter one (e.g., from green to red).
• For screen highlighting: Increase the brightness of the display in the settings or turn on Adaptive Brightness.

Alternative methods: flickering through ADB or custom firmware

For advanced users who are willing to take drastic measures, there are two ways to bring back flickering on devices where it isn’t provided by default:

Method 1: ADB commands (without root)

This method works on most Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 13/14 and allows you to turn on hidden flicker settings.

• A computer with ADB drivers installed.
• USB-cable (preferably original).
• USB Debugging enabled on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers).

Connect your phone to your PC and execute in the command line:

adb shell settings put global notification_light_pulse 1


adb shell settings put global notification_light_color 0xFFFF0000 # red




adb shell settings put global notification_light_duration 2000 # flicker duration (ms)

After restarting the device, check the function. If the flicker does not appear, then your model does not support software emulation of the LED.

Method 2: Install custom firmware (requires unlocking the bootloader)

On some devices (such as the POCO X3 Pro or Redmi K40), the flicker can only be returned via alternative firmware such as:

• 🔄 LineageOS – supports LED settings through Settings → Display. → Notification indicator.
• 🔧 Pixel Experience – has a built-in Ambient Display feature that simulates flickering.
• 🔥 Xiaomi.EU – modified version MIUI with extended display settings.

⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware will void the warranty and may result in a device blink (completely inoperable).Before the procedure, back up the data via Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

💡

If you're unsure of your ADB or custom firmware skills, it's best to focus on standard methods or third-party applications.The risk of system damage is not justified for a feature like flickering when calling.

Comparison of methods: what way to choose

To make it easier for you to decide, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each option:

For most users, the best solution is to combine standard settings and the Flash Alerts 2 application, which gives flexibility without risk to the system. If you own an older model (for example, the Redmi 4X), where flickering is not provided at all, try the method with ADB - it is less dangerous than firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flickering when calling on Xiaomi