How to Turn On Your Phone's Flashlight

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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In this guide, we will talk about the different methods you can use to turn on the flashlight on your smartphone. Using your phone's flashlight is very helpful in a variety of situations, such as when you need light in dark places. We will cover the steps for both Android and iOS devices. Let's start with some simple ways you can use the built-in options on your phone.

Using quick settings or Control Center

For Android devices

Most Android devices have a quick settings menu that you can access to easily turn on the flashlight. Here's how you can do it:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification shade.
2. You may have to swipe down again to see all the quick settings toggles.
3. Look for the flashlight icon, which usually looks like a small torch or flashlight.
4. Tap the flashlight icon to turn it on. The flashlight should now turn on.
5. To turn it off, simply tap the flashlight icon again.

For iOS devices

If you have an iPhone, you can use Control Center to access the flashlight.

1. For iPhone X and newer models, swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
2. For iPhone 8 and earlier models, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to open Control Center.
3. Find the flashlight icon. It looks like a small flashlight.
4. Tap the flashlight icon to turn on the flashlight.
5. To turn it off, tap the flashlight icon again.

Using voice assistants

Google Assistant

If you have an Android phone, you can use Google Assistant to turn on the flashlight.

1. Activate Google Assistant by saying "Hey Google" or pressing the Home button.
2. Say "Turn on the flashlight" or "Turn off the flashlight" to control the flashlight.

Siri

If you have an iPhone, you can use Siri, Apple's voice assistant.

1. Activate Siri by saying "Hey Siri" or by pressing and holding the Home button (or the side button on iPhone X and newer models).
2. Say "Turn on the flashlight" or "Turn off the flashlight" to control the flashlight.

Using third-party apps

There are many free and paid third-party apps available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store that let you turn on the flashlight. Here are some examples:

For Android

Some popular flashlight apps for Android include:

• Tiny Flashlight + LED: This app provides a simple on/off switch for the flashlight, and it also has widget support.
• Flashlight: This app has different modes like SOS and Strobe, which provide different types of light for different situations.
• Color Flashlight: This app allows you to use different colored lights besides the normal white flashlight.

For iOS

Some popular flashlight apps for iOS include:

• Flashlight for iPhone + iPad: This app offers a simple, user-friendly interface with an on/off switch.
• Flashlight: This app comes with additional features like Morse code and strobe effect.
• Brightest Flashlight: This app focuses on providing the brightest light possible from your iPhone's LED.

Programming your own flashlight app

If you are interested in programming, you can also create your own flashlight app. Below are simple examples for both Android and iOS.

Android (Java)

Below is a simple example of how you can create a flashlight app using Java for Android:

    package com.example.flashlight; import android.hardware.camera2.CameraAccessException; import android.hardware.camera2.CameraManager; import android.os.Bundle; import android.widget.CompoundButton; import android.widget.ToggleButton; import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity; public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity { private CameraManager mCameraManager; private String mCameraId; private ToggleButton mToggleButton; @Override protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); mCameraManager = (CameraManager) getSystemService(CAMERA_SERVICE); try { mCameraId = mCameraManager.getCameraIdList()[0]; } catch (CameraAccessException e) { e.printStackTrace(); } mToggleButton = findViewById(R.id.toggleButton); mToggleButton.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() { @Override public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton buttonView, boolean isChecked) { try { mCameraManager.setTorchMode(mCameraId, isChecked); } catch (CameraAccessException e) { e.printStackTrace(); } } }); }

iOS (Swift)

Below is a simple example of how you can create a flashlight app using Swift for iOS:

    import UIKit import AVFoundation class ViewController: UIViewController { var isLightOn = false override func viewDidLoad() { super.viewDidLoad() let button = UIButton(type: .system) button.setTitle("Toggle Flashlight", for: .normal) button.addTarget(self, action: #selector(toggleFlashlight), for: .touchUpInside) button.frame = CGRect(x: 100, y: 200, width: 200, height: 50) view.addSubview(button) } @objc func toggleFlashlight() { guard let device = AVCaptureDevice.default(for: .video), device.hasTorch else { return } do { try device.lockForConfiguration() device.torchMode = isLightOn ? .off : .on isLightOn.toggle() device.unlockForConfiguration() } catch { print("Torch could not be used") } } }

Other tips and tricks

Use gesture controls

Some smartphones have special gestures to turn on the flashlight. For example, some Motorola and OnePlus devices let you do a "double chop" or "shake" gesture to turn on the flashlight. Here's how you can enable it:

For Motorola devices:

1. Open the "Moto" app on your device.
2. Go to "Actions" or a similar section.
3. Enable the "Cut twice for flashlight" option.

For OnePlus devices:

1. Open the "Settings" app.
2. Go to "Buttons and Signs".
3. Select "Quick Hint".
4. Enable options for double-tap to wake and other useful gestures.

Using the widget

Many Android phones allow you to place a flashlight widget on your home screen for quick access. Here's how you can do it:

1. Long press on an empty spot on your home screen.
2. Select "Widgets" from the menu that appears.
3. Scroll to find the Flashlight widget.
4. Drag the widget to your home screen.

Enabling quick access on the lock screen

On many smartphones, you can add a flashlight shortcut to the lock screen for quick access. Follow these steps:

For Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to "Lock screen" > "Shortcuts".
3. Select a position (left or right) for the flashlight shortcut.

For iOS:

1. Unlock your iPhone using Face ID or Touch ID, but stay on the lock screen.
2. Press and hold the flashlight icon in the lower-left corner of the lock screen.

By following these different methods, you can quickly and easily turn on the flashlight on your Android or iOS device. Whether you choose to use the built-in options, voice assistants, third-party apps, or create your own, having multiple ways to access your phone's flashlight ensures that you'll always have a reliable light source whenever you need it.

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