How to Dim Your Phone Flashlight and Turn It Into a Colored Light
Most of us use the phone flashlight in exactly one way: full blast. That is great for finding keys under the car seat, but not so great when you are checking on a sleeping baby or reading a menu in a dim restaurant.
The good news is that both iPhone and Android let you change the flashlight's brightness, and newer models go even further. You can also make the flash blink for notifications, and turn your screen into a soft light in any color you like.
This guide walks you through each option step by step, with notes on which phones support what.
Why adjust your flashlight at all?
A full-power LED is harsh and bright. Dimming it has real benefits:
- Less glare when you are close to what you are looking at.
- Kinder to others in a dark bedroom, cinema or tent.
- Better for your night vision, since your eyes adapt more easily to lower light.
- Slightly less battery use and heat during long use.
iPhone: change flashlight brightness in Control Center
Every iPhone that supports the flashlight lets you choose its brightness level. Here is how.
- Open Control Center. On iPhones with Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner. On iPhones with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge.
- Touch and hold the flashlight button. Don't just tap it.
- A tall brightness slider appears. Drag up or down to set the level.
- Tap outside the slider to close it. The flashlight stays at that level.
If the flashlight button is missing, tap the + in the top-left corner of Control Center, then Add a Control, and search for Flashlight.
Adjustable beam width on newer iPhones
On iPhone models with the Dynamic Island and Apple's adaptive flash, running iOS 18 or later, the flashlight gets extra controls. When you turn it on, a small flashlight panel appears in the Dynamic Island.
- Swipe up or down on it to change brightness in fine steps.
- Swipe left or right to change the beam from wide to focused.
This is handy for spotting something far away with a narrow beam, or lighting a whole room with a wide one. If you do not see these controls, your model may not support them.
Other quick ways to turn it on
- The flashlight button on the Lock Screen, which you press firmly or long-press.
- Siri: say "Turn on the flashlight."
- Action button on supported models: go to Settings > Action Button and choose Flashlight.
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Android: change flashlight brightness
Android added support for adjustable torch strength in Android 13, but it depends on your phone's hardware and on the manufacturer. Here is how it works on the most popular phones.
Samsung Galaxy
Samsung has offered flashlight levels for years.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Quick panel. Swipe down again if needed to see all tiles.
- Tap and hold the word Flashlight (or long-press the tile).
- Turn the flashlight on with the switch, then drag the slider to one of the five brightness levels.
- Tap Done.
Google Pixel
Pixel phones gained a native flashlight strength slider in a recent Android 16 update. Once your Pixel is up to date:
- Swipe down twice to open Quick Settings.
- If the flashlight tile is the wide version, tap the word Flashlight on the right side. If it's the small square version, long-press the tile.
- Use the Flashlight strength slider to set the brightness.
The phone remembers your choice for the next time you turn it on.
Other Android phones
Brands like OnePlus, Xiaomi and Motorola may offer a similar long-press option on their flashlight tile, depending on model and software version. Long-press the tile to check.
If your phone has no built-in option, some third-party flashlight apps in Google Play can use the Android 13 brightness feature when the hardware supports it. Read recent reviews and check the permissions requested before installing. A flashlight app should not need your contacts or location.
Use the flash for notifications
Flash notifications are an accessibility feature that makes the LED or screen blink when you get a call or notification. They are great in noisy places, for people who are hard of hearing, or when your phone is on silent.
On iPhone
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual.
- Tap LED Flash for Alerts and turn it on.
- Optionally, turn on Flash while Unlocked and Flash in Silent Mode.
The LED flashes when the phone is locked and a notification arrives.
On Android
On Android 14 and later, including Pixel phones:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Flash notifications.
- Turn on Camera flash, Screen flash, or both.
- For screen flash, tap it to choose a color. Yellow is the default, but you can pick from several shades.
- Tap Preview to test it.
On Samsung, you'll find it at Settings > Accessibility > Advanced settings > Flash notification, with similar options and color choices.
Screen flash is the only built-in way to get a colored alert, since the camera LED itself only shines white.
Turn your screen into a colored light
Your phone's LED can only produce white light. For color, use the screen instead. It is softer and works nicely as a reading light, night light, photo fill light or party mood light.
The no-app method
- Open a solid-colored image full screen and turn the brightness up. Search for a "solid red" or "warm white" image, or create one in a drawing app.
- On iPhone, turning on Night Shift (Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift) gives any white screen a warmer, amber tone.
- On Android, Night Light (Pixel) or Eye comfort shield (Samsung) in the Display settings does the same.
Screen light apps
If you use it often, a dedicated app is quicker. These are available in the official stores at the time of writing. Check the store listing for pricing and ads.
- Screen Light Color (iPhone): turns the display into a plain color panel you can adjust on the fly.
- Lightbox: Color Screen Light (iPhone): includes warm-to-cool white tones for portraits plus mood and night light modes.
- Screen Light (Android): simple colored screen light with brightness control and a sleep timer.
- Color Flashlight (Android): a basic colored screen flashlight.
Tip: red light is the best choice if you want to protect your night vision, for example when stargazing or checking on a sleeping child.
Flashlight options compared
| Feature | iPhone | Samsung Galaxy | Google Pixel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightness control | Long-press in Control Center | Long-press tile, 5 levels | Flashlight strength slider (recent Android 16 update) |
| Beam width | Newer Dynamic Island models | No | No |
| Flash alerts | LED Flash for Alerts | Flash notification | Flash notifications |
| Colored screen alerts | No | Yes | Yes |
| Colored light | Screen apps | Screen apps | Screen apps |
Battery and safety tips
- Watch the heat. Long flashlight sessions at full power make the phone warm. Lower the brightness for extended use.
- Keep an eye on battery in emergencies. A dim flashlight lasts much longer than full blast.
- Don't shine it in anyone's eyes, especially children's and pets'. The LED is very bright up close.
- Avoid shady flashlight apps. Your phone already has a flashlight, so apps with lots of permissions or aggressive ads aren't worth the risk.
FAQ
Why can't I change my flashlight brightness on Android?
Your phone or its software may not support it. Update your phone first, then long-press the flashlight tile. Some older phones simply don't have the hardware.
Can I change the color of my phone's flashlight?
No. The LED only shines white. For color, use a screen light app or a solid-colored image on your display.
Does a dimmer flashlight save battery?
Yes, somewhat. Lower brightness uses less power and makes less heat, which helps during long use.
Why does my flashlight turn off by itself?
Phones may switch it off when they get too hot or when the battery is low. Let the phone cool, lower the brightness, or charge it.