How to Turn Off Flashlight On iPhone: 4 Easy Ways

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By Sarah Kingsbury
March 10, 2025

What to Know

  • You can use Siri to turn your iPhone flashlight on and off.
  • The Control Center has a flashlight icon you can use to switch the flashlight on and off, and adjust the brightness.
  • The most convenient way to turn the flashlight on and off is from the Lock Screen.

You can access your iPhone flashlight from your Lock Screen, Control Center, or by asking Siri. We'll show you how to use each method to turn the flashlight on and off. As an added bonus, we'll also show you how to adjust the brightness of your iPhone flashlight.

Where Is the Flashlight on iPhone & iPad?

You can find the flashlight icon in the Control Center, or you can access it from your Lock Screen. You can also ask Siri to turn the iPhone flashlight on or off. The LED flash in your device's camera doubles as a flashlight. That means all iPhones and iPads have the flashlight feature, including older models like the iPhone 4, all the way up through the newest iPhones. You can turn the flashlight on and shut off the flashlight in almost the same ways across each device. Below, we'll show you all the ways to turn on the flashlight, as well as how to turn off flashlight on iPhone.

1. How to Turn the iPhone Flashlight On & Off Using Siri

Asking Siri to turn the flashlight on can save you from fumbling with your iPhone in the dark. To turn the off the flashlight (or turn it on) with Siri, you can either say, "Hey Siri," or just "Siri" if you have iOS 17 and newer, or long-press the Side or Home button to wake Siri up. Here’s how to turn your flashlight off and on using Siri:

  1. To turn on flashlight, say, "Siri, turn on my flashlight" or "Hey Siri, flashlight on, please." To turn on flashlight, say, "Hey Siri, turn on my flashlight." or "Hey Siri, flashlight on, please."
  2. To turn it off, say something like, "Hey Siri, turn off the flashlight," "Hey Siri, switch off my flashlight," or "Siri, shut off the flashlight." To turn it off, say, "Hey Siri, turn off the flashlight," "Hey Siri, turn off my flashlight," or "Hey Siri, shut off the flashlight."
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Pro Tip:

If you have iOS 17 or later installed, but Siri doesn't activate when you say "Siri" instead of "Hey Siri," open the Settings app, and tap Siri & Search. At the top, tap Listen for and make sure the option to listen to "Siri" or "Hey Siri" is selected. Now both voice commands will activate Siri.

If you don't have Siri enabled, you can still ask Siri to turn the flashlight on and off. If voice commands to activate Siri aren't working, or you haven’t enabled Siri on your iPhone, you can simply press and hold the Side button until Siri activates. The commands above should still work the same way.

2. How to Turn the Flashlight Off & On in the Control Center

You can access your flashlight from the Control Center of any iPhone and most iPads, but the method for getting to the Control Center differs depending on which model iPhone you have. If your flashlight icon is missing from the Control Center, you will need to re-add the flashlight icon to your Control Center. Here's how to turn the flashlight on and off from the Control Center.

  1. Swipe down from the upper right corner of your screen to open the Control Center. iphone home screen with a red arrow pointing down from the top right
  2. Tap the flashlight icon turn it on. iphone control center with a red box around flashlight icon
  3. Tap the flashlight icon again to turn the flashlight off. iphone control center displaying flashlight ui with a red box around flashlight icon
  4. You can also adjust the brightness of your flashlight by tapping the Flashlight icon in the Dynamic Island (if your iPhone does not have a Dynamic Island, tap and hold the Flashlight icon in the Control Center instead). iphone home screen displaying a flashlight icon in the dynamic island and a red box around the dynamic island
  5. You can swipe left and right to expand and narrow your flashlight beam (if your iPhone does not have a Dynamic Island, you will have a segmented bar instead, which you can use to adjust the brightness of the flashlight). iphone control center with flashlight UI and red arrows pointing left and right
  6. If you want to turn up the flashlight on your iPhone, swipe up and down to adjust the brightness. iphone control center with flashlight UI and red arrows pointing up and down
  7. Tap the Flashlight icon to turn it off. iphone control center with flashlight UI and a red box around the flashlight icon

That's how to use the Flashlight from your Control Center!

3. How to Turn On the Flashlight on iPhone from the Lock Screen

If you own an iPad Pro or an iPhone X or later, you can also turn your flashlight on from your Lock screen without opening the Control Center. By turning the flashlight on from the Lock screen, you can skip the trouble of having to unlock your iPhone in order to light the way. If you like tips like this about using your Apple devices, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day.

  1. On the Lock Screen, press the flashlight icon to turn the flashlight on. On the Lock Screen, press the flashlight icon to turn the flashlight on.
  2. Press the flashlight icon again to turn the flashlight off. Press the flashlight icon again to turn the flashlight off.

The iPhone flashlight will remain on while you use your iPhone until you turn off the flashlight or open your Camera app. If your iPhone has a Dynamic Island, you can adjust the brightness by tapping the icon, as seen in the previous section.

A Lock Screen Trick to Shut Off the Flashlight on iPhone

Opening the Control Center and fumbling for the right icon to turn off the flashlight can feel like too many steps—especially if you prefer not to allow access to Control Center from your Lock screen or don't have Siri enabled. Here’s how to turn off the flashlight on iPhone without opening the Control Center.

  1. From the Lock Screen, swipe left as though to access the Camera and release before reaching the halfway point. From the Lock Screen, swipe left as though to access the Camera and release before reaching the halfway point.
  2. The Flashlight will turn off, and you’ll still be on the Lock Screen. The Flashlight will turn off, and you’ll still be on the Lock Screen.

That's how to turn off the flashlight using the camera. Your iPhone’s camera flash and flashlight use the same bulb, so opening the Camera app turns the flashlight off.

4. Quickest Way to Turn Off Flashlight with the Action Button

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, your device has an Action Button. This handy button can be used to perform a variety of actions with a single press, including the flashlight. Check out our article on how to customize the Action Button on the iPhone to find out how to quickly turn off the flashlight on iPhone.

And that's everything you need to know about operating your iPhone's flashlight. Now, you'll never have to stumble to the fridge at midnight in the dark!

FAQ

  • Can I remove the flashlight from the Lock Screen on my iPhone? You can! The latest version of the iOS allows you to edit your Lock Screen shortcuts. You can even remove them entirely. Find out how to change Lock Screen shortcuts on your iPhone.
  • How can I get the flashlight on my iPhone? You don't need to download a flashlight app for your iPhone. This is because your iPhone flashlight uses your camera flash. You can access the iPhone flashlight by tapping the flashlight icon on your Lock Screen or in your Control Center.
  • Does the iPad have a flashlight? Yes. The iPad, iPad Pro, and the Apple Watch all have flashlights. On the iPad, you can turn the flashlight on and shut off the flashlight in almost the same ways as with the iPhone.
  • Can Siri dim my flashlight for me? You can't ask Siri to make your flashlight brighter or dimmer yet, but it's possible that the option will be available in a future operating system.
  • Is there a shortcut to turn on the iPhone flashlight? Yes. If you set up Back Tap in your iPhone’s accessibility settings you can turn your flashlight on and off just by tapping the back of your phone.
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written by

Sarah Kingsbury

As the Editorial Director at iPhone Life, Sarah Kingsbury manages the online editorial team and oversees all website content. She is a long-time Apple enthusiast who never goes anywhere without her Apple Watch and owns way too many HomePods. Since joining iPhone Life in 2013, Sarah has done everything from writing hundreds of how-to articles to founding the Daily Tip newsletter. She even co-hosted the early episodes of the iPhone Life Podcast. When not at work, Sarah can be found hiking in the mountains and canyons around Las Vegas, where she lives with her partner and dogs.

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