iPhone and Samsung flashlight hidden features most people don’t know

Most people treat their phone flashlight like a basic on and off switch. You tap it when you drop something under the couch or walk through a dark parking lot. That’s it.

But with the latest software updates, both iPhone and Samsung phones have quietly turned the flashlight into something much more useful. You can control how bright it is. On some devices, you can even change how wide the beam spreads.

Once you know where to look, it feels like you just upgraded your phone without spending a dollar.

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Both iPhone and Samsung phones have quietly turned the flashlight into something much more useful. (Silas Stein/picture alliance)

iPhone flashlight features you’re probably missing

Your iPhone flashlight does more than turn on and off, and a few hidden controls can completely change how you use it.

How to adjust iPhone flashlight brightness

On almost all iPhones:

• Swipe down from the top right to open Control Center
• Press and hold the flashlight icon
• Drag the vertical slider up to increase brightness or down to lower it

This has been around for years, but many people still tap instead of holding. That’s where the real control lives.

How to change iPhone flashlight beam width (Pro models)

This is the feature most people have never seen. On newer Pro iPhones running the latest software:

• Swipe down to open Control Center
• Press and hold the flashlight icon
• When the flashlight control appears at the top of the screen, swipe left or right to adjust the beam width

You can go from a narrow, focused beam to a wide flood of light.

That means:

• Narrow beam = better for seeing farther ahead
• Wide beam = better for lighting up a full area

This feature was introduced in iOS 18 and is still available in iOS 26.4, but it only works on iPhone 14 Pro and newer Pro models, including iPhone 15 Pro and later versions. You won’t see it on standard models.

How to turn on iPhone flashlight from the Lock Screen

You don’t even need to unlock your phone:

• Press and hold the flashlight icon on the Lock Screen

It turns on instantly, which is faster than digging through menus.

How to use Siri to control your iPhone flashlight

You can say:

• “Hey Siri, turn on the flashlight.”
• “Set flashlight to 50 percent.”
• “Hey Siri, turn off the flashlight.”

It’s one of the fastest hands-free options when your hands are full.

The flashlight is one of the most used features on your phone, yet most people never go beyond the basics. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)

Bonus: Use iPhone flashlight for alerts and notifications

Your iPhone can use the flashlight as a visual alert:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Accessibility
• Tap Audio/Visual
• Scroll down and turn on Flash for Alerts

Your flashlight will blink for calls and notifications, which helps if your phone is on silent or in a noisy place.

Samsung flashlight features you should know

Samsung takes a different approach and, in some ways, gives you more flexibility right out of the box.

Note: Settings may vary depending on your Samsung device model and One UI version.

How to adjust Samsung flashlight brightness

On most Samsung Galaxy phones:

• Swipe down to open Quick Settings
• Press and hold the flashlight icon
• Use the brightness slider (labeled “Brightness”) to adjust the light level

Many people miss this because a quick tap only turns the flashlight on or off. The brightness controls appear after you press and hold, giving you more control depending on your situation.

How to turn on the Samsung flashlight with your voice

If you use Google Assistant:

• “Hey Google, turn on the flashlight.”
• “Hey Google, turn off the flashlight.”

It works well when your hands are full or when you need quick access.

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How to customize Samsung flashlight access

Samsung gives you a few ways to keep the flashlight within easy reach. To keep it in your main Quick Settings panel:

• Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings
• If you do not see the flashlight icon in the main panel, tap the pencil icon to edit
• Tap Edit 
• Find Flashlight in the available buttons
• Hold and drag the flashlight icon  into the main Quick Settings area
• Tap Done or Save if prompted

Bonus: Use the Samsung flashlight for alerts and notifications

Samsung phones can also use the flashlight for visual alerts:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Accessibility
• Tap Advanced settings
• Tap Flash notifications
• Turn on Camera flash notification

You can also turn on Screen flash notification if you want your display to light up instead.

When iPhone and Samsung flashlight features actually matter

This is where it becomes practical:

• Walking at night: a narrow beam helps you see farther ahead
• Power outage: a wide beam lights up more of the room
• Looking for something nearby: lower brightness avoids harsh glare
• Emergency situations: faster access can save time

Once you start adjusting the light instead of just turning it on, it becomes far more useful.

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Apple improved control with hardware and software, while Samsung focused on flexibility and customization. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

The flashlight is one of the most used features on your phone, yet most people never go beyond the basics. Apple improved control with hardware and software, while Samsung focused on flexibility and customization. Both approaches make a simple tool far more capable.

Have you ever discovered a hidden feature on your phone that made you wonder what else you’ve been missing? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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