How to Make Your iPhone Flash for Alerts

LED flashing light alerts can be super useful in quiet environments

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Updated on July 19, 2022

What to Know

Open the Settings app > tap General > Accessibility.
Scroll down to the Hearing section. Toggle on the LED Flash for Alerts menu.

This article explains how to turn on LED flash alerts for your iPhone push notifications. The LED flash for alerts is available on iPhones 4 or newer and iOS 5 or later.

How to Turn On iPhone LED Flash Alerts

Once turned on, your phone's flash will now blink when you have alerts or incoming calls.

Tap the Settings app on your home screen.
Tap General.
Tap Accessibility.
Scroll down to the Hearing section. The setting is located here because this feature was originally designed for people with hearing impairments who can't hear their phones ringing when calls come in or alerts are sent.
Find the LED Flash for Alerts menu.
Move the slider to On (indicated by the color green).

How It Works

Once you have the feature turned on, you're done! The phone does the rest. When you get a phone call, voicemail, or push notification, the LED will flash to get your attention.

It's crucial to keep your phone screen-side down because the phone's only LED flash is on its back, you won't be able to see the light if your phone is resting on its back.

About LED Flash Alerts

With this kind of alert, the LED (or light-emitting diode)—used as the flash for your iPhone's camera—blinks when you have an alert. These LED flash alerts allow you to know when you need to check your phone without looking at the screen or having the volume turned on. This is a perfect option for a quiet environment where don't want to be too distracting.

LED light on iPhone — Sergej Pushkin/Getty Images

How to Turn Off Flash on Your iPhone

Want to hear sound again with your alerts? Just follow the steps above and move the slider to the Off position instead.

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