How to Turn On the Flashlight on Your Android Phone

Tell Google Assistant to turn on the flashlight, use the Quick Access menu, or gesture controls

By
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Writer
  • Shoreline Community College
Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .
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Published on March 2, 2023

What to Know

  • Say, “Hey Google, turn on the flashlight."
  • To use the Quick Access menu: drag your finger down from the top of the screen, and tap the flashlight tile.

This article explains how to turn on the flashlight on your Android phone, including instructions for using Quick Access, Assistant, gestures, and flashlight apps.

How to Turn On the Flashlight From Android Quick Settings

Android uses a Quick Settings menu that you can access by tapping and dragging from the top of the screen. This menu consists of a number of tiles that let you toggle various settings on and off, and it also provides easy access to more advanced settings that you can reach by long-pressing a tile.

If you don’t see the flashlight tile, swipe from right to left to check all of the tiles. You can also add this tile if it isn’t there: tap the pencil icon in the Quick Settings menu, scroll down to locate the Flashlight tile, then hold and drag the tile up into the Quick Settings menu.

Here’s how to turn on the flashlight from the Quick Settings menu:

  1. Tap and drag down from the top of the screen.

  2. Tap and drag down again to reveal the entire Quick Settings menu.

  3. Tap the Flashlight tile to toggle the flashlight on.

    Using the tile in Quick Settings on Android to turn on the flashlight.

    Tapping the tile again will turn the flashlight off.

How to Turn On the Flashlight With Google Assistant

Google Assistant is capable of turning the flashlight on and off with a simple voice command. Here’s how to turn on the flashlight with Google Assistant on your Android device:

  1. Open Google Assistant.

    You can say, “Hey, Google,” or tap the microphone icon on the search bar. Some phones also support opening Assistant with a gesture or by squeezing the device.

  2. Say the voice command, “Turn on the flashlight.”

  3. Alternatively, you can type turn on the flashlight into Assistant.

    The screens on Android when using the voice assistant to turn on the flashlight.

    Saying, “Hey, Google. Turn off the flashlight,” or typing turn off the flashlight into Assistant will switch the flashlight off.

How to Turn On the Flashlight With Gesture Controls

Some Androids allow you to turn on the flashlight with gesture controls, by drawing a pattern, shaking, or tapping your phone, but this isn’t a universal feature. Phones that commonly support gesture controls of some type include Motorola, Pixel, and OnePlus.

If you have one of these phones, but gesture controls don’t work, you may need to turn this option on. Open Settings, then type gestures into the search field to see if your phone has gesture options.

Here are some commonly used gestures to turn on an Android flashlight:

  • Motorola: Shake your phone twice in a chopping motion.
  • Pixel: Tap the back of the phone twice.
  • OnePlus: Draw a V on the screen.

Can You Turn an Android Flashlight On With an App?

If the manufacturer of your phone removed the flashlight toggle from the Quick Settings menu without providing an alternate means of activating the flashlight, you can download a flashlight app from the Google Play Store store.

This option is also available if you already have access to the flashlight through the Quick Settings menu, and some of these apps provide additional functionality you may be interested in.

For example, some flashlight apps let you activate the flashlight with a gesture control even if your phone doesn’t have native support for that feature.

After you’ve installed a flashlight app, you can create a shortcut on your home screen for easy access in the future.

Here’s how to turn an Android flashlight on with an app:

  1. Open the Play Store.

  2. Type flashlight into the search field.

  3. Select the flashlight app you want.

  4. Tap Install.

  5. Tap Open.

    Highlighted steps to choose, install, and open a flashlight app from Google Play on Android.

  6. Use the toggle in the app to turn the flashlight on and off.

    The toggle may look like a power button, a flashlight, or something else depending on the specific app you're using.

  7. To access additional options, look for a gear or menu icon.

  8. If the app supports gesture controls, and you want to use them, look for a gesture control toggle and tap it to turn it on.

    Highlighted steps to control the flashlight in a flashlight app on an Android phone.
FAQ
  • How do I increase flashlight brightness in Android?

    Not all Android phones have the option to make their flashlight brighter. To see if yours can, swipe down twice to open the full Quick Settings menu, and then tap and hold the flashlight icon. A slider may appear that lets you adjust the brightness.

  • How do I use the flashlight to show an incoming call in Android?

    You can make the flashlight blink as an indicator for calls and other notifications. Open the Accessibility section of settings, and then check the Hearing area for an option called LED Flash for Alerts. Note that this setting applies to text and app notifications along with calls.

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