iPhone and Samsung flashlight are hidden features that many people don’t know about

Most people carry their phone’s flashlight as a basic on and off device. Tap it when you drop something under the sofa or walk in a dark parking lot. That’s all.

But with recent software updates, both iPhone and Samsung phones have quietly turned the flashlight into something 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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iPhone flashlight features are almost lost

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

How to adjust iPhone flashlight brightness

For almost all iPhones:

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

This has been around for years, but many people are still tapping instead of holding. This is where the real control resides.

How to change iPhone flashlight beam width (Pro models)

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

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

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

That means:

• A small beam = it is better to see ahead
• A broad framework = it is better to light 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 Lock Screen

You don’t even need to unlock your phone:

• Press and hold i flashlight icon on the Lock Screen

It opens instantly, much faster than digging through menus.

How to use Siri to control your iPhone flashlight

You can say:

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

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

Security experts are warning that the public leak of DarkSword could turn the iPhone threat into a serious threat to users running older Apple software. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)

Bonus: Use the 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 open it Flash Notifications

Your flashlight will flash for calls and notifications, which helps if your phone is turned on or in a noisy environment.

Samsung flashlight features you should know

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

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

How to adjust Samsung flashlight brightness

For most Samsung Galaxy phones:

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

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

How to activate Samsung flashlight with your voice

If you use the Google Assistant:

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

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

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How to customize Samsung flashlight access

Samsung offers you several ways to keep the flashlight easily accessible. To save it to your main Quick Settings panel:

• Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings
• If you don’t see the flashlight icon on the main panel, press the button pencil icon planning
• Tap Organize
• Find out A flashlight available buttons
• Hold and drag the flashlight icon in the Quick Settings main area
• Tap Done or Save it if ordered

Bonus: Use the Samsung flashlight to receive notifications and notifications

Samsung phones can also use a flashlight for visual notifications:

• Go to Settings
• Tap Accessibility
• Tap Advanced settings
• Tap Flash notifications
• Open it Camera flash notification

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

Where iPhone and Samsung flashlight features actually matter

This is where it comes into play:

• Traveling at night: a narrow beam helps you see ahead
• Power outage: A wide beam lights up the room
• Looking for something close to: low light avoids severe glare
• Emergency situations: Quick access can save time

Once you start fixing the lamp instead of just turning it on, it becomes more useful.

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As Samsung switches to Google Messages, many people are getting confusing alerts that can be easily misinterpreted. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s priority is taking

The flashlight is one of the most used features on your phone, yet most people don’t go beyond the basics. Apple has developed control over hardware and software, while Samsung has focused on convenience and customization. Both methods make a simple tool very powerful.

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

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