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iPhone and Samsung flashlight tricks you should know

Most people own phone flashlight like a basic on and off switch. You touch it when you drop something under the couch or walk through a dark parking lot. This is it.

However, with the latest software updates, both iPhone and Samsung phones We’ve quietly transformed the flashlight into something much more useful. You can control how bright it is. On some devices, you can even change the beam’s spreading width.

Once you know where to look, you’ll feel like you’ve upgraded your phone without spending a dollar.

10 iOS 26 Tips to Help You Get More Out of Your iPhone

Both the iPhone and Samsung phones have quietly transformed the flashlight into something much more useful. (Getty Images)

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

On almost all iPhones:

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Scroll down Click in the upper right corner to open the Control Center.
Press and hold flashlight icon
Drag the vertical slider up to increase brightness or down to decrease brightness

This has been around for years, but many people still touch rather than hold. This is where real control lives.

This is a feature that most people don’t see. Open newer Pro iPhones running the latest software:

Scroll down To open Control Center
Press and hold 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.

This means:

narrow beam = better for seeing farther
wide beam = better for illuminating the entire area

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

You don’t even need to unlock your phone:

press and hold flashlight icon On Lock Screen

It opens instantly, which is faster than navigating menus.

You can say:

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

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

Two teenagers looking at their iPhones — The flashlight is one of the most used features on your phone, but most people never go beyond the basics.

Your iPhone can use its flashlight as a visual alert:

Scroll down and open Flash for alerts

Your flashlight will blink for calls and notifications; This helps if your phone is in a quiet or noisy place.

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 One UI version.

On most Samsung Galaxy phones:

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

Many people overlook this because a quick tap just turns the flashlight on and off. Brightness controls appear after you press and hold, giving you more control depending on your situation.

if you use Google Assistant:

“Hey Google, turn on your flashlight.”
“Hey Google, turn off your flashlight.”

It comes in handy when your hands are full or you need quick access.

10 Incredibly Useful iPhone and Android Tips to Make Your Life Easier

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 open Quick Settings
If you don’t see the flashlight icon in the home panel pencil icon to organise
To find Torch on available buttons
Hold and drag the flashlight icon into the main Quick Settings area.
Faucet Complete or save if desired

Samsung phones can also use the flashlight for visual alerts:

Hungry Camera flash notification

You can also open Screen flash notification If you want your screen to light up instead.

This is where it becomes practical:

Walking at night: a narrow beam helps you see further
Power outage: a wide beam illuminates more of the room
I’m looking for something nearby: low brightness prevents harsh glare
Emergencies: faster access can save time

It becomes much more useful when you start adjusting the light instead of turning it on.

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

Have you ever discovered a hidden feature on your phone that makes you wonder what else you’re missing? Let us know by writing to us. cyberguy.com

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