How to turn flashlight on or off on Android (5 Ways)

Have you ever found yourself in the dark and needed a light handy? In this situation, your phone can come to the rescue. Your Android phone has a built-in flashlight that not only brightens your pictures but also doubles as a torch.

Here, I’ll guide you through various methods to quickly turn on or off the flashlight on your Android phone. Whether searching for something in a dimly lit room or walking at night, this handy feature will help you quickly.

How to turn on or off flashlight using Android Quick Settings

1. Open the notification panel by swiping down the screen from the top edge.
2. Tap the Flashlight tile.
   
   

If you don’t find the Flashlight icon, pull down the notification panel to expand it. However, if the Flashlight tile is missing, follow the steps below to add it to your quick settings panel.

If the Flashlight tile is missing from Quick Settings, add it:

1. Open the notification panel and expand it.
2. Tap the edit button (pencil icon).
3. Tap and hold the Flashlight tile. 
4. Now drag the time to the Quick Settings panel.
   
   

There you go! You can now turn the flashlight on or off from your Quick Settings area.

How to access flashlight from Android lock screen

Let’s say you’re in a hurry, your phone is locked, or you want to turn the flashlight on or off quickly. Your lock screen has another shortcut for this.

1. Press the power button or double-tap the screen.
2. Tap the flashlight icon in the bottom left or right corner.
   
   

However, you might not find this icon, as some Androids have other options, like Camera or Home, instead of the flashlight. Follow the steps below to add the flashlight shortcut to your lock screen.

Add flashlight shortcut to the lock screen

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Tap Display → Go to Lock Screen.
   
   
3. Now tap Shortcuts.
4. Select the Left or Right shortcut according to your wish.
5. Tap the Flashlight tile to add it.
   
   

After that, check the lock screen to find the flashlight icon in the bottom corner.

How to use Google Assistant to turn on or off flashlight

If you are busy with some work and your phone is not easily accessible, you may turn on the flashlight with Google Assistant hands-free.

1. Launch the Google Assistant by saying ‘OK Google‘ or ‘Hey Google.’
2. Give the command ‘turn on the flashlight‘ or ‘turn off the flashlight.’

Quick tip for the Potterheads: On Android, use the command ‘Lumos‘ to turn the Flashlight on. When you wish to turn it off, say ‘Nox.’ And there you have it! A little bit of magic for you. 😉

How to use Quick Tap to toggle on or off flashlight on Android

What can be more convenient than using a quick gesture to turn on the torch on your Android phone? You can assign the Quick Tap action to toggle the flashlight.

1. Launch Settings → Go to System.
2. Tap Gestures.
   
   
3. Select Quick Tap to start actions.
4. Toggle on Use Quick Tap.
5. Tap Toggle flashlight.
   
   

That’s it! You can now double-tap the back of the device to turn the flashlight on/off.

While the Quick Tap gesture works for Google Pixel, different Android devices have different gesture options. For instance, you can draw a V on OnePlus and turn the flashlight on.

Use third-party apps to use flashlight on Android

While the methods mentioned above are pretty straightforward, many third-party apps offer cool flashlight settings and shortcuts you can try. For instance, Action Blocks by Google lets you create custom block buttons on the home screen to toggle flashlights on your Android.

Create a custom flashlight action block on your Android home screen

1. Download the Action Blocks app by Google from the Play Store and launch it.
2. Tap + Create action block.
3. Go to Custom action.
   
   
4. Type turn on the flashlight.
5. Tap Test action to test whether it works.
6. Now, hit Next.
7. Type the Action block name → tap Save action block.
   
   
8. Select Add to home screen, and you can adjust the block size and shape on the home screen.
   
    

Similarly, you can also add the action block to turn the flashlight off on your Android home screen.

Additionally, several dedicated flashlight apps can help you turn the flashlight on and off by shaking your phone. On the other hand, some apps assist with adjusting the flashlight intensity, i.e., you can dim your flashlight level. I recommend giving Shake Flashlight a try.

Shake your phone to turn on or off Flashlight on Android

Once you install the Shake Flashlight app on Android, follow the steps below.

1. Open the app → Hit the Kebab menu in the top right corner.
2. Tap Shake to switch to turn it on.
3. The app would ask for specific permissions. Allow those, and you’re set.
4. Now, you can shake your Android device to switch the flashlight on or off.
   
   

However, not all Android devices fully support this feature. Therefore, you might need to keep the screen on or even bring the app in the foreground to use the shaking function.

Illuminate your way!

‘Lumos!’ says a character in the wizard world of Harry Potter, and there is light. Unfortunately, we don’t have a wand to do that for us. But our Android devices are no less than magic in our hands. Now that you know different methods to enable and disable the flashlight on your Android quickly, pick the one that works best for you.

Mention in the comments if you have any questions.

Read more:

• How to find a lost Android phone
• How to add Google Search Bar to home screen on Android
• Best Android 14 hidden feature you must try