Key Takeaways
- You can enable the flash on your iPhone while taking photos by opening the Camera app, tapping the Flash icon in the top-left corner, and selecting either the Auto or On option.
- Alternatively, you can access the extended camera options menu using the downward-facing arrow at the top of the screen.
- Similarly, you can enable the flash while recording videos as well.
If you’re taking a photo with your iPhone in a dark place and want to shed some light on a subject, it’s easy to turn on your phone’s built-in flash in the Camera app. The good news is that the process is the same for iPhones with Face ID and those without.
How to Enable the Flash on an iPhone
Enabling the flash on your iPhone is very simple. First, open the Camera app and switch to “Photo” or “Portrait” mode. In the top menu, you’ll see the Flash icon. Press and hold it, and you’ll see three options: Auto, On, and Flash Off.
If you select “Auto,” your iPhone will only use the flash when the Camera app detects a dark scene. If you choose “On,” the flash will always fire every time you take a photo. Choose one of these two options. You can toggle between “Auto” and “Off” by only tapping the flash icon too.
Additionally, you can enable the flash through the extended camera options menu. To do this, in the Camera app’s Photo or Portrait mode, tap the up arrow at the top of the screen.
From the menu that appears, tap and hold the Flash icon, then select whether you want the iPhone to automatically decide if the scene needs the flash, or if you want to force the flash on. Once the flash is enabled, you’ll see a special flash icon (a yellow lightning bolt) on the screen.
If you want to enable the flash while shooting video, switch to the “Video” tab, tap the Flash icon in the top-left corner, and choose between Flash Auto and On. Alternatively, you can swipe up from the space between the Video mode indicator and zoom controller to see the Flash icon. Then, tap and hold the Flash icon and choose your desired option.
No iPhone models support camera flash when using Pano (Panorama) and Time-Lapse modes.
To turn off the flash, tap the Flash icon or press and hold the flash icon and select “Off” from the menu.
You Don’t Always Need Flash
Turning on the Flash will mean turning off Night Mode photography. Night Mode uses a combination of long-exposure and on-device processing to artificially brighten a scene. You’ll notice Night Mode next to the Flash icon at the top of the screen when you’re toggling these settings.
If you want to maintain the lighting conditions as they appear in the scene (even if it’s dark) then make sure you leave Night Mode on. If you’re more concerned about making sure a subject (like a person) is well lit, the flash is a better choice.
That’s how you can enable the flash on your iPhone. Wasn’t the process easy and straightforward? You can enable the flash on your Android smartphone in a similar way.
