IPHONE
How to turn on Flash for Alerts on an iPhone (iOS 27)
In short
Open Settings, Accessibility, Audio & Visual and tap Flash for Alerts at the bottom. Turn on Flash for Alerts and choose LED Flash, Screen or Both. Flash in Silent Mode was on and Flash While Unlocked off on our iPhone 17e.
4 of 4 steps show a real screenshot from our iPhone 17e. Each step was checked against the maker's own instructions, linked at the end.
Steps
- 1
Tap Flash for Alerts
In Settings, Accessibility, Audio & Visual, it is at the bottom under Visual. Ours said Off.
- 2
Turn on Flash for Alerts
The Flash for Alerts switch is at the top of the page.
- 3
Choose what flashes
LED Flash was ticked on ours. Screen flashes the display, Both does both. Flash While Unlocked and Flash in Silent Mode are below.
- 4
Turn it off again
Flip the Flash for Alerts switch off. LED Flash stayed ticked on ours, ready for next time.
If you do not see this option
- Which light? Apple says it is the LED next to the camera lens on the back. Source: Flash the iPhone screen or indicator light for notifications
If this does not work
- No flash while using the phone? Turn on Flash While Unlocked.
- The light never works? Check the torch too: iPhone camera or flash not working: fixes to try.
- No flash in Silent mode? Flash in Silent Mode must be on. Apple describes it as making the indicator light flash even when the iPhone is in Silent mode, so with it off the light stays dark while the phone is silenced.
- Some notifications do not flash? The flash goes with an alert, so it can only fire when the notification itself is allowed. Check that app's notification settings. An app with notifications turned off will not make the light blink either.
- A case hides the light? Apple's flash advice starts with removing any case, film or accessory that might block the flash. A thick or dark case that covers the camera area can make LED Flash hard to see, so try Screen or Both instead.
Good to know
If alerts do not arrive at all, see iPhone notifications not showing: 7 settings to check.
Turning it on changes nothing else. Sounds and vibration keep working as before, and the flash is added on top. To undo it, go back to the same page and turn the Flash for Alerts switch off. Your choice between LED Flash, Screen and Both is remembered for next time.
Each flash uses a little battery, so a phone that gets many notifications will use slightly more power. If that matters, mute the noisiest apps rather than turning the flash off. Apple groups this feature with its hearing accessibility settings. If you also want a stronger buzz, see turn on keyboard vibration on an iPhone.
About this guide
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Accessibility › Audio & Visual › Flash for Alerts
- Real screenshots
- 4 of 4 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 3 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Spotted a mistake? Menus change with updates, and we want every step to match your screen. Email us about this page or use the contact form. We read every report, and fixes are listed on What changed.
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