Flash notifications use your iPhone's camera light to alert you
Flash notifications make your iPhone's camera light blink when you get a call, text, or other alert. This feature is useful if you have the sound off, are in a loud environment, or need a visual signal without sound. The setting is built into iOS and takes about 30 seconds to turn on.
Flash notifications work on iPhone 6s and newer models. The light pulses in a steady rhythm when an alert arrives, and you can customize which types of notifications trigger the flash. Once enabled, the feature runs automatically whenever your phone receives a notification.
Key Takeaways
- Flash notifications are found in Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual, not in the main Notifications menu.
- The feature works for calls, texts, and app notifications, but you control which ones trigger the flash through individual app settings.
- Flash notifications only work when your iPhone is locked or the screen is off — they do not activate while you are actively using the phone.
- The camera light will continue to flash until you unlock your phone or dismiss the notification.
Steps to enable flash notifications in Settings
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Accessibility, then tap Audio/Visual. You will see a toggle labeled LED Flash for Alerts — tap it to turn it on. The toggle will turn green when the feature is active.
After you enable LED Flash for Alerts, return to the main Settings screen. Go to Notifications and choose which apps should send you alerts. Flash notifications will trigger for any app that has notifications turned on, so you do not need to configure each one separately.
Which notifications will trigger the flash
Once LED Flash for Alerts is on, the camera light will flash for any notification from an app that has permission to send alerts. This includes incoming calls, text messages, emails, calendar reminders, and app notifications like social media or messaging apps.
If you want to prevent certain apps from triggering the flash, go to Settings > Notifications, tap the app name, and turn off Allow Notifications. The flash will not activate for that app. You can also customize whether each app sends sound, badges, or banners — the flash responds to whichever notifications you have enabled.
When the flash will and will not activate
The camera light only flashes when your iPhone is locked or the screen is off. If you are actively using your phone and looking at the screen, the flash will not activate even if a notification arrives. This prevents the light from flashing in your face while you are reading or typing.
The flash continues to pulse until you unlock your phone or swipe away the notification. If multiple notifications arrive while the screen is off, the light will flash for each one. The brightness of the flash is the same as your camera's normal flash — you cannot adjust it to be dimmer or brighter.
Turning off flash notifications
To disable flash notifications, open Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual and tap the LED Flash for Alerts toggle to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray. This stops the camera light from flashing for any notification.
You can also prevent specific apps from triggering the flash without turning off the feature entirely. Go to Settings > Notifications, tap an app name, and turn off Allow Notifications. That app will no longer send any alerts, including the flash.
Troubleshooting flash notifications that are not working
If you turned on LED Flash for Alerts but the light is not flashing, check that the app sending the notification has permission to send alerts. Go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and make sure Allow Notifications is turned on. If it is off, the flash will not activate.
Also verify that your phone is actually locked or the screen is off when the notification arrives. The flash only works in these states — if you are looking at the screen, you will not see it. If the phone is plugged in and charging, the flash may not activate for some notifications. Try unplugging it and testing again. On older iPhone models (iPhone 6 and earlier), this feature is not available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does flash notifications drain my battery faster?
No, the camera light uses very little power. Enabling flash notifications will not noticeably affect your battery life. The light only activates when a notification arrives, and it pulses for a few seconds at most.
Can I make the flash brighter or dimmer?
No, the brightness is fixed and matches your camera's normal flash output. iOS does not offer a setting to adjust the flash intensity for notifications. The light will be the same brightness regardless of your screen brightness setting.
Will the flash work if my phone is in Do Not Disturb mode?
It depends on your Do Not Disturb settings. If you have allowed certain contacts or apps to bypass Do Not Disturb, those notifications will still trigger the flash. Notifications that are silenced by Do Not Disturb will not activate the flash.
Can I set the flash to only work for calls, not texts or other apps?
No, the flash feature applies to all notifications at once. You cannot choose to flash only for calls. You can turn off notifications for specific apps in Settings > Notifications, which will prevent the flash from activating for those apps only.