(Pocket-lint) – If you need the ability to quickly turn your phone into a portable flashlight, there are several different options.
Your phone’s built-in flash isn’t just for taking pictures and can easily be used to light up a room or light your way.
With modern Android smartphones, it is no longer necessary to download a flashlight app because the torch is integrated directly into the operating system. Follow our guide to discover different ways to activate it when you need it.
How to turn on your torch from notification shade/quick settings
For the latest Android phones, the option to turn on your torch is perhaps most easily accessible from the quick settings area. This is where all your notifications appear and where you normally access them.
To turn on your flashlight or torch (it may be marked as either), follow these steps:
- Swipe down from the top of your phone screen to access quick settings
- Look for the flashlight icon at the top
- Press it to turn it on and press it a second time to turn it off
If you don’t see it, it might be in another part of the quick settings menu. Sometimes you have to swipe down again to expand the quick settings menu and see more options.
On Google Pixel phones, you can also swipe left and right to browse more options and you might find it there.
You can also find an option to change what appears in the quick settings menu and where. Look for an edit or pencil button in the quick settings menu and tap it. Then you should see an option to add the flashlight button or reposition it to a useful place.
Turn on the flashlight with Google Assistant
If you want to have a little more hands-free time when you need to light your torch, you can also do so with your voice.
With a few voice commands, you can turn on your flashlight using Google Assistant.
- Open Google Assistant by saying “Hey Google” or “Ok Google”
- Then follow the command “Turn on the flashlight” or “Turn on the torch”
- The light will then turn on
Repeat the process to turn it off again (saying “Ok Google, turn off the flashlight”). You can also use say “Ok Google, flashlight” and you will get the same result.
If you’re a bit of a Harry Potter geek, you can also turn on your flashlight using the wizard controls. To do this, say “OK Google” followed by “Lumos” or “Nox” to turn your flashlight on or off, respectively.
How to turn on the flashlight with gestures
On some Android phones, it is possible to turn on your torch with a simple gesture. This is a move or action that allows you to activate quick actions like lighting your torch.
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- Open your phone settings
- Find gestures
- Check if there is an option for the flashlight in there
On Android 13, it is possible to use the “Quick Tap” gestures which can be found in the gesture settings. You can set it up so that a quick tap on the back of your phone turns on the torch.
On some Motorola phones, you can turn on the torch by shaking your phone in a certain motion.
On OnePlus phones, there is an option to turn on the flashlight with “Screen off gestures”, these involve writing permission on the screen when the phone is off. So you can just draw a letter like O, V, S, M or W and light the torch. Find “Screen off Gestures” in settings to enable it.
Written by Adrian Willings.