"Why won't my flashlight turn on?" If your iPad Pro or iPhone flashlight isn't working or is grayed out, of course you'll want to fix it as quickly as possible. After all, most of us use our iPhone flashlight on a daily basis! Let's go over how to get your iPhone light working again, whether you have an older phone like the iPhone 6 or 7, or a newer phone from the iPhone 11 or 12 line. Show
Related: How to Turn Your iPhone Flashlight On & Off with Back Tap (New for iOS 14) iPhone Flashlight Not Working? Here's How to Fix Your iPhone FlashlightWe've already gone over how to open the flashlight from your iPhone's Control Center and from the Lock Screen, and how to make your flashlight brighter and dimmer. But, what happens when the flashlight on your iPhone is not working, or the iPhone flashlight icon is grayed out? We'll do some iPhone troubleshooting below and fix your iPad Pro or iPhone flashlight (keep in mind that only iPad Pros with a rear camera flash have flashlight capabilities). For more free iPhone tutorials, check out our free Tip of the Day. Let's begin. Jump To
Flashlight Won’t Work & Flashlight Button Is Lit Up as NormalIs It Your Case?This sounds a bit silly, but we have to start with the simplest explanations first. Have you recently changed your iPhone case? If your new case is blocking your iPhone's camera lenses and flash, you'll need to take it off. Also, if your case is magnetic or metallic, it may interfere with your iPhone camera. Contact Apple SupportIf your iPhone flashlight won't turn on, but the Flashlight icon or button is not greyed out, you may have a hardware problem, and it's time to contact Apple support. If you purchased your device within the last 90 days, you have free complimentary support. If you paid for Apple Care+ or another insurance plan, your device can be repaired for the cost of a service fee or deductible. Flashlight Icon Grayed Out? How to Fix Your iPhone FlashlightIs Your iPhone Charged?Here's another simple explanation for the flashlight on your iPhone not working; battery level. If your iPhone is in Low Power Mode, the amount of power your device uses is restricted, and you'll be unable to use several features. Low Power Mode stays on until your iPhone has charged to 80%, or until you turn Low Power Mode off. Is Your iPhone Too Hot or Too Cold?You've probably already heard that you shouldn't do things such as leave your phone in a hot or cold car or anywhere else where its temperature is below -4 F or above 113 F. If your iPhone gets too warm, several things happen. Charging will slow or stop, and your display will dim or even go black, your camera flash will be disabled until your phone cools, and more. So, if your phone is too hot or cold, let it return to its optimal operating temperature, but don't put it in the refrigerator or freezer to speed the process. Close the iPhone Camera AppThe flashbulb used by your iPhone's Camera app is the same one used by your iPhone's flashlight. You can't use both features at the same time, so if your Flashlight icon is grayed out, close the Camera app and see what happens. Turn the Flash Off & On in the Camera AppTurning the flash on, then off again, while in Video mode in the Camera app has worked for a few people in this Apple discussions thread. Alternately, some people have had success with turning the flash on while in the Camera app, then quitting the app. To do this:
Restart Your iPhone or iPadIf you have any work in progress in apps without an autosave function, save your work and close out of those apps. Then, reboot your iPhone (turn your iPhone off, then on again). Hard Reset Your iPhone or iPadIf restarting your iPhone or iPad didn't fix your flashlight problem, try a hard reset. The process is slightly different for iPhones without Home buttons and those with Home buttons. Change Your Control Center SettingsA few people in Apple forums have fixed their iPhone flashlight by removing the flashlight from the Control Center, then adding it back. Here's how:
Hard restart your iPhone, then go back to Customize Center Settings and add the flashlight back by tapping the plus symbol in the green circle next to Flashlight in Control Center Settings. Reset All iPhone SettingsIf tweaking your Control Center settings didn't help, you can also reset all the settings on your iPhone or iPad Pro. Taking this step won't lose any of your data, but you will have to go back and reset any custom settings you've added. To do this:
Update to the latest iOSI know we're always mentioning updating your iPhone's software in these troubleshooting articles but, that's because it helps! If your iPhone isn't updated to the latest version of iOS, take a few minutes and update now. This may be the solution to not only your flashlight issue, but other small glitches and bugs you've been experiencing. Restore Your iPhone from an iCloud BackupIf your flashlight still isn't working, try restoring your iPhone from an iCloud backup you made before the problem began. Restore Your iPhone to Factory SettingsThis is your last option to solve software issues before contacting Apple Support. When you factory reset your iPhone, your data will be deleted, so you'll want to back up to iCloud before taking this step. Contact Apple SupportIf you've tried all these troubleshooting steps and your flashlight icon is still grayed out, call Apple support. Master your iPhone in one minute a day: Sign up here to get our FREE Tip of the Day delivered right to your inbox. |