Flashlight & Strobe

How to use the flashlight

1. Tap the bulb. The first time, your browser asks for camera access — that is how a web page reaches the LED next to the camera.
2. If your phone lets the browser control the LED, the torch comes on. If not, the page turns the whole screen bright white instead; raise your screen brightness to the maximum for the most light.
3. Choose Steady for a constant light or Strobe for a flashing one, and set the strobe speed with the slider.
4. Tap again, or Close light, to switch off.

LED torch or screen light — which you will get

A phone's LED belongs to its camera, and browsers only expose it through the camera. Chrome on most Android phones can switch it on. Safari on iPhone and iPad does not give web pages that control, so there the tool uses the screen. The screen light is weaker than the LED but it is even and soft, which makes it better for reading a menu, lighting a face on a video call or finding a keyhole without dazzling anyone.

Keep the page open and in front. Phones switch the camera off, and the LED with it, when the tab moves to the background or the screen locks.

Strobe speed and safety

Strobe speed is measured in hertz, which is flashes per second; the slider runs from 1 to 15 Hz. A slow flash of 1 to 2 Hz is the easiest to notice from a distance and is the kindest on the battery, which is why it suits being seen at night while walking or cycling.

Flashing light can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Flashes between about 3 and 30 per second are the most likely to do so, and accessibility guidelines advise staying at or below three flashes a second. Do not point a strobe at people, and avoid fast settings around anyone who may be sensitive.

Battery and heat

The LED is one of the hungriest parts of a phone. Left on, it warms the phone and drains the battery noticeably within half an hour. Use it in short bursts when the battery is low; the screen light at reduced brightness lasts far longer if you only need to see a few steps ahead.