The iPhone flashlight is a simple but essential feature—until it suddenly stops working. Whether the flashlight icon is greyed out, won’t turn on, or turns off by itself, the issue is usually easy to fix without visiting a repair shop.
This guide explains why your iPhone flashlight isn’t working and provides step‑by‑step solutions to get it working again.
Common Reasons Why iPhone Flashlight Stops Working
Before jumping into fixes, it helps to understand the possible causes:
- Camera app is using the flash
- Low battery or overheating
- iOS software glitch
- Camera or flashlight hardware issue
- Restricted system settings
- iOS update bugs
Quick Fix Checklist (Try These First)
✅ Lock and unlock your iPhone
✅ Close the Camera app completely
✅ Charge your iPhone above 20%
✅ Let the phone cool down if it’s hot
If the flashlight still doesn’t work, continue below.
1. Close the Camera App Completely
The flashlight and camera share the same LED flash. If the Camera app is open—or frozen—the flashlight won’t work.
How to fix:
- Swipe up from the bottom (or double‑press Home)
- Close the Camera app
- Try turning the flashlight on again
2. Force Restart Your iPhone
A force restart clears temporary system glitches.
Steps by model:
- iPhone 8 or later:
Press Volume Up → Volume Down → Hold Power button - iPhone 7 / 7 Plus:
Hold Volume Down + Power - iPhone 6s or earlier:
Hold Home + Power
Once restarted, test the flashlight.
3. Check Flashlight from Control Center
Sometimes the flashlight works but the lock‑screen shortcut doesn’t.
Steps:
- Open Control Center
- Tap the Flashlight icon
- Press firmly (or long‑press) to adjust brightness
If brightness is set to zero, the flashlight will appear broken.
4. Check Low Power Mode & Battery Level
Low battery or Low Power Mode can limit system functions.
What to do:
- Disable Low Power Mode (Settings → Battery)
- Charge iPhone above 20–30%
5. Let Your iPhone Cool Down
If your iPhone overheats, iOS temporarily disables the flashlight.
Signs:
- “iPhone needs to cool down” message
- Flashlight icon greyed out
✅ Remove case
✅ Avoid direct sunlight
✅ Wait 5–10 minutes
6. Update iOS to the Latest Version
iOS bugs can affect flashlight functionality.
Steps:
- Go to Settings
- Tap General
- Select Software Update
- Install the latest version
Always back up before updating.
7. Reset All Settings (Safe Option)
This resets system settings without deleting data.
Steps:
- Settings → General
- Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap Reset
- Choose Reset All Settings
This often fixes flashlight and camera issues.
8. Test the Camera Flash
If the camera flash doesn’t work either, it may be a hardware issue.
Test:
- Open Camera
- Switch to Photo
- Turn Flash ON
- Take a picture
❌ No flash = possible LED failure.
9. Check for Physical or Water Damage
The flashlight LED is sensitive to damage.
Look for:
- Cracked camera lens
- Water exposure
- iPhone recently dropped
Hardware damage requires professional repair.
10. Restore iPhone (Last Software Fix)
⚠️ Only try this after backing up your data.
Steps:
- Back up iPhone (iCloud or computer)
- Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings
- Restore from backup
If the flashlight still fails, hardware repair is likely needed.
When to Contact Apple Support
Contact Apple or an authorized repair center if:
- Flashlight & camera flash both fail
- Flashlight icon is permanently greyed out
- iPhone experienced water damage
- Reset and restore didn’t work
Final Thoughts
In most cases, a non‑working iPhone flashlight is caused by software glitches, low battery, or overheating—not hardware failure. Simple fixes like closing the Camera app, restarting your phone, or updating iOS usually solve the problem within minutes.
Quick Fix Summary
✅ Close Camera app
✅ Force restart
✅ Check brightness level
✅ Charge battery
✅ Update iOS
✅ Reset settings
