Apple iPhone features a built-in flashlight that comes in handy when you enter low-light areas. However, there are times when your iPhone flashlight fails to work. Fortunately, there are some workarounds for fixing your iPhone flashlight not working.
This tutorial includes all the possible fixes for the iPhone flashlight not working issue. Before we move forward, it’s a good idea to update your iPhone devices to the latest firmware to see if the problem is fixed.
First, why your iPhone flashlight fails to work?
There are several reasons why your light source does not work as intended on your iPhone. Usually, the problem lies in a software bug or glitch that prevents the flashlight from working properly. Sometimes, the cause may be an outdated firmware update that causes the feature to malfunction. No matter the reason, there are still possible fixes for it.
How to fix iPhone flashlight not working
Method 1: Close the Camera app
If your iPhone flashlight is not working, then there’s a good chance that your phone’s camera is now turned on. In fact, with the camera app now open, the flashlight fails to take control of the LED, thus preventing it from working. So, it’s a good idea to turn it off.
The process of closing the Camera app varies depending on which iPhone model you are using.
- On an iPhone X or newer, swipe up and hold on the center of your screen and finish up with a swipe-up to close the app
- On an iPhone 8 or older, hit the Home button twice and then swipe up to turn off the Camera.
Method 2: Restart your device
A reboot sometimes can fix many software problems and bugs. By doing so, you temporarily reset some of your iPhone’s settings that prevent the flashlight from working.
To do this, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button on your iPhone until you see the “Slide to power off” screen. Now, shut the phone down and then turn it back on.
Method 3: Reset your iPhone settings
If the problem still persists, try resetting your device’s settings. This will set your iPhone’s wallpaper and alarms back to their default settings without compromising your data.
To do this, launch the Settings app on your iPhone, then select General from the list. From here, tap Reset and hit Reset all Settings. Now confirm your action.
Method 4: Perform a hard reset
A hard reset won’t delete your iPhone’s data and settings as it mainly refreshes the memory in which apps run. The process also varies depending on which iPhone model you are using.
- On an iPhone X or later, press and hold the Side button and Volume Down buttons at the same time. When you see the “slide to power off” screen, let go of the Side and Volume Down buttons and move the slider to the right to shut down your Phone. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on by pressing and holding the Side button.
- On an iPhone 8 or earlier (except iPhone 7): Hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time. Keep the buttons pressed until the power off slider shows up.
- On iPhone 7, hold down the Volume button and Sleep/Wake button at once until the Apple logo appears. Let go of the buttons and wait for the phone to restart.
Method 5: Restore iPhone from the most recent backup
If you already have a backup of your phone, then you can restore your device back to it. This will take your device back to a more stable stage. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your device and then tap General.
Step 2: Hit Reset and hit Erase All Content And Settings, and confirm your action.
Step 3: Enter your Apple ID and tap Erase. Now, wait for the progress bar to complete.
Step 4: Sign in to your iCloud while your phone is rebooting.
Step 5: Now tap Restore from iCloud backup from the Apps & Data screen
Step 6: Select the backup you wish to restore from and follow the instructions to complete the Restore process.
Method 6: Factory Reset
If none of the above solutions works, then it’s time to perform a factory reset. This will delete the data so make sure you have backed up your device before proceeding.
Step 1: Launch the Settings app and select Reset at the bottom
Step 2: Tap Erase All Content and Settings. You will be asked to enter your passcode
Step 3: Tap Erase to confirm and then the process should begin (it may take several minutes). Once it’s done, you need to set up your iPhone as new or restore it from a backup.
If nothing works, you are probably facing hardware issues. In this case, you need to contact Apple support. If your device is under an Apple warranty, you should have your flashlight repaired for free.
