How to Enable LED Flash Notifications on iPhone and iPad Pro

[MacRumors]

Unlike some Android phones, Apple's iPhones don't have a dedicated notification LED that lights up when you get a call, text, or other alert. What iPhones do include is an optional Accessibility feature for the deaf and hard of hearing that blinks the rear camera flash and provides a visual cue for incoming notifications.

Even if your hearing is fine, having a visual cue for incoming alerts can be handy to have if, say, you're in a quiet environment and don't want to disturb the peace. An LED flash notification can be useful when your iPhone or iPad is lying on a table with vibration alerts off, for instance.

Follow the steps below to turn on LED flash alerts on your iPhone or iPad Pro. Just remember to leave your iOS device locked with the screen down and the rear camera system in your line of sight.

1. Launch the Settings app on your device.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Turn on LED Flash for Alerts using the toggle switch.
4. Turn on Flash on Silent if you only want LED flash alerts when your iPhone or iPad Pro is silenced.

Note that the LED Flash for Alerts option only works on iPad Pro 2016 or later models, but is compatible with all iPhones that have a rear flash feature.

Article Link: How to Enable LED Flash Notifications on iPhone and iPad Pro

 

[ghostface147]

Since my phone is always face up, I would never notice it. Apple perhaps could put a front flash instead of lighting up the screen. However I really doubt they'll add more to the front camera display.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

Since my phone is always face up, I would never notice it. Apple perhaps could put a front flash instead of lighting up the screen. However I really doubt they'll add more to the front camera display.

I do think that Retina Flash was a brilliant (excuse the pun) solution to dimly-lit selfies.

 

[tanoanian]

super annoying to anyone else in the room...

 

[JPack]

What... year is this?

This has been a feature since iPhone 5 at least.

 

[Nimrad]

Be careful. I ended up being a very weird guy when sitting just opposite of a cute girl on the train due to this. You do not wanna have to explain this.

 

[nostresshere]

Seems there could be a way to flash the FRONT screen bright - on and off for those with various visual or hearing issues.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Since my phone is always face up, I would never notice it. Apple perhaps could put a front flash instead of lighting up the screen. However I really doubt they'll add more to the front camera display.

I use a clear case with my iPhone 7. The clear case amplifies the flash and you definitely see it light up around the phone. Kind of a cool effect.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Since my phone is always face up, I would never notice it. Apple perhaps could put a front flash instead of lighting up the screen. However I really doubt they'll add more to the front camera display.

Exactly. With the face up we all can see on-screen notification alerts even if the data therein is set to private. The LED flash would most likely use a lot more power than a smaller LED of the old smartphone era.

Honestly I think Sony is the ONLY manufacturer that still uses a dedicated front screen notification LED. For the kids, you know, that red LED that the other fruit company was so famous for using until the day they died off from smartphone hardware/OS taught in history books. lol.

 

[macfacts]

What... year is this?

This has been a feature since iPhone 5 at least.

This is a workaround, not a feature.

 

[TechZeke]

super annoying to anyone else in the room...

During high school and college, it was always people who were very popular, such as athletes. They'd get texts ALL the time. Half the time I thought someone was taking pictures.

 

[SuperCachetes]

Even if your hearing is fine, having a visual cue for incoming alerts can be handy to have if, say, you're in a quiet environment and don't want to disturb the peace.

In my experience, this still disturbs all kinds of peace unless, say, your quiet environment is occupied by blind people. A camera flash is a pretty aggressive notifier.

My pre-iPhone devices had little LEDs in the cases that would be green to show they were on, and orange to show there was a notification, for example. The room would have to basically be dark for anyone to be annoyed by this. I get that orange and green LEDs are just too garish and un-color-coordinated for Apple, but how about a cute little white LED that doesn't even glow unless there's a notification, similar to the power/sleep indicator on the old MBPs?

 

[Mr Magoo]

Or you could just go to settings and enter what your searching for in the search field. So many sub menus it’s hard to find what your looking for these days in iOS.

 

[Daum]

super annoying to anyone else in the room...

Less annoying than having the entire screen light up when you get a notification. It's so distracting in meetings.

 

[Techwatcher]

This is a workaround, not a feature.

This isn't even a workaround if you have an Apple Watch.

 

[JPack]

Less annoying than having the entire screen light up when you get a notification. It's so distracting in meetings.

A strobing white flash is less annoying a notification screen?

Have you tried this feature? The LED lights up the entire room.

 

[redneckitengineer]

This was a phenominal feature when texting in a movie theater if you remember what those were

 

[Daum]

A strobing white flash is less annoying a notification screen?

Have you tried this feature? The LED lights up the entire room.

Yes I had it on my S8, and Note 8. And yes I've had iPhones 1-6. If you're in a completely dark room the led is bright but in a normal office setting, not that bad. Or you can turn it off and just have the icons pop up in the always in display. Always on display is great.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Been doing this for years and years on my iPhones. When at restaurants, for example, I keep phone face down and silent. The flashing LED lets me know someone is calling. Also, if I forget to un-mute the ringer, the LED lets me know.

Although I'm using the feature for a different purpose, it certainly has come in handy and no one complains (like many here think it would be annoying).

 

[JPack]

Yes I had it on my S8, and Note 8. And yes I've had iPhones 1-6. If you're in a completely dark room the led is bright but in a normal office setting, not that bad. Or you can turn it off and just have the icons pop up in the always in display. Always on display is great.

Most people are accustomed to seeing messages pop up on a smartphone lock screen. It's 2020. But if I were to enable LED flash notifications, most participants in the room would think my iPhone was malfunctioning. The iPhone 11 has an extremely bright flash, at least twice as bright as iPhone 6.

 

[entropys]

I automatically despise people that have a flashing led for incoming calls and notifications. Look at moi! writ large.

 

[Daum]

Most people are accustomed to seeing messages pop up on a smartphone lock screen. It's 2020. But if I were to enable LED flash notifications, most participants in the room would think my iPhone was malfunctioning. The iPhone 11 has an extremely bright flash, at least twice as bright as iPhone 6.

Yea a flash would be too much... LEDs on my Samsung depend on what kind of notification I get. They weren't too bright. But on my S10+ and Note 10+, we lost the led so I icons just pop up on the always on display. Or you can have the camera cut out ring act as an indicator. Either way, I find those features less distracting than you're whole screen lighting up and people reading your messages. Haha maybe that's just me.

 

[Prof.]

The worst people use this feature.

 

[nylonsteel]

man i feel better now still owning samsung s7 edge
small blue led on upper right front flashes unobtrusively for missed calls text mail etc.
one feature aapl should copy from samsung

 

[Jimmy James]

Apple should have the most elegant front visual notification

instead, we get a workaround on the wrong side of the phone. And that workaround is a camera flash.