How to turn off flash notifications on iPhone

Is your iPhone® flashing every time you get a phone call or text? Don’t worry, it’s not taking your photo. The LED flash signals that you have a new notification. It’s a handy feature, especially if you have a hearing impairment or don’t want to look at your phone screen every 10 seconds.

Sometimes, though, you don’t need your phone lighting up like you’ve got a pocketful of fireflies. So, how do you turn the flash notification on your iPhone off?

Asurion Experts can help you use your tech to its full potential. Whether you’re curious about the latest iOS® 18 features—yes, flash alerts are one of them—or need help setting up your new iPhone, we’ve got answers. Here’s how to disable flash alerts on your iPhone in just a few steps.

Why you might want to turn off flash notifications

The last thing you want to do is miss an urgent call from your doctor or your kid’s school. When you turn on flash alerts, you’ll get a hard-to-miss cue that someone’s trying to contact you. Convenient.

But these notifications aren’t always necessary. If you’re trying to lock in for a work project, seeing your phone flash whenever you get a notification can be downright distracting. Suddenly, you’re glancing at the screen every few minutes to see why it’s lighting up. Goodbye, concentration.

The alerts also use the camera flash, which might annoy people around you. Someone sitting at a nearby cafe table may assume you just took a picture of them. Awkward. Plus, it drains your battery faster. That’s bad news if you’re spending a weekend camping or on a long trip away from a charger.

And don’t forget about the risk of light sensitivity. Sure, flash alerts are one of iPhone’s accessibility features, but they may trigger people with epilepsy and other medical conditions. Ask your doctor if you’re concerned about how LED alerts could affect you.

Steps to turn off iPhone flash notifications

Here’s how to switch off LED notifications for your iPhone:

• Go to Settings and tap Accessibility.
• Under Hearing, choose Audio & Visual.
• Tap LED Flash alerts and turn them off. Gray means off; green is on.

Don’t want to completely stop flash notifications? Turn on Flash on Silent. That means you’ll only get an alert when you use silent mode, which disables your ringtone and vibrate. It’s handy for situations when you can’t play sound—like during class or a meeting—but still want to see incoming notifications.

Troubleshooting if the flash still blinks

Following this flash notification guide should disable the LED alerts. But if it’s still lighting up with every text and voicemail, try these flash alert troubleshooting tips:

• Restart your iPhone after you’ve adjusted the notification settings. Sometimes, that’s all it takes for your device to remember what it’s supposed to do.
• Go back into the Audio & Visual tab, and make sure you’ve turned off both LED Flash for Alerts and Flash on Silent. If you only turn the first option off, you’ll still see the blinking light when your phone is on silent.
• A random bug may be affecting your iPhone alert settings. Updating iOS to the latest iOS version could fix this issue.
• If you still can’t turn off the LED notifications on your iPhone, try resetting your Accessibility settings.

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FAQ

Can I turn off flash notifications on iPhone for specific apps only?

Yes, you can absolutely customize iPhone notifications for each app. Go to Settings and tap Apps. Choose an app to manage iPhone alerts, including changing sounds and turning flash on or off. For example, you may prefer to get flash alerts for iMessages® but not for the mobile game that pings you every time your character wants a snack.

Will disabling flash alerts affect other notifications?

No, the flash alert settings are separate from other types of notifications. If your iPhone currently vibrates and flashes for every phone call, it will still vibrate even if you switch off the LED alert.

How do I turn flash notifications back on later?

If you decide to turn off LED flash alerts, it only takes a few steps to switch them back on. In the Settings app, tap Accessibility and then Audio & Visual. Choose LED Flash for Alerts and toggle them back on.