To stop the light from turning on when you record video on an iPhone, open Camera, switch to Video, and tap the Flash control (the lightning bolt) until it is set to Off. Do this before you tap Record. Apple says the camera is set to use the flash automatically when needed, which is why the light can come on by itself in a dim room. If the light is on when you are not in the Camera app at all, that is the flashlight, and you turn it off in Control Center.
What you need to know first
The small LED on the back of the iPhone, next to the camera lenses, does three jobs. It is the camera flash, the flashlight, and the optional blinking light for notifications. Each job has its own control, so the first step is working out which one is on.
These steps follow Apple’s iPhone User Guide for iOS 27, with separate notes for iOS 26 and iOS 18. Camera controls move around between iOS versions and iPhone models, but the Flash control uses the lightning bolt icon in all of them. You do not need any extra app or accessory.
Turn off the video light in Camera (iOS 27 and iOS 26)
This is the shortest route. The Flash control sits above the camera frame by default.
- Open the Camera app.
- Tap Video, or swipe across the camera modes until Video is selected.
- Tap the Flash control above the camera frame. Each tap switches between Auto, On, and Off.
- Stop when it is set to Off.
- Tap the Record button. The light should stay off for the whole clip.
Apple documents these flash settings in Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot. That page describes setting the flash before you shoot, so choose Off before you start recording instead of trying to change it in the middle of a clip.
If you do not see the Flash control
The tools above the camera frame can be customized, so the lightning bolt may have been removed. Use the camera tools menu instead:
- In Camera, select Video.
- Tap the Camera Controls button, or swipe up from the camera modes at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Flash, then tap to switch between Auto, On, and Off.
- Tap the screen to close the menu.
To keep the lightning bolt visible all the time, go to Settings > Camera > Indicators and turn on Flash. Apple also lets you add tools back above the frame: open the camera tools menu, tap Edit, tap a tool to add it, then tap Done. Reset to Essentials in that same menu returns the default tools.
Turn off the video light on iOS 18
The idea is the same on iOS 18, but the layout is different. Apple’s iOS 18 guide gives two options:
- Tap the Flash button (lightning bolt) on the camera screen to turn the automatic flash on or off.
- Tap the Camera Controls button, tap the Flash button below the frame, then choose Auto, On, or Off.
On older versions, an Apple Support Community reply describes the flash button as being at the top left of the screen in Video mode. If your iPhone looks different from any of these descriptions, look for the lightning bolt. The icon has stayed the same even when its position has changed.
What Auto, On, and Off mean
| Setting | What happens | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | The iPhone decides whether to use the light, based on how dark the scene is. | You are happy to let the camera choose. |
| On | The light is used every time. | You are filming somewhere dark and want the extra light. |
| Off | The light is not used. | You are filming through glass, filming people up close, or do not want to draw attention. |
Auto is the reason the light seems to turn on by itself. Off is the only setting that keeps it off in every room.
Check that it worked, and how to undo it
Look at the lightning bolt before you record. Apple’s steps let you switch between Auto, On, and Off with the same control, so the icon tells you which one is active. A short test clip in a dim room is the quickest check: if the back of the phone stays dark, the setting took.
To undo the change, tap the Flash control again and choose Auto or On. Nothing else on the phone changes. Your flashlight and notification settings are separate.
Apple’s list of camera options that can be saved between sessions, under Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings, does not include the flash. For that reason, glance at the lightning bolt each time you open Camera, especially before filming something you cannot repeat.
The light is on but you are not recording
That is the flashlight, which uses the same LED. Apple’s flashlight guide lists four ways to turn it off:
- Control Center: swipe down from the upper-right corner (or up from the bottom on an iPhone with a Home button) and tap the Flashlight button.
- Siri: say something like “Siri, turn off my flashlight.”
- Lock Screen: if the flashlight button is on your Lock Screen, press it.
- Action button: on models that have one, and if you assigned it to Flashlight, press and hold it.
For the full walkthrough, see how to turn off the flashlight on iPhone.
The light blinks when a call or message arrives
That is Flash for Alerts, an accessibility feature that blinks the LED, the screen, or both for notifications. It has nothing to do with the camera. To turn it off, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Flash for Alerts and turn off Flash for Alerts, as described on Apple’s Flash for Alerts page. Our guide to turning flash notifications on or off covers the options in more detail.
Troubleshooting
The light still comes on in Video mode
Check the Flash control again with Video selected, not Photo. If it shows Auto, the iPhone can still use the light in a dark scene. Set it to Off, then record a short test clip.
The light comes on in another app
The steps in this article are for Apple’s Camera app. Apps that record their own video, such as social media or messaging apps, usually have their own flash button inside their camera screen. Look for a lightning bolt in that app. Apple’s Camera setting may not carry over.
The flash behaves unpredictably
Apple’s support article If the camera or flash on your iPhone isn’t working suggests removing any case, film, or accessory that could block the flash, then testing the LED with the flashlight in Control Center. If the flash works only sometimes, Apple says to open Camera and tap the flash button to choose a different setting. After that, restart the iPhone and update to the latest version of iOS. If it still misbehaves, Apple recommends getting service.
Tips for filming without the light
Turning the light off can leave a dim scene looking dark. These options are documented by Apple and do not involve the LED:
- Add light to the scene. Move toward a window or lamp, or turn on the room lights.
- Adjust exposure. Tap the screen where you want the focus, then drag the exposure control next to the focus area up to brighten the picture. Touch and hold the focus area until you see AE/AF Lock to keep those settings.
- Using Action mode? Apple says it works best in bright light. For dim scenes, go to Settings > Camera > Record Video and turn on Action Mode Lower Light on supported models.
- Keep the phone steady. A tripod or a stable surface reduces blur. Apple recommends a tripod for low-light time-lapse video on iPhone 12 or later.
- Stop the iPhone from switching lenses. See how to lock the camera lens when recording video.
Apple’s Record a video with your iPhone camera page lists the video modes and settings available on each model.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the light turn on by itself when I record?
The flash is set to Auto. Apple says the iPhone camera is set to use the flash automatically when needed, so it comes on in dark scenes. Tap the Flash control and set it to Off.
Can I turn the light off after I have started recording?
Apple’s instructions describe choosing the flash setting before you shoot, and they do not describe changing it during a recording. The reliable approach is to stop the clip, set Flash to Off, and start a new recording.
What is the green dot at the top of the screen?
It is a privacy indicator, not a light you can switch off. Apple says a green dot appears at the top of the screen whenever the camera is in use.
Does turning off the flash for video also turn it off for photos?
Do not assume it does. Apple’s guide does not say whether Photo and Video share one flash setting, so check the lightning bolt after you switch modes.
Does this work on an iPad?
Apple’s flashlight article says the LED flash on an iPhone or iPad Pro doubles as a flashlight, so an iPad Pro has the same light. This article covers the iPhone Camera app only. If you film on an iPad, see how to turn the camera grid on or off on iPad (or how to get the grid on an iPhone camera) to help line up your shots.
How do I open the Camera faster?
Swipe left on the Lock Screen. On models with the Camera Control, you can click it instead. See how to open the Camera from the iPhone Lock Screen.
Next step
Open Camera now, select Video, and set Flash to Off so it is ready the next time you film. If you want the lightning bolt always in view, turn on Flash under Settings > Camera > Indicators.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.