To turn flash notifications on or off on an iPhone, open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Audio & Visual, tap Flash for Alerts, and switch Flash for Alerts on or off. With it on, you can have the light on the back of the phone, the screen, or both blink when a notification arrives.
Apple calls this feature Flash for Alerts. It is an accessibility setting, which is why it is not in the Notifications menu. The steps below follow Apple’s Flash the iPhone screen or indicator light for notifications guide, checked in October 2026 for iOS 27 and iOS 26.
What You Need
- An iPhone on iOS 26.2 or later to see all three choices. Apple’s iOS 26 update notes list the screen flash as an addition in iOS 26.2.
- An older iPhone still works, but the setting has a different name and only uses the rear light. See the older-version section below.
- Notifications turned on for the apps you care about. The flash is tied to notifications, so an app that sends none gives the phone nothing to flash for.
How to Turn Flash Notifications On
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Tap Audio & Visual.
- Tap Flash for Alerts.
- Turn on the Flash for Alerts switch. More choices appear once it is on.
- Select LED Flash, Screen, or Both.
The change applies right away. There is no save button, so you can go back to the Home Screen when you are done.
How to Turn Flash Notifications Off
If your iPhone blinks every time a text or call comes in and you did not expect it, this setting is the cause. Follow the same path to switch it off.
- Open Settings and tap Accessibility.
- Tap Audio & Visual, then tap Flash for Alerts.
- Turn off the Flash for Alerts switch.
Turning the switch off only stops the blinking. It does not change your notification settings, so banners, sounds, and vibrations are left as they were. It also has nothing to do with the camera flash or the flashlight, which are controlled separately. For a steady light, see how to turn on the flashlight on an iPhone.
Choose What Flashes and When
With Flash for Alerts on, Apple lists three choices for what blinks:
- LED Flash: the indicator light on the back of the iPhone flashes. Apple describes it as the LED (a small, bright light) next to the camera lens.
- Screen: the iPhone screen flashes.
- Both: the light and the screen flash together.
Two more switches control when the light flashes:
- Flash While Unlocked: when on, the indicator light flashes even while the iPhone is unlocked. Turn it off if the light bothers you while you are using the phone.
- Flash in Silent Mode: when on, the indicator light flashes even when the iPhone is in Silent mode. Turn it off if you want the flash only when the ringer is on.
Which option to pick
Think about how the phone usually sits. The LED is on the back, so it is easiest to see when the iPhone is face down. The screen is on the front, so Screen makes more sense when the phone is face up. Both covers either position. For a closer look at the rear light option, see how to make the iPhone flash for notifications with the LED.
How to Check That It Worked
Lock the iPhone, set it down so you can see the side you chose, and have someone call or text you. The light or screen should blink as the notification arrives. If you turned the feature off, the same call or text should arrive with no blinking.
To undo either change, go back to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Flash for Alerts and flip the switch the other way.
Older iOS Versions
The names and layout changed over time, so match the steps to what your phone shows.
| iOS version | Where the setting is | What you can change |
|---|---|---|
| iOS 26.2 and later, iOS 27 | Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Flash for Alerts | LED Flash, Screen, or Both, plus Flash While Unlocked and Flash in Silent Mode |
| iOS 18 (per Apple’s iOS 18 guide) | Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > LED Flash for Alerts | Rear light only, plus Flash While Unlocked and Flash in Silent Mode |
| Earlier versions (per Apple’s older article) | Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > LED Flash for Alerts | Rear light only, plus Flash on Silent. Works only while the device is locked. |
The last row comes from Apple’s Get LED flash alerts on your iPhone or iPad article, which also lists the iPad models with the feature.
Troubleshooting Flash Notifications
- You cannot find the setting. It is under Accessibility, not Notifications. On older versions, look for LED Flash for Alerts directly on the Audio & Visual (or Audio/Visual) screen.
- There is no Screen or Both option. Those arrived in iOS 26.2. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to see whether a newer version is available for your iPhone.
- The light does not flash while you use the phone. Turn on Flash While Unlocked. On the oldest versions, the flash works only when the device is locked.
- The light does not flash when the phone is silenced. Turn on Flash in Silent Mode. Apple’s Silence iPhone page explains how to check whether Silent mode is on.
- One app never triggers a flash. Go to Settings > Notifications, tap the app, and make sure Allow Notifications is on. A Focus such as Do Not Disturb may also hold notifications back.
- The screen still flashes after you turned off the light. Open Flash for Alerts and check whether Screen is selected, or turn the main switch off.
- The light stays on instead of blinking. That is the flashlight or the camera flash, not this feature. See how to turn off the flashlight on iPhone or how to turn off the light when recording video on iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my iPhone flash when I get a notification?
Flash for Alerts is turned on. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Flash for Alerts and turn the switch off.
Can I make the iPhone flash for only some apps?
Apple’s guide does not list a per-app choice inside Flash for Alerts. The practical way to limit it is to turn off notifications for apps you do not want alerts from, using Apple’s notification settings. Keep in mind that this stops all of that app’s notifications, not just the flash. Our guide on how to silence notifications on iPhone covers the options.
Who is Flash for Alerts meant for?
Apple says it is useful if you cannot hear the sounds that announce calls and other alerts, or if you might miss them in a noisy place. Anyone can turn it on.
Does Flash for Alerts work on iPad?
On some models. Apple’s older article lists iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Pro (10.5-inch), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) and later, all iPad Pro 11-inch models, and iPad mini (6th generation). The labels on your iPad may differ from the iPhone steps above.
Does the flash use extra battery?
Apple’s guide does not say. Each flash is brief, but if you get a lot of notifications and battery life is a concern, you can limit when it fires by turning off Flash While Unlocked.
Next Steps
If a single flash is easy to miss, you can also get repeat text message alerts. To adjust vibrations instead, see how to turn off System Haptics and other vibrations.
Seeing a phone-and-keyboard icon at the top of the screen? That is another hearing accessibility feature. Here is how to remove the TTY phone icon on iPhone.
If one app’s alert sounds are the bigger annoyance, you can silence just that app. Here is how to turn off notification sounds for the ESPN Fantasy app, or turn off ESPN Fantasy app notifications completely.
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.