Flashlight Online: Torch in Your Browser
Switch on your phone's camera flash straight from the browser, or turn the whole screen into a soft light. Steady, strobe and SOS modes, no app to install.
The torch needs camera permission. Tap the screen light to turn it off.
How the online flashlight works
There are two ways a web page can make light. The first is your phone's camera flash, the LED next to the rear camera. Some browsers let a website switch it on as a torch while the camera is open. Press Turn on torch, allow camera access, and the LED lights up. The page does not record or show any video; it opens the camera only because that is the switch the flash hangs off.
The second is your screen. Screen light fills the display with a single colour at full size, which is enough to find a keyhole, read a menu in a dark restaurant or light a face on a video call. Turn your brightness up for the strongest light. Pick a colour first if you want something other than white.
Which phones can use the camera flash?
Chrome, Edge, Samsung Internet and other Chromium browsers on most Android phones support the torch. Safari on iPhone and iPad does not let websites control the flash, and neither does Chrome on iOS, because every iOS browser uses Safari's engine underneath. Laptops and desktop webcams have no flash. On those devices the page tells you, and switches to the screen light instead, rather than pretending.
If your Android phone has several rear cameras, the tool tries each one until it finds the camera that owns the flash. If the camera app is already open, close it first, because only one app can hold the camera at a time.
Steady, strobe and SOS
- Steady keeps the light on until you turn it off.
- Strobe flashes at 1 to 10 flashes per second. Use it to get attention, mark your position or test a camera's flicker handling.
- SOS flashes the international distress signal in Morse code: three short, three long, three short, then a pause, repeating.
Strobe on the screen light produces bright flashing that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Do not point it at other people, and stop if you feel unwell.
Keep the torch running
The page asks your phone to keep the screen awake while the light is on. Browsers turn the camera off when you switch apps or lock the screen, so the torch goes out if you leave the page. If you need a light for a long time, your phone's built-in torch in the quick settings panel will keep going with the screen off and uses less power.
How bright is a phone torch?
A phone's LED flash gives roughly 20 to 50 lumens, enough to light a room or a path a few metres ahead. A full-screen white light at maximum brightness is softer and more spread out, closer to a reading light. Neither replaces a proper torch for walking at night or working under a car bonnet.
Online flashlight: frequently asked questions
Can a website turn on my phone flashlight?
On most Android phones, yes. Chrome and other Chromium browsers let a page switch on the camera flash as a torch after you allow camera access. iPhones do not allow it.
Why does the torch not work on my iPhone?
Safari does not let websites control the camera flash, and every browser on iOS uses Safari's engine. Use Screen light, or the torch in Control Centre.
Does the flashlight record video?
No. The camera is opened only because the flash is controlled through it. No picture is shown, saved or sent anywhere.
Why does the light go off when I lock my phone?
Browsers release the camera when a page is hidden. Keep this page open with the screen on while you need the light.
What is SOS in Morse code?
Three short flashes, three long flashes, three short flashes, then a pause. It is recognised worldwide as a call for help.
Is the screen light safe for my eyes?
Yes, at normal use. Avoid staring at a full-brightness screen in a dark room for long, and do not use strobe near anyone with photosensitive epilepsy.