Why Does My iPhone Flashlight Turn On By Itself and How To Turn It Off Quickly?

Users report that their iPhone flashlight turns on by itself or turns it on frequently by mistake. While most reports point to the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, this is due to an iOS update that adds a flashlight shortcut to the iPhone lock screen.

This is the iPhone flashlight issue that some users have been complaining about and what you need to know about what you can do about it.

Users so far ask Apple How to remove flashlight shortcut from iPhone X lock screen and some users to ask, “How do I accidentally turn on the flashlight?” It’s also an ongoing joke from Nick Wiger on Twitter. says“My favorite feature of the new iPhone is how simple it is to accidentally turn on the flashlight”.

If you keep turning on your iPhone flashlight accidentally or wondering if it turns on on its own, you’re not alone. Here’s what people said.

iphone x is cool and there are a lot of times when i accidentally catch myself with my flashlight on

— ᴍᴀᴅɪsᴏɴ ᴍᴜsᴄᴀᴛ (@mads_brooke) January 29, 2019

i swear the flashlight on iphone x always goes out it’s going to kill me

– Abigayle! (@abbeycasarez) January 28, 2019

Flashlight on iPhone X turns on by itself. Then you have to toggle it on and off to turn it off. I’m so confused.

– Erica (@ericasaysyes) January 29, 2019

There is clearly an iPhone flashlight issue for some users, but the shortcut is also loved by many users. It is the fastest way to turn on the flashlight and some users find it indispensable.

On a personal note, I often accidentally hang up on someone when I take the iPhone out of my pocket. That’s probably what’s happening here, just by accidental pressing of the flashlight button. You can try putting the iPhone in your pocket with the bottom of the phone at the bottom of your pocket, so you’re less likely to accidentally press the flashlight button when you take it out of your pocket.

You can’t remove the iPhone flashlight shortcut from the lock screen, but if there are enough users complaining to Apple, we may see an option added to the settings in iOS 13 or a smaller iOS update later this year. It would be surprising to see Apple completely remove the shortcut for all users, but an option would make sense.

By the way, on iPhone 8 and older models, you can quickly turn off the iPhone flashlight by swiping the iPhone halfway to the right, which briefly activates the camera, turns off the flashlight.

Another option is to open the camera app from the lock screen, but you can simply press the flashlight icon. You can also use Siri to turn off the flashlight. Say “Hey Siri, turn off the flashlight”. or “Hey Siri, turn off the torch.

Finally, you can go to Control Center to turn off the flashlight or 3D tap the flashlight icon in Control Center to change the brightness of the flashlight.