Flash notifications blink your phone’s LED flash — or the whole screen — when a call, message or alert arrives. They were built as an accessibility feature for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, and they’re equally useful in loud workshops, concerts, silent meetings, or any time your phone stays on mute. This page covers setup on every major platform, plus honest advice on which mode to pick.
Enable LED flash alerts on iPhone
- Open Settings → Accessibility.
- Tap Audio/Visual under the Hearing section.
- Turn on LED Flash for Alerts.
- Optionally enable Flash on Silent so alerts flash only when the ringer is off.
Enable flash alerts on Android / Samsung
- Open Settings → Accessibility.
- Tap Advanced settings (Samsung) or Hearing enhancements depending on your device.
- Select Flash notification.
- Choose Camera flash, Screen flash or both.
Camera flash vs screen flash — which should you pick?
| Camera (LED) flash | Screen flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Brighter, visible across a room | Whole display lights up |
| Phone face-up | Easy to miss | Clearly visible |
| Battery impact | Higher with many notifications | Minor |
| Night friendliness | Harsh | Softer, colour-adjustable on some phones |
Practical advice: enable both for a week, notice which one you actually respond to, then keep that one.
Who benefits most from flash alerts
Deaf and hard-of-hearing users rely on them as a primary alert channel — pairing flash with vibration covers nearly every situation. Beyond accessibility: factory and kitchen workers, musicians, parents of sleeping babies who keep phones on silent, and anyone who leaves their phone across the room while working.
Two honest caveats
Battery: the LED uses meaningful power. If you receive hundreds of notifications daily, prefer screen flash or limit flash alerts to calls only (possible on Samsung and recent Android versions).
Photosensitivity: flashing light can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. If that applies to you or people around you, use vibration-based alerts instead.
Quick answers
Can I get flash alerts only for certain apps?
On Samsung and Android 14+, yes — the flash notification settings include app exclusions. On iPhone, LED Flash for Alerts applies to all notifications.
Why doesn’t my flash blink when the phone is unlocked?
By design on iPhone: LED alerts fire only when the phone is locked. If you’re actively using the phone, the notification banner is considered enough.
Do flash alerts work in Do Not Disturb mode?
Generally no — DND suppresses alerts including the flash, except for contacts and apps you’ve allowed through. Check your DND exceptions if alerts seem inconsistent.
My flash notification stopped working after an update. What now?
Re-toggle the setting off and on — updates occasionally reset accessibility flags. If that fails, check that Battery Saver isn’t active and that the camera flash itself works in the camera app.