Your Apple Watch has a flashlight feature — here’s how to turn it on
Quick steps to light up your Apple Watch

Now you've set up your Apple Watch, you're probably wondering what features to explore first. While the Apple Watch has some serious capabilities, such as tracking heart rate zones and walkie talkie mode, sometimes it's the simpler features that prove most useful in daily life.
Whether you own one of the best Apple watches or an earlier model, the flashlight feature can be surprisingly handy — from finding your keys in a dark car to navigating your way around a campsite.
What makes this feature particularly clever is its adjustable brightness and multiple light modes, letting you choose the perfect illumination for any situation. Let's dive into how you can turn on your Apple Watch flashlight.
1. Access the control center
Press the side button to open Control Center, where you'll find quick access to your watch's most useful features.
2. Activate the flashlight
Locate and tap the flashlight button in Control Center to turn on the light.
3. Choose your light mode
Swipe left or right to select between different light modes, each designed for specific situations.
When you're finished, swipe down from the top of the watch face to turn off the flashlight.
Now you've learned how to turn on your Apple Watch's flashlight, why not explore some of our other articles. You might 5 features to try first on your Apple Watch useful, or the best Apple Watch apps in 2025. And if you want to know how to unpair an Apple Watch, we've got you covered.
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Kaycee is Tom's Guide's How-To Editor, known for tutorials that skip the fluff and get straight to what works. She writes across AI, homes, phones, and everything in between — because life doesn't stick to categories and neither should good advice. With years of experience in tech and content creation, she's built her reputation on turning complicated subjects into straightforward solutions. Kaycee is also an award-winning poet and co-editor at Fox and Star Books. Her debut collection is published by Bloodaxe, with a second book in the works.
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