How to turn the iPhone camera flash on and off in iOS 26

Apple’s iOS 26 brings with it a big Liquid Glass design change, and the Camera app has had a refresh to go with it. Some features have moved, including the humble flash.

Whenever Apple releases a big new software update, it tends to change the way its most commonly used apps work.

For iOS 18 users, the flash is front and center in the Camera app. It can be found in the top-left of the screen, while a tap enables or disables it at will.

But with iOS 28, the Camera app’s interface has been simplified. That simplification might leave you hunting for features you’ve been using for years, including the flash.

Thankfully, the flash and many other relocated features aren’t far away. In fact, accessing the camera flash couldn’t be easier — you just need to know where to find it first.

How to enable and disable the camera flash

When you launch the Camera app on your iOS 26 iPhone, things will be different from what you’re used to.

The flash, for example, has been moved to the other side of the display. Now, it’s located in the top-right corner of the screen in portrait orientation, or the top-left in landscape.

Tap it, and you’ll toggle through the Off and Auto options. You’ll need to press and hold and select On to turn the flash on manually.

No matter which selection you make, the setting will stick until you change it again.

Tap the little flash icon to toggle the flash setting

Choosing which mode to use will depend on your preferences and the photo you’re trying to take. Turning the flash on for all future photos could be useful if you like to flood your shots with light, for example, even during daylight.

Alternatively, the auto feature would be the best of both worlds — the flash will fire when your iPhone deems it necessary because of low light.

Some may prefer to leave their flash off no matter what. This is the best option if you’d prefer to let Night Mode work its magic instead.

That’s all there is to it when it comes to basic operations.

How to fully enable and disable the camera flash

It only takes a couple of taps if you do decide that you’d prefer the camera flash to always be on or off when taking photos.

The long press

Perhaps the quickest way, long-press on the flash icon, and a new list of options will appear. Here, you can tap Auto, On, or Off at will.

Press and hold the flash icon for more options

Tap anywhere else on the screen, and the menu will disappear.

The options route

Alternatively, you can choose to tap the menu button instead. It’s the two rows of three dots in the top-right (or left in landscape) corner of the screen.

The result is the same regardless of the route you take. A long press may be an accessibility issue for some, so it’s good that a second option is available.

Tap the two rows of six dots for more options

Next, tap the Flash button to cycle through the same options: Auto, On, and Off.

You’ll also find more settings waiting for you in there, too. Options there include controlling the Live Photos feature, setting a timer, adjusting the exposure, and more.

The iOS 26 update brings a number of improvements to the iPhone upgradesto Control Center, refinements to the Photos app, and more.