The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro’s flashlights are bright but can be brighter. While the phones have some key differences, Google locks the flashlight intensity on both of them and the Pixel 7 series to 50% by default. If you need extra brightness, you need a workaround to increase it up to 100%.
Raising your Pixel 8’s flashlight intensity to 100% isn’t straightforward, as Google doesn’t make it easy to change the setting. This guide shows you how to increase your phone’s flashlight intensity safely. This guide only works for Pixel phones running Android 13 and later versions, including Android 15.
How to increase the flashlight intensity
While other Android phone manufacturers like Samsung make it easy to adjust the intensity of their phones’ flashlights, Google doesn’t provide a built-in toggle to adjust the intensity of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro flashlights.
However, buried in Android 13 and later versions of the OS, two APIs provide controls for adjusting the flashlight intensity. These settings affect the flashlight mode on your phone. However, you must install a third-party app to take advantage of them.
Various third-party apps in the Play Store can adjust your flashlight intensity from 0 to 100%. We recommend FlashDim and Simple Flashlight. Both apps are free and simple to use. They come with Quick Settings tiles and widgets, so you don’t need to open either app to turn on your flashlight. Simple Flashlight also comes with a nifty widget for your home screen.
Important things to know about your Pixel’s flashlight settings
The method described above is the best way to increase the intensity of your Pixel’s flashlight, but it has limitations. Here are some essential things to know about adjusting your Pixel’s flashlight intensity to avoid frustration or damaging your phone.
Don’t set your Pixel’s flashlight to maximum intensity for too long
Google hasn’t made an official statement about the flashlight intensity on Pixel phones, but the reason is likely heating issues. The Tensor chips inside Pixel 6 and later phones are prone to overheating when downloading mobile data, performing intensive tasks, or taking flash photography. While this issue was mostly ironed out with the Pixel 8 series, it’s likely why Google doesn’t allow its phones to reach full flashlight intensity out of the box.
Only use your Pixel 8’s flashlight above 50% for short periods. Extended use can cause it to overheat, reduce its lifespan, or damage the phone’s internal workings.
You can’t change the lock screen flashlight shortcut
The customizable lock screen shortcuts introduced in Android 14 include a flashlight toggle, but there isn’t a way to swap this for a third-party flashlight app on a Pixel device. This shortcut only opens the flashlight at 50% intensity.
How to customize your Android 14 lock screen
Show off your personality without unlocking your phone
The camera app always increases the flashlight intensity to maximum
The only time your Pixel phone increases the flashlight intensity to maximum is when recording videos or taking photos. The camera flash defaults to 100% in these scenarios.
Long recordings with the camera flash on can heat your device to dangerous levels.
Light up your surroundings with your Pixel phone
Increasing your Pixel 8’s flashlight intensity is handy, but the default setting is sufficient for most scenarios. This also minimizes the risk of overheating or damaging your phone. If you struggle to use your Pixel’s camera in dark environments, use Night Sight to take photos without the flash.
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