watchOS 4 brought several new features to the Apple Watch, including a new flashlight function that lights up the face of the Apple Watch so you can have an extra light when you're digging around in a bag, trying to open a door in the dark, or wherever else you might require a little bit of light.

It doesn't put off as much light as an iPhone screen, but it's handy in a pinch, especially since it's a hands-free light source.

applewatchflashlightwatchos4
Apple has also designed the flashlight to be a safety feature for runners and bicycle riders. At night, you can turn it on and have it flash, making other people out on the road aware of your presence.

Accessing the Flashlight

  1. While wearing the Apple Watch, raise your wrist up to illuminate the screen.
  2. Swipe up from the bottom to bring up the Control Center.
  3. Tap on the icon that looks like a miniature flashlight.
  4. Your Apple Watch display will now light up at maximum brightness.
  5. Close the flashlight by swiping down to dismiss it or by pressing the Digital Crown.

Changing Flashlight Modes

There are three flashlight modes in total - pure white, flashing white, and red. Changing between them is simple:

  1. With the flashlight active on the initial bright white display, swipe to the left.
  2. This switches the flashlight to the second display mode, which is a flashing black and white.
  3. Swipe to the left a second time to access the red light.
  4. Swipe right again to cycle through modes.
  5. Close the flashlight by swiping down to dismiss it or by pressing the Digital Crown.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

decimortis Avatar
98 months ago
Yawn. Android Wear.... 2015.
Really? Dammit!

*cancels Watch order and goes searching for Android Wear
*changes mind

This isn't an article claiming to have re-invented the wheel. It's a how-to article.
Honestly people, pull your heads out of your arses.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
geoffm33 Avatar
98 months ago
Why? Just why?
Apple has also designed the flashlight to be a safety feature for runners and bicycle riders. At night, you can turn it on and have it flash, making other people out on the road aware of your presence.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bystander Avatar
98 months ago
Thanks! Kinda illuminating I guess.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Avieshek Avatar
98 months ago
Yawn. Android Wear.... 2015.
Always remember, Android came inspired from Apple.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macs4nw Avatar
98 months ago
I could see the use for a red face when you are assisting in an emergency situation. I have been unlucky enough to have had to do that a few times. Having a quick red light to be able to wave around at night and get peoples attention would not be the worst thing...
Couldn't help but thinking that red light feature could also be useful in a certain famous 'district' in Amsterdam.....
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Iconoclysm Avatar
98 months ago
Yawn. Android Wear.... 2015.
Wait, you mean Android Wear added a native flashlight that copies the flashlight apps from 2010 in 2015? You must have really yawned on that day.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

iPhone Foldable Display Said to Feature iPad-Style 4:3 Aspect Ratio

Friday March 28, 2025 3:44 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming "iPhone Fold" will feature a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, according to a Chinese leaker who previously leaked the book-style device's display dimensions. The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple will adopt a "roughly" 4:3 aspect ratio on the inner display in order to achieve consistency between the outer display, as well as to ensure parity...