About the Online Flashlight
Need a quick light? This page turns your whole screen into an even light panel in white, warm white, red or green. Red light helps you see in the dark without ruining your night vision, which is useful for stargazing and reading maps at night. An SOS mode flashes the international distress signal in Morse code, and a slow flash mode can help someone find you. On some Android phones the page can also switch on the camera flash LED. The screen stays awake while the light is on.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Online Flashlight
- 1Choose a colour.
- 2Choose Steady, SOS signal or Slow flash.
- 3Turn your screen brightness all the way up.
- 4Press Turn on screen light; the page goes full screen.
- 5Tap anywhere to turn it off.
Getting the most light
Turn screen brightness to maximum and switch off night mode or blue-light filters, which dim and tint the screen. White gives the most light; warm white is gentler on the eyes at night. Hold the phone screen-down towards what you want to see, a little above it.
Using SOS responsibly
Use the SOS signal only in a real emergency. In the dark it can be seen from a distance, especially from higher ground. If you have a phone signal, calling your local emergency number is always faster: 112 works in most countries and 911 in North America.
- Short-short-short, long-long-long, short-short-short
- Repeat until someone responds
- Point the screen towards where help may come from
Phone torch support
Controlling the camera flash needs Chrome on Android and a phone whose camera reports a torch to the browser. If it doesn't, the page tells you and you can use the screen light or the torch button in your phone's quick settings.
Other uses
A white screen makes a soft fill light for video calls and selfies, a red screen keeps night vision for camping and astronomy, and a green screen gives a calm night light for checking on a sleeping baby.
Keeping the light on
While the light is on, the page asks your device to keep the screen awake, so it won't dim or lock after a few seconds. If your browser doesn't support that, tap the screen now and then, or raise your screen timeout in settings. Pressing the side button or switching apps turns the light off.
Phone and computer
The screen light works on phones, tablets and computers. Full screen and keeping the screen awake depend on your browser; if they aren't available, the light still works while the page is open. A screen light is useful for a moment; a few related tools can help. Use the Online Clock to see the time in the dark, the Morse Code Translator to plan a signal, and the Random Color Generator when you need a different colour for the screen.
Features
- Full-screen light in four colours
- SOS signal in Morse code
- Slow flash, safely limited to 3 per second
- Keeps the screen awake while lit
- Phone torch on supported Android phones
- No app, no sign-up
Frequently asked questions
How bright is a screen light?
A phone screen at full brightness gives roughly as much light as a dim reading lamp at close range: enough to find keys, read a menu or light a small room, but not to light a path far ahead.
Can a website turn on my phone's flashlight?
On many Android phones in Chrome, yes: the page asks for camera permission and switches the flash LED on. iPhones don't allow websites to control the torch.
Why red light?
Red light affects your eyes' night adaptation least, so you can see stars or read a map and still see in the dark afterwards. Astronomers and sailors use red lights for this.
What does the SOS mode do?
It flashes three short, three long and three short pulses, repeating. SOS is the international distress signal recognised everywhere.
Why is flashing limited to 3 per second?
Faster flashing can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, so the page stays at or below the commonly recommended safe limit.
Does it drain the battery?
A full-brightness screen uses noticeably more power. Turn it off when you are done.