Would you like to have a light alert to notify you of notifications that arrive on your smartphone when it is in silent mode? With an Android model, you can easily use the camera flash.
In their early days, many Android smartphones had a small LED on the front. Nestled above or below the screen, it allowed you to be alerted of the low battery of the device, of the successful charging or even of the arrival of notifications, the LED flashing when ‘a message was received for example. A very practical function when the device was placed on its back in silent mode in particular. Some models, notably from Samsung and Xiaomi, even allowed the color of the LED to vary depending on the type of notification received.
Over the years, this LED has disappeared from all smartphones. The cause: on the vast majority of devices, it is the screen which now occupies all the space, no longer leaving the slightest space available to accommodate a light diode. However, if you want to be notified of the arrival of an SMS, a WhatsApp message or an alert from another app while maintaining silent mode, there is another very practical method. It consists of flashing the camera flash.
With Android 14, this function has joined the system’s accessibility options. But unfortunately it is not present on all software overlays from Android smartphone manufacturers. Fortunately, there are apps to compensate for this lack and it is not even necessary to use the latest version of Android to take advantage of them.
If you have a Pixel smartphone from Google, a model from Samsung, Motorola or even Honor for example, there is no point in having a specific app to use the camera flash to notify you of the arrival of notifications. The function is integrated into the system. Apart from these brands you can also check its presence.
► Go to system settings and find the menu Accessibility Or Accessibility Features and press it.
► Then search for a menu Light notifications or approaching like Blink for alerts at Honor for example or even Indicator light notifications at Samsung, nestled in this case in the menu advanced settings.
► In the window that appears, you can then activate the flash blinking and even the screen flashing to stay informed discreetly when the device is placed on its back.
► With a Samsung device, it is even possible to define which apps can use the LED flash to signal notifications.
Your smartphone’s accessibility settings don’t allow flash activation for notifications? No problem, there’s definitely an app for that, and even several. We have set our sights on the free Flash Alert app which allows you to use flash for calls and SMS but also other apps. We installed it on a OnePlus 12R smartphone which does not offer this function by default.
► Start by installing the app Flash Alert from the Google Play Store and launch it.
Download Flash Alert for Android
► Once the app is launched, tap Start then give it permission to access notifications. Then allow it to send you notifications.
► In the new page that appears, toggle the switch Flash Alerts on calls to allow him to activate the flash in case of a phone call (you must give him permission) as well as the switch Flash alerts on notifications (with access to notifications).
► By default, all apps can use flash for their notifications. If you want to manage which apps can use flash for notifications, tap Manage Enabled Apps. Then disable the apps to which you deny access to flash. Tap the icon shaped like floppy disk to save your settings.