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Door staff@engadget.com (Mariella Moon) - 01 Nov 2026
You can find the flashlight button on your Pixel phone by swiping down from the top of the screen to bring up the Quick Settings menu. Just tap on the flashlight icon to switch it on, then tap it again to switch it off. If you can't find it among the top options in Quick Settings, you'll have to edit the icons in the first page. Simply tap on the pencil at the bottom of the Quick Settings menu and then press the plus button on the Flashlight icon and/or move it to the top of the menu so you can see it quickly whenever you need it.
While you can't shake the Pixel to switch the Flashlight on — that's an old Motorola feature — you can set your phone's Quick Tap gesture to activate it. Go to Settings > System > Gestures > Quick Tap to start actions and then enable Toggle Flashlight from there. After setting that up, you'll be able to turn your flashlight on by double tapping the back of your phone. You can, however, find third-party apps that will give you the ability to turn the flashlight on by shaking your device.
It's also possible to edit your phone's lock screen buttons by long pressing on your lock screen and then tapping on the Customize button at the bottom. Scroll down to find the Shortcuts option and then choose the flashlight icon to add it to the bottom of your lock screen.
While you can't shake the Pixel to switch the Flashlight on — that's an old Motorola feature — you can set your phone's Quick Tap gesture to activate it. Go to Settings > System > Gestures > Quick Tap to start actions and then enable Toggle Flashlight from there. After setting that up, you'll be able to turn your flashlight on by double tapping the back of your phone. You can, however, find third-party apps that will give you the ability to turn the flashlight on by shaking your device.
It's also possible to edit your phone's lock screen buttons by long pressing on your lock screen and then tapping on the Customize button at the bottom. Scroll down to find the Shortcuts option and then choose the flashlight icon to add it to the bottom of your lock screen.