iOS 26.2 can make your iPhone display flash for new notifications
Hidden in the Settings app on iOS 26.2 is a new notification setting that can make your iPhone display flash when you receive a notification. Noticed by 9to5Mac, the setting is an expansion for the existing option to trigger the camera flash for new notifications, which is available within the Accessibility settings.Here’s how you can turn on Flash for Alerts on iOS 26.2:
- Open Settings
- Go to Accessibility
- Scroll down to Audio & Visual
- Tap Flash for Alerts
Inside that menu, you can toggle Flash for Alerts and choose to use the LED Flash, Screen, or both. Once you activate the display flash, notifications will make your iPhone briefly light up to maximum brightness before returning to normal brightness.
One of many nice updates
The new setting menu. | Image credit – 9to5Mac
The Flash for Alerts setting is essential for the hard of hearing, and its new layer is a welcome addition. However, iOS 26.2 brought a lot of nice new features that won’t change how you use your iPhone but could be helpful in different situations.Some highlight new features include new Urgent alarms for Reminders, AI-generated chapters in Podcasts, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and a new navigation in Apple News. Apple has also added a way to tweak the Liquid Glass intensity on the lock screen, which is an answer to the backlash against the new design.
Despite the criticism, iOS 26 appears to be as influential as every other Apple software. Samsung is rumored to launch the Galaxy S26 with One UI 8.5, which may have design elements inspired by Liquid Glass. Vivo’s recently announced OriginOS 6, which is ostensibly inspired by flowing water, and Realme UI 7.0, which will launch with the Realme GT 8 Pro, also look like iOS 26 cousins.
Remember the LED notification lights?
Back in the day, virtually all Android phones had LED notification lights, which had the same function as Apple’s new setting. I am not the biggest fan of having my whole display light up for new notifications, but I think the discreet LED lights should come back. It’s simple, unobtrusive, and likely won’t affect the battery life as much as pushing the display to full brightness.