Pixel 8's flashlight is half intensity by default, here's how to make it brighter

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are great Android flagships that are easy to recommend to people who care about the smartphone experience. However, the phones also have minor shortcomings here and there that could annoy users who were expecting something different. For example, the flashlight on the Pixel 8 turns on at only half its intensity by default. Thankfully, you can change this behavior if you need to.

Redditor Adnaks realized that their Pixel 8 Pro’s flashlight turned on to just half its intensity when using the Quick Settings tile or the lockscreen shortcut. There’s no way within Pixel UI to crank that brightness up to 100% in case you need a powerful flashlight. The same issue is present on the Pixel 7 series, too, and possibly older Pixels as well.

You must use third-party apps like FlashDim to increase the flash brightness to 100%. You won’t need to use this app when using the camera app, as the flash intensity defaults to 100% in that case.

It remains anyone’s guess what Google’s rationale is for defaulting the flashlight to 50%, but the fix is easy if you need it. Most users are unlikely to need a stronger flashlight, and the chances of accidentally blinding themselves temporarily with a full-intensity torch are higher, so it does make sense for Google to limit the default to half brightness. There’s also a chance that Google is trying to prolong the life of your phone’s flash LED or prevent instances of a full battery drain or device overheating on an accidental toggle.

Do you need your Pixel’s flashlight at full brightness? Why do you need it, and how often do you need a phone flashlight? Let us know in the comments below!