Flashlight App for Phones, How long do you dare run it?

How long would you run a phone app that uses the camera flash LED as a flashlight? Most phones have enough battery to run for a while but seem a little short on heat sinking. As a photo flash, the LED is on for a very short time so heat buildup isn't an issue. I've looked and never found anything from Apple or Samsung discussing this issue. I know lots of people who won't carry even a Photon but carry a phone. I tell them not to run the flashlight app for a long time, but can't put a number on how long is too long. I'd hate to see them smoke an expensive phone.

Most modern phones actually turn them selves off when the get hot


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I doubt it'd over heat from that. They don't use too much power even if heatsinking is poor.
But I don't even own one so...

I use mine fairly often , and I have been guilty of leaving mine turned on by mistake , but for not much longer than say 20-25 minutes

Most of those phones are designed where that LED is more than just a flash. A flashlight on a phone is a critical feature allowing safety in dark areas, finding of objects like keys dropped or the lock on a door at night, signaling if lost of on the side of the road broken down trying to attract a police officer, etc. It does not take much power to run that led compared to the bright led's used to backlight the screen, the screen usually(but not on the newest led technology phones) uses more power than just that led next to the camera being on when the screen is is on its brightest setting, and barely generates much heat compared to the cpu chip. Finally, the led isn't necessarily near the processor, memory, battery, or other heat producing modules to assist with things like this, so I doubt this is really ever an issue unless you know of a specific case you've experienced.
In short, the phones are generally designed structurally to allow for the continuous operation of that led 'camera flash', it isn't actually that power hungry. Your only issue is shortening the battery life significantly, which browsing on the internet does as well and similarly in my experience.

My Sonim XP3.2 does not need an App for use as a flash light. Once it managed to activate itself in my pocket. When I noticed that it became warm, it already sucked all the juice out of the battery. Which is quite a lot, 1.6Wh IIRC. Caused no damage though.

I don't have a flashlight app on my phone.
i don't use my phone as a flashlight ever.

I have flashlights for that (I carry a flashlight more than I do my cellphone)

I wouldnt be scared to use it as long as I wanted it on

I know that my iPhone will turn the flash on and leave it on when using the video camera function. I know that it will also disable the LED if it is too hot. I have a flashlight app but I have at least two lights on my person at a time so it never gets used.

The flashlight app is a decent emergency tool, but as others have noted, you're draining power off your (presumably) main point of communication, which could be a really bad idea, especially if you have no easy means of recharge.

That said, I've never heard a report of a phone melting down because of the flashlight app.

I have used them for hours at a time on several different phones in the past with no problems at all....I am even shocked how much battery life is left after using them for long periods

Maybe we need an official phone flashlight runtime thread for various phones. Any volunteers?

i agree, i dont think its possible to actually melt your phone from over use these days.

I did use it once for 35 minutes. It did heat up the phone a little, but no problems whatsoever.
Except for the huge battery drain.

Someone borrowed my phone when we needed to go down from a mountian trip. He had no phone, no flashlight, no nothing.... 3 hours with constant on with no problems, other than my phone was drained.

jorn said:

Someone borrowed my phone when we needed to go down from a mountian trip. He had no phone, no flashlight, no nothing.... 3 hours with constant on with no problems, other than my phone was drained.

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Dang, did he at least bring some food, & water......matches, lighter? And, shame on you jorn for being such a flashaholic and not even having a spare flashlight to loan to the unprepared .

I wonder if we can get a phone app for our flashlights?

I'm not afraid to let the LED "flash" run as long as there's juice in the battery.

I don't do it though since I have a light with me most of the time.

Launch Mini said:

I wonder if we can get a phone app for our flashlights?

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... Only if it's useable while in the pocket, or else you'll kinda have to stick it into your ear... :laughing:

jorn said:

Someone borrowed my phone when we needed to go down from a mountian trip. He had no phone, no flashlight, no nothing.... 3 hours with constant on with no problems, other than my phone was drained.

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Dude. You're a better person than I am.