Find Your iPhone in the Dark | Ping It, Plus Add a Flash with This Hidden Trick

You can use the button on your Apple Watch to send an audible ping to your phone.

That works great during the day when you can see where you are searching for your phone – however, following a sound in the dark of night could be downright dangerous.

Even when it’s pitch black, you can use this little-known hack to find your phone. In fact, the darker it is, the better this trick works.

How to Ping Your iPhone During the Day

Most people find their iPhone by pinging it with their Apple Watch:

1. Simply open the Control Center by swiping upwards from the bottom of the Apple Watch face.
2. Then tap on the iPhone button.
3. Your watch will display “Pinging iPhone,” and your iPhone should begin to make a sound. Listen closely to the ping and you will be able to locate your iPhone.

If the sound stops before you find your phone, just tap the iPhone icon again.

How to Light up Your iPhone at Night

Most people don’t realize that you can do more than just ping your iPhone with your Apple Watch. You also can cause the LED flash on your iPhone to light up!

Being able to illuminate your phone is critical if you are searching for your iPhone in the dark. It’s a lifesaver when camping, without power, or in any other situation where you have no light source.

To activate the iPhone LED flash using your Apple Watch, you need to follow the same basic steps as pinging your iPhone, with a twist:

1. Open the Control Center by swiping upwards from the bottom of the watch face.
2. Look for the iPhone icon in Control Center.
3. Instead of tapping on the iPhone icon, you should press and hold it.
4. Pressing and holding the icon will ping your iPhone and cause the LED to flash!

Hearing and seeing your iPhone almost guarantees you will find it even when your surroundings make it difficult.