Siri says ‘Torch Not Available’ when asked to turn on flashlight after iOS 26 update

When I ask Siri to turn on the flashlight, the response will be (and this depends on the voice set for Siri): sorry, the torch isn’t available right now.

Nothing else is using the camera light, so what’s the deal with the response saying it’s not available? After asking 2 or 3 times for it to be turned on, Siri finally does as asked. No issue with this before iOS 26.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Siri won’t turn on tlashlight

Posted on Sep 28, 2025 6:29 PM

Top-ranking reply

CB2367 Author

Level 1

36 points

Posted on Sep 30, 2025 6:58 AM

Here’s what I’ve found after my testing attempt. If the phone is on a surface, just about every single time Siri will state the flashlight isn’t available. When I pick up the phone and ask for the flashlight to be turned on- it works.

In another test while just simply holding the phone as I normally would like picking it up to walk from one room to another, it took FIVE attempts before Siri would turn on the flashlight. The first four times….. “sorry, it’s not available.”

Looking this up in Google, the common causes:

low battery—doesn’t apply in this case.

camera in use — doesn’t apply

software bug—well, that’s the only thing left

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16 replies

Nov 29, 2025 10:53 PM in response to CB2367

Apparently, when I unplugged it, Siri turns on the Flashlight after verbal activation. iPhone 17 Pro.

Siri says ‘Torch Not Available’ when asked to turn on flashlight after iOS 26 update