The flashlight on your phone is a feature that likely doesn’t get a whole lot of thought given to it. It’s always there for situations like when the power goes out, you lose something in a dark space, or are too lazy to turn the lights on at night to grab something. However, some Pixel 10 Pro owners are now raising concerns about what can happen if it is left on for extended periods, with a handful of users reporting visible damage to the light’s lens.
The Pixel 10 Pro’s flashlight runs pretty hot
These complaints come from a range of Reddit threads over the past few months. One Reddit user has shared a close-up image showing a dark, burnt hole at the center of the Pixel 10 Pro’s flashlight module, with the surrounding diffuser intact. Others in separate threads have described similar concerns, including the light getting unusually hot or leaving similar, less extreme marks after being on for extended periods.
Now, the way the flashlight is designed has also added some confusion. Many Pixel owners have noticed a small yellow or orange dot in the middle of the lens and assumed it was a burn mark, not realizing it is the LED emitter beneath the diffuser. This emitter is visible even on brand new devices, and i have even managed to spot the emitter on my Pixel device.
Some of the darker or more irregular marks mentioned in some posts could very well be actual damage, but not every report describes the same thing.
For now, this seems to be nothing more than a rare phenomenon. However, it is worth keeping in mind if you plan to use your Pixel’s flashlight for an extended period, especially if your phone already tends to run hot. It is unclear whether it affects any more pixels than just the 10 Pro, but I would still be cautious.
