Flashing lights in videos can be annoying and, for some people, even unsafe. Whether you’re sensitive to strobe effects or just want a smoother viewing experience, Apple now offers a built-in option that automatically dims flashing lights in videos. The best part? You can use it across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to use the Dim Flashing Lights accessibility tool. Let’s jump in.

Why You Should Dim Flashing Lights in Videos

Flashing or strobing lights can cause discomfort, distraction, and even trigger reactions such as headaches, vertigo, motion sickness, or seizures in sensitive viewers. Apple created a solution that reduces the intensity of those flashes without changing the rest of the video.

Once turned on, your device scans videos as you’re watching them. If it detects rapid flashing, it automatically dims those sections.

How to Dim Flashing Lights in Videos on iPhone and iPad

1. Open the Settings app on your device.
2. Scroll down and select Accessibility.
3. Inside Accessibility, choose Motion.
4. Toggle on Dim Flashing Lights.
   

Once activated, videos with sudden flashing or strobe-like effects will be automatically dimmed or blacked out during playback.

How to Dim Flashing Lights in Videos on Mac

1. Click the Apple menu at the top and select System Settings.
   
2. Scroll the sidebar and select Accessibility.
3. Under Vision settings, click Motion.
   
4. Toggle Dim flashing lights to turn it on.
   

Similar to iPhone, macOS will automatically reduce the brightness of flashing scenes in supported video apps. It works even while streaming content in Safari.

You can see the sections where flashing lights are detected in the video timeline.

How the Dim Flashing Lights Feature Works

Apple uses on-device processing to detect when the video suddenly spikes in brightness or contains strobe-like effects. The system then:

• Identifies the flashing section
• Lowers the brightness at those moments
• Restores normal brightness afterward

This ensures the rest of the video remains unchanged.

Since everything happens on the device, no data is sent to Apple. It’s fast, private, and doesn’t affect your overall video quality.

Apps and Services That Support Dim Flashing Lights

This feature works in most apps that use Apple’s default video player, including:

• Apple TV app
• Safari (web videos)
• Photos app
• Many streaming apps that haven’t replaced the native player

Some third-party apps use custom players (such as Netflix or YouTube), and they may not fully support the feature. If you don’t see the dimming during flashing scenes, that app may not be using Apple’s default video engine.

Fix Dim Flashing Lights Not Working

If the feature isn’t working as expected, try this:

• Ensure your software is up to date.
• Force-quit the app or restart the iPhone.
• Test using another video with detectable flashes.
• Check if the app supports Apple’s video player.

Final Thoughts

Flashing lights in videos can be overwhelming, but Apple’s Dim Flashing Lights setting makes watching content much more comfortable, especially for viewers who are sensitive to intense visual effects. Once you turn it on, you can enjoy videos without the harsh strobe effects.

Did you know about this feature? Let us know in the comments below!

Read more:

• How to Make an iPhone Flash When Getting Calls, Texts, and Notifications
• How to Use Emergency SOS on iPhone
• How to Turn Off Flashlight on iPhone