Why is there a red light on my iPhone 12 near the camera

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I just want to know if this is normal. I can see a red light on the left side of the notch blinking all the time, I notice it more so in the dark. Is that normal to constantly be doing that? I also feel like my battery is draining a lot faster than my iPhone 11 Pro Max did! Thanks for the help.

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 14

Posted on Jan 5, 2021 1:21 PM

10 replies

Jan 5, 2021 1:22 PM in response to Shawnmh91

That is the proximity sensor and it is normal. It is not draining your battery.

Jan 5, 2021 1:26 PM in response to Shawnmh91

You are rare in that you can evidently see IR light. Most humans cannot see it, but yes, it is normal for it to blink. I can't see it. No one I know can see it.

The IR sensor however is very low energy and would not be cause for a battery drain faster. The IR light is constantly on. It is what your phone uses for Face ID.

Jan 5, 2021 1:27 PM in response to lobsterghost1

I agree that it is rare to be able to see IR which is why I suspected they are seeing the proximity sensor. It is not uncommon for people to see it.

Jan 5, 2021 1:33 PM in response to deggie

I can't see the Proximity Sensor either. The last time I participated in a thread like this however, it became clear the person could actually see IR light. It's not impossible, but is pretty rare. I could be wrong about them seeing the IR sensor though.

Feb 14, 2021 1:52 PM in response to deggie

I bought iphone 12 pro max twice. The one has noticeable and the other one dont have light. Im wondering too

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iPhone 12 Pro Max constant blinking red light

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Last night i noticed that there was a tiny red light to the left of my camera and another red light where the dot projector is on my Iphone 11, is that normal?

iPhone 11, iOS 13

Posted on Aug 3, 2020 6:40 AM

1 reply

Aug 5, 2020 11:51 AM in response to issac09

Hello issac09,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities!

We understand from your question that you saw a red light next to your Face ID sensor. We can certainly help you with this!

This is the IR sensor for the Face ID module on your phone.

About Face ID advanced technology

We hope this is able to resolve your issue. If you have any more questions or this does not resolve your issue, please reach back out on the thread!

Cheers.

1 reply

Aug 5, 2020 11:51 AM in response to issac09

Hello issac09,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities!

We understand from your question that you saw a red light next to your Face ID sensor. We can certainly help you with this!

This is the IR sensor for the Face ID module on your phone.

About Face ID advanced technology

We hope this is able to resolve your issue. If you have any more questions or this does not resolve your issue, please reach back out on the thread!

Cheers.

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Tiny Red light by my front camera

Hi,
Ok, I have a weird one that I need help with... The other night, I was asleep and was awakened by my the sound of an incoming text. I grabbed phone and replied to text and then pushed top right button to turn off the bright screen and go back to sleep. But once I did that the screen went black (as expected) but a bright red light came from the front facing camera (just left of ear speaker). I was shocked and in awe by the red light... reminded me of the Terminators eyes... anyways, I gawked at it (keep in mind I'm in complete darkness), and then some what freaked out thinking that maybe my phone was hacked??? Has ANYONE experienced this??? I am kind of freaked out by it and deleted any recent apps that I downloaded. Please help me figure it out! Thanks

iphone 4, iOS 4, Red light coming from front facing camera

Posted on Apr 3, 2011 9:41 PM

Why is there a red light on my iPhone near the camera?

A: It's normal, it the FaceID detecting that your face it close enough to the phone to unlock it.

Why is there a red light on my phone near the front camera?

The red light on the camera is the infrared lamp necessary to view and record images in dark conditions. It automatically turns on when the light level in the room drops to a point where the full-colour image quality becomes poor. How can we help?