Torchie toggles the flashlight with a simultaneous volume key press, and TapTap replicates the latest Pixels' feature of double-tapping the back of the phone, and can be set to toggle the flashlight. Both have a few minor quirks and I'm still deciding which I like better, but you can check those out too!

Regarding the dev's behavior: Yeah, that person is known for being... brusque. I've noticed they have particularly little patience for issues about UX bugs. Those interactions tend to go similarly to what you saw, if the dev doesn't just delete your bug report completely. (Guess that's one way to keep the issue tracker tidy?) Tldr: If you have any concerns about usability or glitches, you'll get more help if you post it here in the discussion forum than on the github.

5 months later

Hey all, I just installed GrapheneOS for the first time (Pixel 7 Pro user), so this is all a bit new to me, but so far I'm absolutely loving it! :D I was wondering about a quick access way to toggle the flashlight (having used OnePlus in the past, I'm used to doing a "V" swipe on the lockscreen to toggle the flashlight), so I dug up this thread.

Using the beforementioned Keymapper/Torchie/TapTap all sounds great, however I cannot get them to work, since GrapheneOS seems to compeltely block Accessibility setting access for downloaded apps. (Settings -> Accessibility -> Downloaded Apps shows me a greyed out app with the message "Restricted setting - For your security, this setting is currently unavailable"). Is there a way to bypass this? Or would this be a major security risk and is this no longer allowed in the most recent version of GrapheneOS?

    SeaSaltIceCream This is not a GrapheneOS change, but rather an Android 13 one.

    It means you installed an app manually or via an app store like F-Droid that doesn't utilize modern installation methods.

    You can bypass that warning by following the steps here:

    https://support.google.com/android/answer/12623953?hl=en

    That said, I urge you to be careful about which apps you grant these extremely invasive permissions to.

    • [deleted]

    SeaSaltIceCream if you place torch quick tile within the first four quick tiles all you need to do is press power button, slide down and tap on torch. Useful?

    TranceSeven This is exactly how I'd solved this problem. There is no twist to turn on torch so I use and combiation of vol up, down. to turn on and off torch.

    I only wish GOS were to implement a timer on the torch. If you were to leave it on the torch stays on for what seems hours. I've left the torch on for that 70 minutes.

    My last phone, a motorola, automatically turned that torch off after 10 minutes.

    If anybody has a solution for this, please reply.

    Install a phone automation app like Macrodroid, and create a script to make it turn off the torch after it's been on for X minutes. Very straightforward to do.

    There's no way to do it without a 3rd party app, though.

      7 months later

      I miss this feature too, especially now during winter. It is super convenient in the dark freezing cold when wearing gloves. I use the torch/flashlight more often than the call function. I disagree that it should be out of project scope. When you live in the north, the torch is a useful function of the device, and the device is controlled by the firmware, which is GrapheneOS.

      Physical button for torch works on multiple (vendor and non-vendor) ROMs, most notably LineageOS and CalyxOS. Be it power hold, power double tap, or configurable. For security reasons, I would make the phone power off on long press, at least by default. But some versatility would be welcome here.

      • 1 sec = torch
      • 3 sec = power off
      • double tap = camera

        Gold95 device is controlled by the firmware, which is GrapheneOS.

        GrapheneOS is the OS, not the firmware. The firmware comes upstream from Google.

        Gold95 I disagree that it should be out of project scope.

        GrapheneOS aims to provide security and privacy focussed devices, and the development team is small. The way the power button works on GrapheneOS comes directly from AOSP. If the GrapheneOS team were to work on implementing such features that would mean less time to work on new security features. It'll also likely lead to compatibility issues and delays in issuing security patches, especially with major Android version releases. This would be counter to the aims of the development team, and therefore such features are unlikely to be implemented.

          • Edited

          treequell If the GrapheneOS team were to work on implementing such features that would mean less time to work on new security features [and] delays in issuing security patches

          "Such features" implies that this is equal to any number of random features, but that is not true. Put the smartphone on the table and you'll notice two hardware features on the back: A camera, and a torch. I'd argue they both fall within the scope of the OS that controls the hardware. The camera is already accessible from hardware button through GestureLauncherService. The torch is the only "such feature" left to account for.

          Consider that it is precisely because of security reasons that GrapheneOS needs to start using the hardware buttons, for example to blindly shut down your device when you are coerced into surrendering it, utilizing LONG_PRESS_POWER_SHUT_OFF_NO_CONFIRM in PhoneWindowManager. Similarly you can consider the torch a security feature. Is someone sneaking up on you in the dark? Better have a quick flashlight shortcut.

            • [deleted]

            Gold95 I believe that you can access power button to activate lockscreen even in the dark with your gloves on. You can place a torch button on your lockscreen eliminating any furher coding necessary and placing you literally one press and one tap away from using your torch.