To turn on the flashlight in Starfield , you need to hold the scan button, not just tap it.

How to Turn On Flashlight in Starfield

Basic controls

  • On PC : Hold the F key until the flashlight appears. A quick tap brings up the scanner; a press-and-hold turns the flashlight on or off.
  • On Xbox controller : Hold the LB (left bumper) button. Tapping opens the scanner; holding toggles the flashlight.

Think of it as: tap = scanner, hold = flashlight.

Requirements and common “why isn’t it working?” issues

  • You don’t craft or loot a separate flashlight; it’s built into your helmet.
  • Your helmet must be part of your currently equipped outfit/loadout (even if it’s visually hidden in breathable areas, the flashlight still works).
  • If nothing happens when you hold the key, double-check:
    • You haven’t rebound the hand scanner/flashlight key to something else in Settings → Bindings → Main Gameplay → Hand Scanning/Flashlight.
* You’re holding, not tapping, the button long enough for the light to toggle.

Good news: the flashlight has no battery or charge , so you can leave it on as long as you want without any penalty.

Quick step-by-step recap

  1. Make sure you have a helmet equipped in your current outfit/loadout.
  1. On PC, hold F ; on Xbox, hold LB.
  1. Release once the light appears; repeat the same hold to turn it off.
  1. If it still doesn’t work, open Settings → Bindings and confirm the hand scanner/flashlight key or button.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.