Viral videos show Samsung phones melting plastic, but there’s more to it than that

Viral videos showing Samsung phones melting plastic with their flashlights are circulating again on social media. A single TikTok clip (see below) has garnered more than 13 million views, showing a Galaxy S25 FE torch burning in a thin black garbage bag.

While these videos look alarming, Galaxy phone flashlights burning through plastic isn’t a new discovery, and it’s not even limited to Samsung’s devices.

People have been posting similar videos for over a year, but social media algorithms have recently brought the trend back into the spotlight.

On people Tom’s Guide also picked up the trend and decided to try it themselves using the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Their results show that both phones were able to melt a plastic garbage bag when the flashlight was set to maximum brightness, contrary to what some of these viral videos claim.

The Galaxy phone did it a little faster, but the iPhone still managed to burn a hole through the plastic. In other words, it’s not a Samsung problem; This is something most modern smartphone flashlights are likely to replicate when left on for extended periods of time.

Although modern phones use very powerful LED flash modules for better photography, the extra brightness can cause more heat when the light is concentrated in a small area. This can cause the burns shown in these viral clips.

Samsung is already aware of this behavior and its phones even display a warning when the flashlight is used at maximum brightness. But in real life, it’s easy to forget that the flashlight is on or accidentally turn it on in your pocket.

So while the viral videos certainly make the problem look more dramatic than it is, they’re still a reminder that your phone’s flashlight isn’t something you want to be pressed against a plastic bag or synthetic materials for long periods of time.