Google has limited the Pixel 8’s flashlight to half intensity when toggled as a torch through the Quick Settings tile or the lockscreen shortcut.
You can use third-party apps to get a full-intensity flashlight.
The flash LED works at full intensity in the camera app.
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are great Android flagships that are easy to recommend to people who care about the smartphone experience. However, the phones also have minor shortcomings here and there that could annoy users who were expecting something different. For example, the flashlight on the Pixel 8 turns on at only half its intensity by default. Thankfully, you can change this behavior if you need to.
Redditor Adnaks realized that their Pixel 8 Pro’s flashlight turned on to just half its intensity when using the Quick Settings tile or the lockscreen shortcut. There’s no way within Pixel UI to crank that brightness up to 100% in case you need a powerful flashlight. The same issue is present on the Pixel 7 series, too, and possibly older Pixels as well.