Turning a flashlight and pointing it to a smiler will annoy it, making it attack you. The smilers normally stalk people in the dark, possibly to scare them or to wait for the perfect moment to attack. Sudden noises or movements can make them aggressive.

In the lore of the "Backrooms" (a popular 2026 internet urban legend/creepypasta), a Smiler—Entity 3—is a creature that thrives in the dark and is known for its glowing, wide-toothed grin. If you shine a flashlight directly at a Smiler, the result depends on which version of the lore you follow. In the most common "survival" guides of 2026, Smilers are actually attracted to light; shining a bright beam at one will likely agitate it and provoke an attack. The recommended "strategy" is to keep your light source dim or turned off and slowly back away. However, some 2026 "Backrooms" video game adaptations suggest that high-intensity light can momentarily stun them. If you are roleplaying or writing about the Backrooms this year, remember: the Smiler's smile is its only visible feature in the dark, and shining a light usually reveals... nothing else. It is best to throw the flashlight away from you to distract it while you make your escape.