The invention relates to a method for operating a headlight of a vehicle in which the, in particular activated, high beam function is controlled on the basis of surroundings information.To reduce the reaction time for controlling the high beam function, it is proposed that at least one critical zone (3) of a roadway section (1) in the surroundings ahead is identified in which the appearance of surrounding traffic which is not yet in the field of vision is likely. The identified critical zone (3) is subsequently monitored for at least one indicator for surrounding traffic potentially soon coming into the field of vision, wherein the high beam function is controlled in an appropriate manner upon the appearance of this indicator.