iPhone 15 Pro screen brightness issue after iOS 26 update

I noticed the issue after watching Instagram and Facebook Reels, swiping up and locking the device and when unlocking it’s dim. I notice if I have AOD and or reduce white point turned on it is good. iPhone 15 Pro IOS 26.2

Here’s what I did to temporarily fix the issue

Updated to iOS 26.1

Changed to a new wallpaper once

Went to Settings > General > Screen Capture > Choose SDR

After these steps, the problem seems to be resolved for now.

One and half month, and this major bug still in iOS 26.1 (23B85) on a iPhone 15 Pro Max. I do the suggested workaround of triggering Siri with the double click on the navigation bar that USUALLY works fine, because it may overload with the Siri not available bug. Apple entering the delivering half-baked software industry is a shameful milestone.

I have this EXACT same issue on the exact same phone as well. I’ve had it ever since I installed iOS 26 and both 26.0.1 and 26.1 have not fixed it. It’s a small issue so I’ve put up with it but I’m kinda hoping for a real fix soon. My main fixes right now are to either lock and unlock again or open a specific group chat because the background is an hdr image so it fixes the screen. I’ve already tried turning off the attention features thing and that didn’t seem to fix it, reduce white point and color filters are already off so it can’t be those, and I don’t feel this issue is bad enough to sacrifice widgets so I’m not turning those off.

Found a temp solution for me. If the display is dim, one tapping the nav bar (bottom middle, similar to activating siri by double-tapping) brightens the screen to normal.

Hope this helps

Here too. iPhone 15 Pro / iOS 26.0.1.

Can confirm viewing a HDR photo in photos, Instagram or other sources, the brightness is adjusted correctly again.

This is also happening to me on my 15 Pro Max. If I navigate to Instagram and an HDR photo is posted it’ll put the screen brightness back to normal. Otherwise, like everyone else, I have to lock and unlock it to get it to go back to normal.

I briefly owned a 17 before returning and didn’t ever have that issue. (I returned it because the depleted battery on my 15PM still lasted longer than the standard 17’s with the apps I normally use.)

I really hope the people in this thread are reporting this bug to the Apple feedback app. I’ve reported it twice within a few months and each feedback showed there are NO similar reports. Report it please.

This is happening more and more often and it’s really annoying. Apple pls fix this asap. I turned off auto brightness and it’s better now but still I want to use auto brightness

Take them off for good. With widgets the bug returns.

Just remove the widgets from the lock screen problem will be solved

Hi, Apple Support Communities is not Apple Support. Apple and Apple Support do not participate here. Everyone posting, commenting and reading are fellow Apple users just like you.

I can address some issues you’re experiencing. Facebook scrolling is a FB issue. Their developers have not fully optimized the app for iOS 26 yet. FB has had 10 updates in last month. An update every 3 days should tell you how buggy their app is.

Liquid Glass can not be turned off. Every time Apple makes significant UI changes some like it some do not like it. Apple is making slight UI changes in response to feedback from users. Link is below to add your voice.

Scrolling on Home Screen is probably just an optimization issue. 26.1.0 will have improvements and optimizations.

Brightness dimming could be hardware or software. Either wait for 26.1 or have Apple do diagnostics. If 26.1 doesn’t resolve almost certainly hardware.

Product Feedback - Apple

Same issue here... iOS26.0.1. I Have yet to find the trigger... so far the issue is very random and only changes by turning the brightness up manually, then auto will work. but only for so long

I'm having the exact same issue on my iPhone 15 Pro Max since I upgraded to iOS 26. Nearly half the times I unlock my phone, it's too dark, so I have to lock and unlock it again so it's bright enough to see.

The brightness is always fixed after the second unlock, but this is very frustrating.

I have toggled all the settings off/on that everyone has said to and forced a restart. The only thing I haven't done is a factory reset of my phone and I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that.

i have had the same since day one. I have also already tried restarting it many times and it works fine for like the first 10 unlocks after that, before starting to be dim again. I have also used recovery mode to reinstall (update) the phone's os again, but i havent tried fully wiping and reinstalling it as thats too much hassle. Hopefully this gets fixed as it’s super annoying.