Always-on Display Never On at Night

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Level 1

8 points

Always-on Display Never On at Night

I just switched to an iPhone 14 Pro after many years as a Samsung user. I specifically asked when I bought this new phone if there was an Always On feature and was assured with this model, there is. And that is true. But it doesn't work like I expected it to. Years ago I replaced the clock radio on my night stand with a phone charger stand on which I put my Samsung phone. I could always see the time in the middle of the night. But my iPhone Always On display isn't EVER on at night. I'm pretty disappointed by this and feel like I've checked every setting and restarted my phone multiple times to make sure there is nothing interferring with the Always On display. Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16

Posted on Jan 21, 2023 07:06 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

MVegas21

Community Specialist

Jan 23, 2023 04:24 PM in response to caligirly76

Hi caligirly76,

It's expected for the Always-On display feature to go dark in certain situations, as explained in this resource: Use Always-On display with your iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Always-On display goes dark when you don't need it

To save battery life, the display is completely dark when:

• Your iPhone is lying face down

• Your iPhone is in your pocket or bag

• Sleep Focus is on

• Low Power Mode is on

• Your iPhone is connected to CarPlay

• You're using Continuity Camera

• You haven't used your iPhone for a while (your iPhone learns your activity patterns and turns the display off and on accordingly, including if you set up an alarm or sleep schedule)

• Your iPhone detects that you moved away from it with a paired Apple Watch (Always-On display will turn on when your Apple Watch is close to your iPhone again)

The option to use your iPhone as a nightstand clock isn't currently available. If you’d like to make a suggestion and have it reviewed by the appropriate teams at Apple, submit your feedback here: Product Feedback.

Regards.

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Answer 2

caligirly76 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 28, 2023 05:37 AM in response to MVegas21

Thank you for your thorough response. If the Always On display isn't on when I want it to be on (at night while on a stand charger on my nightstand), then this feature is deceptively named. I'm disappointed in this (along with 4 other features) after making the switch from many years as a Samsung user. Luckily, I kept my Samsung phone, which reliably behaves as I expect it to so I use it as a nightstand clock. I've provided feedback to Apple, asking them to please make this an option. I hope they will be responsive.

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Answer 3

Cynicer

Level 1

4 points

Jan 27, 2023 02:22 PM in response to caligirly76

I faced the same problems. I disabled the sleep focus and sleep tracking and after a few days my iPhone stopped sleeping during the night. Can‘t exactly say why, and at this point I‘m too afraid to ask, but it works for a few weeks now for the whole night. On iOS 16.2.

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Answer 4

caligirly76 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 30, 2023 06:37 AM in response to Cynicer

Interesting. I bought my iPhone 14 Pro on January 19 and talked to an Apple technician by phone about this issue on January 24. He noticed iOS 16.3 had been released the day before so had me update my phone. He was certain that would fix the problem I was having with the Always On display not staying on. It didn't fix the problem, so if iOS 16.3 was designed to fix that, Apple needs to revisit it because it didn't work.

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Answer 5

caligirly76 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 28, 2023 05:40 AM in response to caligirly76

Thank you so much for this idea. My Sleep Focus is disabled in Settings. But I had set a sleep schedule in the Health app to prevent notifications during certain hours. After your reply, I turned off the sleep schedule in that app before I went to bed last night. There was no change in the behavior of the Always On display (the screen went black when the lights went out), but I'll check it every night for the next few nights. Crossing fingers.

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