I’ve been using iPhones for years, and I always turn off this major iOS feature
I’ve been using iPhones for years, and I always turn off this major iOS feature
Publish Date: 2026-01-28 12:30:00
Source Domain: www.techradar.com
I’d wager almost no one is using every iOS feature, and even the big ones won’t appeal to everyone, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that there’s at least one massive mode that I don’t use at all.
That mode is the always-on display – it’s one of the first things that I ensure is toggled off on any iPhone I use, and there are several reasons for that. But I don’t actually think this is necessarily a bad feature, it’s just one that I personally don’t need, and one where the trade-offs aren’t worth it for me.
Below, I’ve explained why I don’t use this feature that some people swear by, followed by instructions on how to turn it off if you feel similarly.
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Why I turn off the always-on display
There are a few reasons why I don’t like Apple’s always-on display feature, but the biggest is perhaps that it drains the battery faster than not having it on.
Now, iPhones – particularly larger models like the iPhone 17 Pro Max – tend to have fairly good battery life these days, but it still feels like one of the weak links, so anything that can further increase their stamina is beneficial to me.
Tests – such as this video from PhoneBuff – suggest the always-on display feature can use roughly between 0.6% and 0.8% of your phone’s battery per hour, with the difference mostly coming down to whether you have the wallpaper displayed. That might not sound like much, but it can really add up over time.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max with its always-on display (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
So as someone who prioritizes battery life over – almost – anything else, it’s an easy decision to keep the always-on display off.
But that’s not the only reason I don’t use it. I also frankly don’t find it that useful. Sure, it provides a fast way to see notifications and the time, but you know what else provides that? My Apple Watch, so if you’re wearing a…
