The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air come with Always-On Display (AOD), a feature first introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro lineup. Enabled by default, AOD shows a dimmed version of your Lock Screen, so you can quickly check the time, date, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper without touching your phone.
While this feature is convenient, not everyone likes to have their screen lit up all the time. Some users find it distracting, while others prefer to save every bit of battery life possible. Thankfully, iOS lets you customize or completely disable the Always-On Display in just a few taps.
Should I Disable Always-On Display on my iPhone?
Apple designed AOD to be power-efficient. When enabled, it reduces the refresh rate down to 1Hz and temporarily turns off in certain situations, such as when your iPhone is in a pocket, placed face down, in Low Power Mode, or during Sleep Focus.
Even though it’s optimized, AOD still consumes some battery to dim and refresh the screen. This can be bothersome for users who prefer a completely black screen when the iPhone is locked or not in use.
If you notice faster battery drain with AOD, it’s a good idea to turn it off. This quick guide shows how to turn off Always On Display on your iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, or iPhone Air.
How to Turn Off Always On Display on iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and iPhone Air
Follow these steps to disable AOD on your iPhone running iOS 26:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Display & Brightness.
- Scroll down and tap Always On Display.
- Turn off the toggle for Always On Display.
Once turned off, your screen will go fully dark when the device is locked or idle. To wake it, you can:
- Use Raise to Wake
- Tap the screen (Tap to Wake)
- Press the Side button
Customize Always-On Display
If you like the convenience but want less distraction, you can tweak AOD instead of disabling it altogether:
- Hide Wallpaper: Turn off the Show Wallpaper toggle to keep only the time and widgets on screen.
- Hide Notifications: Disable Show Notifications for a cleaner Lock Screen view.
RELATED: Turn On Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26 for better battery life
How Always-On Display Works on iPhone
The iPhone Air and iPhone 17 series feature LTPO OLED Super Retina XDR displays with ProMotion, which can dynamically adjust the refresh rate from 120Hz down to just 1Hz. When idle, ProMotion drops the rate to conserve power while keeping the Lock Screen visible.
With LTPO technology, the screen refreshes only the parts that need updating, rather than the entire display. Moreover, the A19 and A19 Pro chips include dedicated coprocessors that handle AOD tasks like dimming the Lock Screen without draining much battery.
ALSO READ:
