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How to Turn On Always-On Display with Focus on iPhone

Enable Always-On display on a compatible iPhone and learn how Sleep Focus affects the dimmed Lock Screen.
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On a supported iPhone, turn on Always-On display at Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display. Focus does not enable the feature: Sleep Focus automatically turns the display off, so use another Focus if you want the dimmed Lock Screen to remain visible.

Check that your iPhone supports Always-On display

Apple’s current supported-model list includes iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max; iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max; iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max; and iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple says Always-On display is off by default on iPhone Air. If the setting is missing, check your exact model against Apple’s guide before treating it as a software problem. Apple’s model and display guide also notes that Always-On display is on by default on supported models.

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Turn on Always-On display and choose what appears

  1. Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display.

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  2. Switch on Always On Display. When the iPhone is locked, this keeps a dimmed version of the Lock Screen visible.

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  3. Choose whether to show the wallpaper and notifications using Show Wallpaper and Show Notifications. Turn either option off to reduce what appears on the dimmed screen.

With Always-On display, the iPhone display can operate at a refresh rate as low as 1 Hz, according to Apple’s brightness and color temperature guide. This is a hardware specification, not a battery-life test or a claim that every supported model continuously operates at that rate.

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Choose a Focus based on whether you want the screen visible

To keep the dimmed Lock Screen visible while using Focus, choose a Focus other than Sleep. Apple specifically lists Sleep Focus as a condition that automatically turns off Always-On display. Other Focus settings can manage allowed people and apps, Lock Screen options, linked Lock Screens, and schedules; those controls are separate from the Always-On display switch. See Apple’s guide to setting up Focus.

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If you want the Lock Screen dark at night, leave Sleep Focus active. Its screen-off behavior is automatic, not a sign that Always-On display has been disabled in Settings.

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Turn Sleep Focus off or adjust when it starts

  1. Open Control Center and tap Focus.

  2. Tap Sleep to turn Sleep Focus off. If needed, tap Sleep again to switch it off.

  3. If Sleep Focus comes back automatically, review the Sleep schedule settings in Health. Apple’s instructions are at Turn your Sleep Focus on or off on iPhone.

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Why the display may turn off even when Always-On is enabled

Apple documents several conditions that turn the display off automatically. Check whether the iPhone is:

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  • Face down or obstructed from view.

  • Not near a paired Apple Watch.

  • Starting a CarPlay session or using Continuity Camera.

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  • In Low Power Mode, Sleep Focus, or at your usual bedtime.

Apple lists these conditions in Keep the iPhone display on longer. If your model is supported and the setting is on but the display still behaves unexpectedly, check these documented conditions and consult Apple Support for device-specific diagnosis; the documented conditions do not establish identical display behavior for every other Focus mode or configuration.

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