How to Fix iOS 17’s “Always On Display Not Working” Issue on iPhones

How to Fix iOS 17's

You’ve finally treated yourself to the newest iPhone 14 Pro or 15 Pro after diligently saving for a while. The new iPhone is a remarkable device with outstanding performance, cameras, and design. The Always On Display, however, is what really gets your attention (AOD).

I absolutely understand your excitement, as the Always On Display provides the ideal method to rapidly view crucial details without touching your iPhone, including the time, alerts, widgets, Live Activities, and—if enabled—your wallpaper. I recall being equally ecstatic upon initially holding the iPhone 14 Pro.

Imagine yourself in this situation: You are driving to work while stalled in heavy traffic, and you check at your iPhone to see that the Always On Display is not visible. The lock screen appears when you lift the phone, however the Always On display is not displayed properly when you put it down.

Having to rapidly check crucial messages and activity without having to pick up or unlock your iPhone can be quite aggravating.

Do not panic if you are an iPhone user experiencing problems with your Always On Display not functioning. I’ll go over all you need to know about this problem and walk you through fixing the iPhone’s Always On Display not working in this article. So let’s get started right away, shall we?

I know how annoying it can be to constantly have to lift your phone to check the time, notifications, or Live activities—especially if you’re accustomed to the Always On Display. There are a few potential explanations if you’re wondering why your iPhone’s Always On Display isn’t working right now.

First off, your battery might be the cause. The Always On Display may stop functioning if your iPhone is in Low Power Mode or if its battery is less than 20%.

It’s also possible that you unintentionally turned off the feature. The iPhone’s Focus modes can also be used to turn off the Always On Display automatically. The Always On Display on your iPhone may not function if you are utilizing the Continuity camera, to sum up.

Now, regardless of the exact cause of the Always On Display problem on your iPhone, I will cover all the bases in this article to help you fix the Always On Display not working issue by going through each possible cause and offering step-by-step solutions. Let’s get straight to the solutions and forego the small talk now.

If you’ve had an iPhone for a while, you presumably already know that when your battery drops below a certain point—typically 20%—Low Power Mode automatically activates. For those who might not know, your iPhone utilizes less battery life while it is in low power mode thanks to a function called Low Power Mode. Performance is optimized for critical jobs instead than incidental activities.

Low Power Mode goes one step further on the iPhone 14 Pro and 15 Pro series, which use ProMotion display technology. It does this by restricting the screen refresh rate to 60Hz and disabling features like Always On Display (AOD), even if you have enabled it in the settings. There are now two ways to resolve this:

  • Keep Your iPhone Charged: Charging your iPhone to a minimum of 80% is the easiest fix. This will cause Low Power Mode to immediately end.
  • Disable Low Power Mode Manually: You have the option to manually disable Low Power Mode on your iPhone if you would rather not wait for it to charge. Remember, though, that the Always On Display uses more battery than you may imagine. To make sure your phone doesn’t run out of energy too soon, it’s best to charge it to at least 50–60% before manually turning off Low Power Mode.

To manually disable Low Power Mode

  • Open App Library on your iPhone and select the Settings app. An other option is to look for and open the setting using Spotlight look.
  • Open Battery settings by swiping a little downward after the Settings app has opened.
  • Toggle off Low Power Mode by simply pulling the toggle from this location.

After turning off Low Power Mode on your iPhone, the Always On Display should normally start operating again on its own. There are times, though, when it doesn’t begin the program as planned. You will have to act independently in these situations.

Turn off the Always On Display by going to the settings on your iPhone. After a little pause, switch the AOD back on. The Always On Display function is effectively restarted after this straightforward reset, and it ought to start operating regularly again. This fast fix frequently fixes any bugs or issues that may be preventing the Always On Display from operating as intended.

  • On your iPhone, open the Settings app using Spotlight Search or the App Library.
  • After the app opens, swipe a little downward to select Display & Brightness options.
  • At this point, open the Always On Display settings by swiping down to the bottom of the screen.
  • From this point on, disable the toggle next to Always On Display.
  • After a brief period of time, activate the toggle next to Always On Display.

The iOS feature Focus was created to assist users in reducing distractions and maintaining task focus. You can personalize alerts and notifications according to what you’re doing right now.

The iPhone comes with pre-programmed concentration modes like Sleep, Drive, Personal, Work, and Do Not Disturb. Users can even design their own unique focus modes, like dancing or gaming.

The Sleep Focus mode is an exception to the rule that most focus modes don’t affect the Always-On Display (AOD). The Always-On Display on the iPhone automatically shuts off when you enable Sleep Mode, which is usually done before bed.

This makes sense—it could be disruptive to have the AOD on when you’re trying to sleep. Therefore, if you discover that your Always-On Display (AOD) is not functioning, make sure that the Sleep Focus option is turned on, since this could be the cause of the AOD’s malfunction on an iPhone.

  • After unlocking your iPhone, activate Control Centre by swiping down from the upper right corner of any screen.
  • To broaden the Focus options, touch on Sleep from this menu.
  • To turn off the Sleep, tap it once more.

It’s now time to use a time-tested IT trick for your iPhone: rebooting. Small faults and defects in the apps or iOS software are frequently the source of many problems on your iPhone, including problems with features like the Always-On Display.

Restarting your iPhone basically gives it an opportunity to work out any kinks and issues that might be interfering with your overall experience. It’s an easy approach to reboot the system and maybe fix any short-term problems that might be interfering with the Always-On Display and other functions.

  • After unlocking your iPhone, simultaneously press and hold the volume down and side buttons.
  • To turn off the iPhone, just swipe the power screen when it shows up.
  • After a brief period of waiting, long press the side button to power on your smartphone.

Among iOS 16’s best features are Continuity Camera and Always-On Display. I was excited to use the Always-On Display as soon as I finished the setup process when I first got my hands on the iPhone 14 Pro Max last year.

However, I discovered that the Always-On Display was not activated when I initially attempted to use Continuity Camera. I first believed there might be a bug, but I soon discovered that the Continuity Camera and Always On Display cannot function in tandem.

The iPhone screen stays black when you mount it to use it as a camera for your Mac or Apple TV. The lock screen is replaced with Continuity Camera controls, such as Pause and Disconnect, when you pick up the smartphone or tap on its screen.

Thus, you shouldn’t be concerned if your iPhone’s Continuity Camera does not appear when utilizing the Always On Display. The iPhone will revert to its default configuration and the Always-On Display will function normally when you end your calls on your Mac or TV.

There is one more thing you may do if you have followed my guide all the way through and the Always-On Display is still not working: Reset All Settings on your iPhone.

Fortunately, this is not a complete factory reset, which would be like trying to crack a nut with a sledgehammer. You will be clearing the settings on your smartphone instead.

You should make a backup of all the passwords you have saved before continuing. This includes VPN configurations, Wi-Fi passwords, and other settings like sound preferences. All of these settings will be deleted.

Your material, including files, contacts, and images, won’t be affected, though. This procedure essentially returns your device’s settings to their initial configuration and is often helpful in resolving chronic difficulties, such as those with Always-On Display.

  • Open the Settings app on your iPhone using Spotlight Search or the App Library.
  • Select General Settings after launching the Settings app.
  • From here, select the Transfer or Reset settings by swiping down to the bottom.
  • Press Reset now.
  • Finally, select Reset All Settings and adhere to the prompts displayed on the screen.

We have now reached the conclusion of our tutorial on fixing the iPhone’s Always-On Display not working. I hope that this tutorial has given you simple, uncomplicated ways to deal with AOD problems on your device. If none of the previously mentioned techniques have worked, you might want to contact Apple Support for more help.

Give yourself a high five if you were able to resolve the AOD not working on iPhone issue by using this approach! Excellent work. While you’re here, think about forwarding this guide to relatives and friends who might find it useful.

I’d like to wish you adieu as we come to an end. We appreciate you using TechOnTips as your troubleshooting reference. We are here to help you with everything tech related, so visit our website for helpful information if you are having problems with your gadgets. Stay techy until the next time!

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