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Your iPhone screen is set by default to automatically turn off after some seconds of inactivity, but this can be a hassle, especially if you need to spend some time on your iPhone.
For example, you are reading an article, and a few seconds through, your iPhone screen turns off. Frustrated, you continue reading again, only for your screen to go off again. Fortunately, you don’t have to keep touching your iPhone screen to stop it from going to sleep.
You can keep your iPhone screen on much longer without constant interaction by adjusting your Auto-Lock settings.
How to keep iPhone screen on
You can stop your iPhone from automatically going to sleep with just a few taps.
1. Open the “Settings app.”
2. Tap Display & Brightness.
3. Tap Auto-Lock.
4. Now, you need to choose the amount of time you want your iPhone screen to stay on before it goes to sleep. You have seven options to choose from: 30 seconds, I minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, and Never. “Never” will make your iPhone screen always stay awake and never go to sleep unless you manually elect to lock it by pressing the side button.
If an administrator or your organization manages your iPhone, there’s a possibility you might not see the “Never” option. If that’s the case, you’ll need to contact your organization for restriction details.
The two major reasons Apple allows an iPhone screen to sleep off after a period of inactivity is to secure your data and extend battery life. Remember to revert your iPhone back to Auto-lock when you’re done; leaving your iPhone to always stay awake will drain your battery fast and also prevent accidental pocket dials. If you need your iPhone screen to stay on for an extended period of time, you might want to consider having a portable battery pack.
If you’re using iPhone X range devices, you might not know how super annoying this Auto-lock issue can be. While all iPhones with a Touch ID will sleep off by default after a few seconds or minutes of inactivity, iPhones using Face ID regularly scan to detect if you are looking at your phone. As long as you keep looking at your iPhone, it’ll count as an activity.
Keep iPhone screen on (FAQs)
Answer to related questions people also ask:
How do I keep my iPhone screen from turning off?
To stop your iPhone screen from turning off automatically: Open Settings > Scroll down and tap Display & Brightness > Tap Auto-lock and select the Never option.
Why does my iPhone screen keep turning off?
Your iPhone screen keeps turning off because of a feature called “Auto-Lock.” Auto Lock automatically puts your iPhone into sleep/lock mode after a particular period of inactivity – towards the end of that period, the iPhone screen brightness dims to half. To stop it from dimming and turning off, you need to turn “Auto-Lock” off.
Why does my iPhone go to sleep while watching videos?
The reason why your iPhone goes to sleep while watching videos is because of a feature called Auto-Lock. You can adjust your auto-lock settings to be able to watch your videos without your screen going off. To help protect your personal information, the Auto-Lock automatically locks your iPhone screen (with your passcode) after a period of inactivity.
What does sleep mode do on iPhone?
Sleep mode is a simplified version of your Lock Screen. It turns on DoNot Disturb, which disables notifications and calls and stops them from turning your screen on.
Does iPhone have sleep mode? / How do I put my iPhone in sleep mode?
To enable sleep mode on iPhone: Open Apple’s Health app > Tap the Browse tab in the lower-right corner > Scroll down and tap Sleep.
How do I change the screen timeout on my iPhone?
To change the screen timeout on your iPhone: Go to Settings > Tap Display & Brightness > Tap Auto-Lock – you can then choose from different options including 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, and ‘Never.’