If you recently picked up an Apple Watch Series 5 or newer, you may have noticed that the display remains turned on all the time. You might not like it and probably want the display to light up only when you raise your wrist. That is possible if you turn off the Always On Display feature on your Apple Watch.
In this article, we will provide step-by-step instructions to disable the Always On display on your Apple Watch. You may also have concerns regarding the additional battery usage by this feature on your Apple Watch, and we’ll address that, too. But first, let us understand what the feature is all about on the Apple Watch.
What Is the Always On Display in Apple Watch
When you enable the Always On feature on your Apple Watch and put your wrist down, the contents displayed on your Watch Face will dim, but the display remains turned on the entire time.
Complications such as timers and stopwatches show information rounded off to the next minute. However, complications that show real-time data, like Compass and Noise, do not remain active. Information from app complications will refresh every few seconds or every minute.
However, the Always-On display ensures that accidental taps are ignored when the wrist is down. Further, you can access all the complications and use the notification and Control Center even when your wrist is down. You can simply press the digital crown or raise your wrist to bring your watch to full brightness.
If the above features don’t appeal to you, and you want a more simplistic experience, here’s how you can turn off the Always On display on your Apple Watch.
How to Stop My Apple Watch Screen From Staying On
Here’s how to turn off the Always On display on your Apple Watch directly and via iPhone.
Using Apple Watch
Step 1: Tap on the digital crown to launch the App Library.
Step 2: Open the Settings app.
Step 3: Tap on ‘Display and Brightness’.
Step 4: Tap on Always On.
Step 5: Turn off the toggle for Always On.
Using the Watch App on iPhone
Step 1: Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on ‘Display and Brightness’.
Step 3: Tap on Always On.
Step 4: Turn off the toggle for Always On.
Now, let us look at how to modify the Always On display on your Apple Watch.
Tip: You can also enable theater mode on your Apple Watch from the Control Center to temporarily disable the Always-On display.
Customize Always On Display on Apple Watch
If you do not want to disable the Always On display entirely, you also get an option to modify and limit the contents shown on your Apple Watch while your wrist is down. This way, you can modify the Always On feature to show you the time.
On Apple Watch
Step 1: Tap on the digital crown to launch the app library.
Step 2: Open the Settings app.
Step 3: Tap on ‘Display and Brightness’.
Step 4: Tap on Always on.
Step 5: Scroll down to find various settings to modify Always On.
Here’s what each of the three options do :
Select ‘Show Complication Data’ and turn off Complication Data if you do not want to see it while your wrist is down. However, you can also turn off Complication Data for a few specific apps.
Select ‘Show Notifications’ and turn off Notifications if you do not want to see it while your wrist is down. However, you can also turn off Notifications for only a few specific apps.
Select ‘Show Apps’ and turn off the toggle to hide all apps from the Always On display. However, you can also show specific apps on your watch face while your wrist is down.
Using Watch App on iPhone
Step 1: Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on ‘Display and Brightness’.
Step 3: Tap on Always On.
Here’s what each of the above options do :
Step 4: Scroll down to find various settings to modify Always On.
Select ‘Show Complication Data’ and turn off Complication Data if you do not want to see it while your wrist is down. However, you can also turn off Complication Data for a few specific apps.
Select ‘Show Notifications’ and turn off Notifications if you do not want to see it while your wrist is down. However, you can also turn off Notifications for a few specific apps.
Select ‘Show Apps’ and turn off the toggle to hide all apps from the Always On display. However, you can also choose certain apps to be shown on your watch face while your wrist is down.
Does Turning Off Always On Display Save Battery on Apple Watch
We used our Apple Watch Series 7 with and without Always On display for a week to understand the battery usage patterns. Turns out that there isn’t any significant increase in the battery life without the Always On display.
On days when we used the Apple Watch with Always On display, we were left with a 10-15 percent battery at the end of the day. However, when we turned off the Always On display, we were left with around 25-30 percent battery at the end of the day. Eventually, we had to plug it in before we started our day in the morning.
However, this may vary based on the model, battery capacity, and battery health of your Apple Watch. So, you can turn off the Always On display and infer the change in battery life yourself. But if you’re looking to save battery, your best bet would be to enable the low power mode on your Apple Watch.
If you have any further questions, you can look at the FAQ section below.
FAQs on Apple Watch Always On Display
1. Does the Apple Watch SE have the Always On display? No. The Always On display feature is not available on the Apple Watch SE.
2. Can I change the color of the Always On display? No. You cannot exclusively change the color of the Always On display. The colors are subject to your Watch face customizations.
3. Do all watch faces work with the Always On display? Yes. All watch faces on your Apple Watch will work with the Always On display.
See Information When You Need It
If you’re concerned about people peeking at your Apple Watch, consider turning off the Always On display. Moreover, isn’t it better to have information and numbers displayed only when you look at the dial of your watch? Isn’t that the smartness these ‘smartwatches’ strive to achieve?
Guiding Tech
https://www.guidingtech.com/turn-off-always-on-display-on-apple-watch/
