To turn off the Always On Display on your iPhone 15 Pro Max, navigate to Settings Display & Brightness Always On Display, and toggle the switch to the OFF position. This will cause your screen to go completely black when locked, conserving battery life and ensuring privacy. The iPhone 15 Pro Max has cutting-edge Super Retina XDR display that boasts ProMotion technology, allowing the screen's refresh rate to drop down to as low as 1Hz when the device is idle. This capability allows the device to display crucial information without unnecessarily draining the battery.
However, despite Apple's optimizations to this feature, there are several valid reasons why a user might want to completely disable the Always-On Display (AOD). For instance, although the power consumption is minimized by the low refresh rate, it still draws some power, and for users who are constantly on the go or away from a charger, turning it off can help maximize overall battery life.
Furthermore, many users find the illuminated lock screen distracting, particularly in dark environments or at night when trying to sleep. Privacy is another significant concern, as an active display can expose sensitive details like the time, widgets, and incoming text message previews to prying eyes. To disable the Always-On Display completely, open the Settings app from your home screen or App Library, and scroll down to locate the Display & Brightness settings menu.
Once you tap on this option, scroll down further until you find the dedicated section labeled Always On Display. In this menu, you will see a main toggle switch for the Always-On Display, alongside a few customization options. To turn the feature off completely, simply flip the toggle so that it is grayed out or no longer showing as green. Once you complete this step, the Always-On Display is fully disabled.
Now, whenever you press the side power button to lock your iPhone, the screen will go entirely black rather than dimming and showing your lock screen wallpaper and widgets.It is worth noting that if you do not want to disable the Always-On Display completely, Apple offers granular customization features within that same sub-menu. Instead of turning the feature off entirely, you can adjust the settings for Show Wallpaper and Show Notifications.
For example, by turning off the Show Wallpaper toggle, the Always-On display will become much simpler, displaying only the time and any configured widgets against a stark black background. This option offers a great compromise, providing the convenience of glancing at the time while cutting back on the visual distraction and power draw associated with rendering the full-color lock screen wallpaper. Similarly, toggling off Show Notifications prevents text messages and app alerts from being visible on the idle screen, addressing both privacy concerns and visual clutter.
For users who might want the convenience of the Always-On Display during the day but want to turn it off automatically during bedtime to save battery and reduce distractions, Apple provides a clever automation workaround using the built-in Health application. By leaving the main Always-On toggle enabled in your display settings, you can open the Health app, tap Browse, select Sleep, and configure your regular Sleep Schedule.
When this schedule is active, the iPhone intelligently recognizes when you are asleep and forces the screen to go completely dark, seamlessly re-enabling the Always-On display when you wake up.Additionally, the iPhone is designed with built-in ambient light and proximity sensors, meaning the Always-On Display will automatically shut off on its own in specific situations even if the feature is left enabled.
For instance, if you place your iPhone 15 Pro Max face down on a desk, or slip it into your pocket, the phone detects this and turns the display completely off. It also deactivates when paired with Apple CarPlay or when utilizing the Continuity Camera feature on a Mac. If you find that the constant presence of the clock and widgets still bothers you despite these intelligent behaviors, sticking to the manual toggle in the Display & Brightness settings remains the most straightforward approach to completely turning off the feature. Returning to this setting to toggle it back on is just as easy if you ever decide you want to test the feature out again.