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Maclife80

macrumors member
Original poster
May 1, 2019
51
14
So I just upgraded from Apple Watch 4 to the Ultra. And with one thing I am very very disappointed. The brightness of the watch is like not even half as bright as my old Watch 4. I have set brightness to the highest setting and tried it with always on and without it. I know the screen get brighter for instance when I am using a flashlight and point it on the watch it gets very bright. But in just regular scenario it is very dim. Anything I can do against it? or is this an hardware issue?
 

nperei

macrumors member
Jun 27, 2010
73
11
Boston
So I just upgraded from Apple Watch 4 to the Ultra. And with one thing I am very very disappointed. The brightness of the watch is like not even half as bright as my old Watch 4. I have set brightness to the highest setting and tried it with always on and without it. I know the screen get brighter for instance when I am using a flashlight and point it on the watch it gets very bright. But in just regular scenario it is very dim. Anything I can do against it? or is this an hardware issue?

Yes I just noticed that. I tried look in accessibility to toggle auto dimmable. Does not have that feature like iPhone. it too dim at night than AW4. Pretty hard to read it.

I hope Apple address this or they might have fixed for next IOS.
This is not great for people who are legally blind or low vision they will feel more frustrating.
 

Jackbequickly

macrumors 68040
Aug 6, 2022
3,163
3,262
I was out walking early today and love the readability of the Ultra’s flat screen. A ray of sun came through the trees and hit my watch face and the screen brightness went to awesome bright!
 
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mimeArtist

macrumors regular
Mar 1, 2010
190
255
I have the same problem... Did some searching and there is apparently no 'auto brightness'... but when I shine my torch on it, it suddenly brightens, but in a dimly lit room it quickly goes back to barely light enough, and becomes pretty hard to read
 

Badmoz

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2022
2
1
Having same issues AWU not readable at night with display brightness turned to the highest With new Apple Watch faces most especially the wayfinder Watch face. Almost returned mine thinking it was faulty on getting to the apple store the manager which also was wearing an AWU noticed that too with his and tried the AWU on the displace table all had the same issue told me it is mostly going to be a software issue. the display is pretty bright at night when you put a flashlight on the display. Hopefully apple gets to fix it soonest with a update. Let all AWU go to www.apple.com/feedback to leave a complaint there.
 

Badmoz

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2022
2
1
So I just upgraded from Apple Watch 4 to the Ultra. And with one thing I am very very disappointed. The brightness of the watch is like not even half as bright as my old Watch 4. I have set brightness to the highest setting and tried it with always on and without it. I know the screen get brighter for instance when I am using a flashlight and point it on the watch it gets very bright. But in just regular scenario it is very dim. Anything I can do against it? or is this an hardware issue?
It’s not an hardware issue I have literally tested 11 AWU all had the same problem I guess the ambient sensor needs a calibration or something in a watchOS update fix. It’s frustrating I leant use my watch at night
 
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jakejmitchell

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2022
1
0
I've got the same issue!

Called apple support and they told me to put a flash light up to it because I can't see it very good in the dark it's so dim! Going from brightness 1 - 2 Is a noticeable difference, going from 2 -3 is little to no change at all.


It light up bright and then it went back after I took the flashlight off. In the dark it's got horrible brightness but in the day time it looks so bright!

I just come back from the apple store as an apple senior advisor told me to take it back to get a new one, but it seems like this new one is doing the same thing!
 

starstreak

macrumors 6502
Dec 5, 2004
456
11
The flashlight for me doesn't seem a 1000nits brighter than the aWatch7 I have.
I wish the standby brightness was a dim lower. When I turn my wrist to see the time, it hardly gets any brighter. I have it one notch below maximum brightness.
I did notice if I put a flashlight to the display, and I remove the flashlight, the display is kinda bright, then dims down to its normal brightness. So maybe the watch thinks I don't need it that bright?
 

mikezmac

macrumors 6502a
Jun 4, 2014
809
510
NH
The flashlight for me doesn't seem a 1000nits brighter than the aWatch7 I have.
I wish the standby brightness was a dim lower. When I turn my wrist to see the time, it hardly gets any brighter. I have it one notch below maximum brightness.
I did notice if I put a flashlight to the display, and I remove the flashlight, the display is kinda bright, then dims down to its normal brightness. So maybe the watch thinks I don't need it that bright?
After you open, the flashlight touch the screen, one more time. Then it will go to full brightness.
 

travis64

macrumors 6502a
Nov 18, 2008
989
747
NEW YORK
I've got the same issue!

Called apple support and they told me to put a flash light up to it because I can't see it very good in the dark it's so dim! Going from brightness 1 - 2 Is a noticeable difference, going from 2 -3 is little to no change at all.


It light up bright and then it went back after I took the flashlight off. In the dark it's got horrible brightness but in the day time it looks so bright!

I just come back from the apple store as an apple senior advisor told me to take it back to get a new one, but it seems like this new one is doing the same thing!
Its called auto brightness you cant turn it off since series 5 with always on display
 
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akidokraja

macrumors 6502
Jan 19, 2013
418
491
I actually had the exact opposite impression, after three days of running outside in the bright sun (in the desert for two days and high CO mountains for another) I was very impressed with how bright the display was. I def think your unit has an issue you should get swapped out.
Yes, my eyesight is pretty bad but this Ultra has super bright display. In total darkness and in full sunlight. I don’t know if all these people have hardware problem or something else.
 

ArchEtech

macrumors 6502
Sep 25, 2022
474
429
If you don’t have the brightness set to max, it’s a little dim in med to lower light typical level. I would imagine it’s a battery saving calibration. It’s way brighter than any other Apple Watch when it’s full on.
 

akidokraja

macrumors 6502
Jan 19, 2013
418
491
No settings for auto brightness its just always on and is dark in a dark room
Yes, I understand that but mine is on the lowest setting and I am looking at it right now while laying in bed in full darkness minus the iPhone screen that is on and it is plenty bright. Too bright actually and my eyesight is pretty bad. I am just trying to understand are my eyes different or are your devices different. For reference I can’t see Fénix MIP screen if there is no backlight even in medium light while other people can.
 

ArchEtech

macrumors 6502
Sep 25, 2022
474
429
In bright light and total darkness they are fine.

It’s the in-between that sometimes is too dim.

Full brightness setting helps but then it’s too bright in total darkness. This isn’t a new thing but I do think the watch could use some fine tuning options.
 
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MAHJ71

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2022
8
15
I’m bright light and total darkness they are fine.

It’s the in-between that sometimes is too dim.

Full brightness setting helps but then it’s too bright in total darkness. This isn’t a new thing but I do think the watch could use some fine tuning options.
Bingo. The in-between is when I notice it as well. Would be nice if there was a setting to help with it..
 
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JT2002TJ

macrumors 68020
Nov 7, 2013
2,057
1,387
I have noticed this, and believe it is more noticeable based on the watch face selection/color scheme. If I go with infograph with a dark background, and white writing I don't have an issue seeing it, I tried the new Wayfinder with the grey writing, and I couldn't seen the writing, I had to change it to be able to read the complications.
 
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