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iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 16 Always on Display is not always on

pruppert

pruppert

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 30, 2008
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I've upgraded from a 13 Pro Max to a new 16 Pro Max today. One of the features I looked forward to trying was the always on display, and it is one the main reasons I chose the 16 Pro Max over the 16 Plus. Well, my experience today seems to be that the "Always on Display" does not stay on if you are in a dimly lit room. I was watching a movie tonight with the lights off and the iPhone display goes completely dark about 20-30 seconds after being locked. Is this normal behavior for the Always on Display? Is there any way to keep the always on display to be always on in dim rooms?
 
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I am having this exact same issue, with my brand new iPhone 16 pro max. I just upgraded from a iPhone 15 pro max… and on that phone I never had this happen. My phone would stay dimly lit in pitch black room, while docked. So for me this isn’t normal.
 
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I noticed last night that my Always On Display isn’t working. AOD had was perfectly working with my old iPhone 15 Pro Max. Already checked and googled things that could cause it, still not working. I even had the software bug update installed this morning and it still turns off.

Why would my phone turn off if it’s always on? Anyone else experiencing their display shutting completely off? Is this a defect???
 
Appl3FTW said:
I noticed last night that my Always On Display isn’t working. AOD had was perfectly working with my old iPhone 15 Pro Max. Already checked and googled things that could cause it, still not working. I even had the software bug update installed this morning and it still turns off.

Why would my phone turn off if it’s always on? Anyone else experiencing their display shutting completely off? Is this a defect???
Click to expand...
 
LuckyCharms785 said:
I am having this exact same issue, with my brand new iPhone 16 pro max. I just upgraded from a iPhone 15 pro max… and on that phone I never had this happen. My phone would stay dimly lit in pitch black room, while docked. So for me this isn’t normal.
Click to expand...
Agreed same. Never had an issue with my 15PM. However I called apple and reported it (it’s not happening officially until u report the issue) so I did. It seemed to have fixed after the hard reboot.
 
LuckyCharms785 said:
I am having this exact same issue, with my brand new iPhone 16 pro max. I just upgraded from a iPhone 15 pro max… and on that phone I never had this happen. My phone would stay dimly lit in pitch black room, while docked. So for me this isn’t normal.
Click to expand...
Yes, it’s meant to stay on while docked as it’s receiving power
 
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UKapple73 said:
It’s normal behaviour. The AOD is designed to turn off in a very dark place, such as a bag or pocket. So in a really dark room it goes off.
Those saying theirs didn’t do that are the ones who are behaving abnormally
Click to expand...
Nope, incorrect. If the aod was on, then it’s “always on” like it says. Why would the screen be off if it’s always on? Tf Lmao.

Again, my 14PM and 15PM never had this issue. It was always on, even my dark room at night.
 
Call apple support to report the issue. That’s my advise. But the fix for me was make sure you don’t have sleep focus on, update the sw, and do a hard reboot.

That fixed it for me.
 
Appl3FTW said:
IMG_2223.jpeg
Nope, incorrect. If the aod was on, then it’s “always on” like it says. Why would the screen be off if it’s always on? Tf Lmao.

Again, my 14PM and 15PM never had this issue. It was always on, even my dark room at night.
Click to expand...
 
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Appl3FTW said:
Nope, incorrect. If the aod was on, then it’s “always on” like it says. Why would the screen be off if it’s always on? Tf Lmao.

Again, my 14PM and 15PM never had this issue. It was always on, even my dark room at night.
Click to expand...
You’re wrong. Apple clearly state it goes off when it’s dark. How else could the screen turn off in a pocket, having the screen on then would be a waste of battery!
Some light sensors on certain phones may be more or less sensitive, and so stay on in dim conditions. My 15pm and now my 16pm all go off in a very dark room. The phone can’t know whether it’s in a pocket or bag or in a dark room. They’re smart but not that smart
 
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UKapple73 said:
You’re wrong. Apple clearly state it goes off when it’s dark. How else could the screen turn off in a pocket, having the screen on then would be a waste of battery!
Some light sensors on certain phones may be more or less sensitive, and so stay on in dim conditions. My 15pm and now my 16pm all go off in a very dark room. The phone can’t know whether it’s in a pocket or bag or in a dark room. They’re smart but not that smart
Click to expand...
No you’re wrong. Why would it be called “always on display” if it turns off completely when docked? Again, this was NEVER an issue with my previous 14PM and 15PM. They always, repeat ALWAYS stay on, just like the name says. Please learn your features and come back to me.

Thanks.
 
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I must have missed where someone said it goes off while it’s docked…
 
Appl3FTW said:
No you’re wrong. Why would it be called “always on display” if it turns off completely when docked? Again, this was NEVER an issue with my previous 14PM and 15PM. They always, repeat ALWAYS stay on, just like the name says. Please learn your features and come back to me.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I said it stays on when docked, but goes off in the dark when on battery. So I’m right
Thanks
 
The OP didn’t make it clear whether it’s going off while docked or on battery
For clarity- it should stay on while docked (else the standby thing wouldn’t work) , but should go off while on battery when it’s very dark
 
People right above are saying it's going off when docked / being charged.

The only reason for me to buy a Pro would be for AOD when in standby mode (i.e. using the phone as an alarm clock especially while travelling). If it's not doing this, then there's no point (for me) in getting the Pro.

I assume, however, that if this is the case then it's a bug which should be fixed.
 
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There are plenty of times that my 14PM display went off when AoD was on. Low power mode, sleep focus, when the phone is face down, when I walked more than 5 metres away wearing my Apple Watch.

Some real “this so called PERMANENT pen was removed when I spilled rubbing alcohol on it. Do $harpie think we’re stupid?!?!?!11” energy here.
 
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adrianlondon said:
People right above are saying it's going off when docked / being charged.

The only reason for me to buy a Pro would be for AOD when in standby mode (i.e. using the phone as an alarm clock especially while travelling). If it's not doing this, then there's no point (for me) in getting the Pro.

I assume, however, that if this is the case then it's a bug which should be fixed.
Click to expand...
Yup mine was shutting off AOD when docked. If people would try to understand and stop pretending like a know it all then they would know it’s an actual issue instead of point fingers “you’re wrong”. This is what’s wrong with forums these days.

But anyways, yes try to make sure you check all the settings and hard boot your phone. That worked for me.
 
I do agree with the sentiment that it shouldn’t be called “always” on because it clearly isn’t always on. They should have a toggle in the settings to say “I want it on ALWAYS” and so even in a pocket it’s on, so overriding Apples idea of turning it off at certain times
 
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