This story is part Focal point iPhone 2022CNET’s roundup of news, tips and advice on Apple’s most popular product.
Apple’s approach to permanent exhibition for the iPhone 14Pro it’s different than what we’ve seen from Android, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.
On Galaxy S22For example, AOD exists as a separate entity from your regular lock screen, showing you limited information, like the date and time, while your phone is still in sleep mode. It works almost like a productivity feature, letting you take a quick glance at your phone to check what’s important without sucking yourself in.
And that’s what an always-on display should be, in my opinion.
Read more: iPhone 14 Pro vs Galaxy S22 Ultra: which camera wins?
However, on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple has redesigned what should be the always-on display, for better or for worse, depending on who you ask.
At Apple ios16 Whereas the always-on display is essentially a dimmed version of the lock screen: the date and time are illuminated, but you can also see notifications piling up at the bottom of the screen and wallpaper just a little bit.
For some people, this kind of always-on display feature might be perfect. It lets you see what’s going on, without having to tap the screen or wake up the phone.
But here’s the big “but” for me. If you think of the always-on display as a productivity feature, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max miss the mark. For me it’s a little too distracting, with all the notifications piling up and waking up the screen, and too bright, which is a problem if you have your iPhone on your nightstand while you’re trying to sleep.
And Apple has listened to the complaints. iOS 16.2, which is currently in developer beta, will allow you to disable wallpaper background and notifications whenever AOD is enabled. However, this software update isn’t expected until mid-December.
Luckily, you can fix some of the AOD issues right now by enabling a certain feature, which not only makes most of your display completely black, but also stops all notifications from distracting you. And it’s more obvious than you think.
How to dim your iPhone’s always-on display in iOS 16
To make your always-on screen darker and less distracting, we’ll use To concentratewhich helps reduce distractions by silencing most notifications on your iPhone, like Do Not Disturb, allowing for separate profiles and customization.
In the Settings application, go to To concentrate then choose a profile: Do not disturb is the simplest option, but you can also select Personal, Sleep, or Work. Whichever Focus profile you choose, press Choice then activate Dark lock screen. Whenever this specific profile is activated, the lock screen will be dimmed to a darker level than usual.
You can choose Do Not Disturb or any other Focus profile.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET
To activate your Focus profile, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to bring down Control Center, then tap Do not disturb (if you’ve used this profile) or tap and hold Do Not Disturb to view your other Focus profiles.
Once you’ve chosen the correct focus profile, your iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max’s always-on screen should now be completely black, showing you only the date, time, and the Do Not Disturb icon.
If you want to know more about the iPhone 14find out our opinion on iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max is one cheat sheet for everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 series.
