Where to find display settings on your iPhone

Display settings on iPhone live in the Settings app under Display & Brightness. Open Settings, scroll down, and tap Display & Brightness — you'll see it listed between Screen Time and Accessibility. From there, every major display control is within two taps: brightness, text size, color filters, and refresh rate on newer models.

The controls you see depend on your iPhone model and iOS version. Newer iPhones (iPhone 13 and later) show a 120Hz refresh rate option; older models don't have that setting. All iPhones let you adjust brightness, enable Dark Mode, and change text size from this single menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Brightness and Dark Mode are in Settings > Display & Brightness, and you can also control brightness from Control Center by swiping down from the top right.
  • Text size changes in Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size, and affects most apps system-wide without changing your overall zoom level.
  • Accessibility zoom (Settings > Accessibility > Zoom) magnifies the entire screen and is different from text size — use it when you need everything larger, not just words.
  • iPhone 13 and newer models can switch between 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rates in Display & Brightness, which affects battery life and screen smoothness.
  • Color filters and True Tone (which adjusts white balance to your lighting) are both in Display & Brightness and can reduce eye strain in low light.

Adjusting brightness and using Dark Mode

Brightness has two paths: the quick way and the permanent way. For a quick adjustment, swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center, then drag the brightness slider up or down. This change lasts until you adjust it again or until your scheduled Dark Mode kicks in.

To set a default brightness level that persists, go to Settings > Display & Brightness and drag the brightness slider. You can also toggle on True Tone here, which automatically shifts your screen's white balance to match your environment — warmer in dim light, cooler in bright light. Dark Mode inverts your interface to white text on black backgrounds; turn it on in the same menu and choose whether you want it on all the time or on a schedule (like sunset to sunrise).

Changing text size and using accessibility zoom

Text size in Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size affects the size of words in Mail, Messages, Notes, and most built-in apps, but not web pages or apps that set their own text rendering. Drag the slider left to make text smaller or right to make it larger. This change happens when ready across your phone.

If you need everything on your screen magnified — not just text, but icons, buttons, and all interface elements — use Accessibility Zoom instead. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Zoom and turn it on. Once enabled, double-tap with two fingers to zoom in and out. This is different from text size because it magnifies the entire display, not just words. Use text size for reading comfort and zoom for visibility when you need the whole screen larger.

Enabling 120Hz refresh rate on newer iPhones

iPhone 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max have ProMotion, which lets the screen refresh up to 120 times per second instead of the standard 60. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and look for the Refresh Rate option — it only appears on these models. You can choose Standard (60Hz) or ProMotion (up to 120Hz).

ProMotion makes scrolling and animations feel smoother, but it uses more battery. iPhone manages this automatically by dropping to 60Hz when you don't need the higher rate, but if battery life is your priority, switch to Standard. The difference in real-world use is noticeable when scrolling through lists or playing games, but less obvious during everyday tasks like texting.

Using color filters and Night Shift

Color filters in Settings > Display & Brightness > Color Filters let you adjust how your screen displays colors. You can enable Grayscale (black and white only), reduce blue light, or explore other color adjustments. These are useful if you have color blindness or want to reduce eye strain. Turn on the toggle, then choose which filter and adjust the intensity.

Night Shift is a separate tool that reduces blue light automatically at sunset. It's in Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift. You can turn it on manually or set a schedule. Unlike color filters, Night Shift is designed to help you sleep better by warming your screen in the evening — it doesn't change how colors look, just shifts them toward orange and red. Both tools can run at the same time.

Controlling auto-brightness and lock screen timeout

Auto-Brightness automatically adjusts your screen brightness based on the light around you. It's in Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Brightness. Turn it on to let your iPhone manage brightness, or turn it off to keep your manual brightness setting steady. Many people find auto-brightness saves battery and reduces eye strain, but it can feel jarring if the light changes quickly.

Lock Screen timeout (how long before your screen turns off) is in Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. Choose 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, or Never. Shorter timeouts save battery; Never keeps your screen on indefinitely, which drains the battery quickly. For most people, 1 or 2 minutes is the right balance.

Adjusting display zoom and standard view

Display Zoom is different from text size — it changes how much content fits on your screen. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom and choose between Standard (more content, smaller) and Zoomed (less content, larger). This affects icons, text, and layout system-wide. You must restart your iPhone after changing this setting.

Standard view shows more information per screen; Zoomed view makes everything larger and easier to tap. This is a one-time choice that affects your entire interface, not a quick toggle. If you change your mind later, go back to the same menu and pick the other option, then restart again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I control brightness from somewhere other than Settings?

Yes. Swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center and drag the brightness slider. This is the fastest way to adjust brightness on the fly. You can also ask Siri to set brightness to a specific percentage by saying "Hey Siri, set brightness to 50 percent."

What's the difference between text size and zoom?

Text size (Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size) makes words larger in apps like Mail and Messages, but doesn't change icons or buttons. Zoom (Settings > Accessibility > Zoom) magnifies everything on your screen equally. Use text size for reading comfort and zoom when you need the whole interface larger.

Does Dark Mode save battery on all iPhones?

Dark Mode saves battery on iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer), because black pixels use less power. On older iPhones with LCD screens, Dark Mode makes no difference to battery life. It can reduce eye strain in low light on any model, though.

Why does my screen brightness keep changing even though I turned off auto-brightness?

True Tone adjusts white balance, not brightness — it's a separate setting. If your screen is getting warmer or cooler but not dimmer or brighter, True Tone is on. Turn it off in Settings > Display & Brightness > True Tone if you want a consistent color temperature.

Will ProMotion drain my battery noticeably?

ProMotion uses more power than 60Hz, but iPhone automatically drops to 60Hz when you don't need the higher rate, so the real-world battery impact is usually small. If battery life is critical, switch to Standard (60Hz) in Settings > Display & Brightness > Refresh Rate.