Yes, Always-On Display uses battery, but the drain is usually small

The Always-On Display feature on newer iPhones (iPhone 14 Pro and later) does consume battery power, but it drains far less than you might expect. Apple designed it to use minimal energy by keeping the screen at very low brightness and refreshing it only when necessary. Most users see a battery impact of 1 to 3 percent per day, though the exact amount depends on how often you look at your phone and what information you choose to show on the lock screen.

The feature works by dimming your display to show the time, date, and widgets without fully waking your phone. Because the screen stays mostly dark and uses a lower refresh rate than normal, the battery cost is much smaller than if you were actively using your phone. If you're concerned about battery life, you can turn it off entirely or customize what appears on it to reduce power use further.

Key Takeaways

  • Always-On Display typically drains 1 to 3 percent of your battery per day, a small fraction of what active screen use costs.
  • The feature uses low brightness and a slower refresh rate, which is why the battery impact is minimal compared to normal phone use.
  • Turning off Always-On Display in Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen will save battery if you want maximum longevity between charges.
  • Customizing what widgets and information appear on your lock screen can slightly reduce battery drain without disabling the feature entirely.

How Always-On Display actually works on iPhone

Always-On Display keeps your lock screen visible at all times, but it does this in a way that saves power. Instead of running your display at full brightness and refresh rate, the feature dims the screen significantly and refreshes it only once per second rather than 120 times per second (the normal rate on newer iPhones). This slower refresh rate is the main reason the battery drain is so low.

When you look at your phone, the display recognizes the motion and brightens to full power so you can interact with it normally. When you look away, it dims back down. This on-and-off cycle happens constantly throughout the day, but because the dimmed state uses so little power, the overall battery impact stays small. The feature also stops updating when your phone is in a pocket or bag, so it is not draining battery when you are not near it.

What actually drains your battery more than Always-On Display

Active screen use—scrolling, typing, watching video, or using apps—drains your battery far more than Always-On Display ever will. A single hour of active use can consume 10 to 20 percent of your battery, depending on what you are doing. By comparison, Always-On Display running for 24 hours uses only 1 to 3 percent. If you want to extend battery life, reducing active screen time will have a much bigger impact than turning off Always-On Display.

Location services, background app refresh, and cellular connectivity also drain battery faster than Always-On Display. If you are trying to improve battery life, start by checking which apps are using location services in the background, turning off background refresh for apps you do not need constant updates from, and reducing how often your phone searches for a cellular signal in weak coverage areas. These changes will give you more battery savings than disabling Always-On Display.

How to turn off Always-On Display if you want to

If you decide the battery savings are worth it, disabling Always-On Display takes two steps. Open Settings, then go to Display & Brightness. Scroll down to the Lock Screen section and toggle off "Always On". Your lock screen will now turn off completely when you are not actively using your phone, just like older iPhone models.

You can also customize what appears on your Always-On Display without turning it off entirely. In the same Lock Screen settings, you can remove widgets, turn off the notification count, or hide the wallpaper. Fewer elements on the screen means slightly less battery drain, though the difference will be minimal. Most people find the convenience of Always-On Display worth the small battery cost.

Battery drain varies by your phone model and settings

The amount of battery Always-On Display uses depends on which iPhone you have and how you have configured it. iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models have more efficient displays than standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 15, so the battery impact may be slightly different. Phones with higher brightness settings or more widgets on the lock screen will see a slightly larger drain than phones with minimal lock screen content.

Your usage pattern also matters. If you spend most of your day looking at your phone, Always-On Display will refresh more often and use more battery. If you keep your phone in your pocket or bag most of the time, the feature will barely drain anything because it stops updating when the phone is not being viewed. The 1 to 3 percent daily drain figure is an average; your actual experience may be higher or lower depending on these factors.

When to keep Always-On Display on despite the battery cost

For most people, the convenience of seeing the time and notifications without picking up your phone outweighs the small battery cost. You can glance at your lock screen to check the time, see if you have missed calls or messages, or view weather and calendar information without unlocking your phone. This can actually save battery in some cases because you are not waking your full display as often.

If you charge your phone daily or have a larger battery capacity, the 1 to 3 percent daily drain is unlikely to affect when you need to charge. Always-On Display becomes more worth turning off only if you regularly run low on battery before you can charge, or if you are traveling and do not have access to a charger for extended periods. In those situations, every percent of battery matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Always-On Display drain battery faster than leaving the screen on?

No, Always-On Display uses far less battery than keeping your full screen on. The feature dims the display and slows the refresh rate, so it consumes only a fraction of the power. Leaving your screen at full brightness would drain your battery in a few hours, while Always-On Display running all day uses only 1 to 3 percent.

Will turning off Always-On Display significantly improve my battery life?

Turning it off will extend your battery life, but the improvement will be small—roughly 1 to 3 percent more battery per day. If you are struggling with battery life, you will see much bigger gains by reducing active screen time, turning off location services for apps that do not need it, or disabling background app refresh.

Can I customize Always-On Display to use less battery?

Yes. In Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen, you can remove widgets, turn off notification counts, or hide the wallpaper. Fewer elements on the screen means slightly less battery drain, though the difference is minimal. The biggest battery savings come from turning the feature off entirely.

Does Always-On Display drain battery when my phone is in my pocket?

No. Always-On Display stops updating when your phone is not being viewed, so it uses almost no battery when it is in your pocket or bag. The feature only drains battery when your phone is in front of you and the screen is visible.

What iPhone models have Always-On Display?

Always-On Display is available on iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models do not have this feature. If you have an older iPhone, you do not have Always-On Display to turn on or off.