Always on Display turns off with iOS 16.2

Zzag wrote:

Probably my issue is related to the Sleep Focus setting. I do have this turned on because I don’t want calls or texts coming in (except emergency contacts) at night. However, I do want to be able to look at my phone that is charging on my nightstand and be able to see the time. I can understand why some people would not want this and they should be able to turn off the “always on” display feature, but I want the display on ( at an appropriately dim night setting) when I have specifically set my iPhone 14 pro max to have the display always on. Sleep mode should not automatically disregard this setting.

That sounds like a reasonable theory. You can let Apple know you'd like them to do something different here:

Product Feedback - Apple

What I do (as I don't have a phone with an always on display) is ask Siri what time it is.

The ACTUAL reasons the screen turns off are:

To save battery life, the display is completely dark when:

• Your iPhone is lying face down 
• Your iPhone is in your pocket or bag
• Sleep Focus is on
• Low Power Mode is on
• Your iPhone is connected to CarPlay
• You're using Continuity Camera
• You haven't used your iPhone for a while (your iPhone learns your activity patterns and turns the display off and on accordingly, including if you set up an alarm or sleep schedule)
• Your iPhone detects that you moved away from it with a paired Apple Watch (Always-On display will turn on when your Apple Watch is close to your iPhone again)

I had the same problem for weeks. Even made a trip to the Genius Bar. Then, after half a dozen calls to Apple Support with no luck, someone on Twitter actually gave me the perfect solution and it’s worked perfectly ever since. It’s called a Hard Restart. Here are the steps to take.

1. Push & release the volume up button quickly.
2. Then the volume down button.
3. Then press and hold the button on the right until the Apple logo appears.
4. Then presto, it’s done.

I have the 14 Pro and hope this helps.

One other note: After the reset I placed my phone on the charger for a couple of minutes and watched until the Always On Display appears again and it’s still working perfectly.

Same here - there always-on display was one of the features that made me buy this phone to begin with. I’m growing tired of iOS updates screwing things up.

Have any of you tried erasing the phone and restoring from backup? Apple Support suggested trying it, but that’s hours of “work” and I’m not very optimistic that it would fix anything.

I also have this problem with two iPhone 14 pro max, I noticed that at night its when it happens the most. I think it must be some sort of algorithm thing. If you restart the device and don't even touch it it stays on, but when you put in your code it reverts to turning off. One thing that I have found that works is download the IPSW of the latest iOS put your device into DFU mode and option and click the update button then choose the appropriate IPSW. It works, that's what I do but unfortunately if you restart the phone your back to the same thing. I hope we get a fix for this soon because this is suppose to be one of the main features of the 14 pro series.

I’m very frustrated too because they assured me that the new iOS 16.3 update would correct it. But after installing, just like clockwork, at 8 pm my phone went black. I’ve tried everything they’ve suggested but after 5 phone calls, many texts, a trip to the Genius Bar & now, the new update, nothing has changed & nobody at Apple seems to care. You’d think they’d be on top of the problems with this new 14 Pro.

Same issue for me. Screen turns off after 1min max at night time specially when the room is dark. I suspect the algorithm stating "if is dark and late, the accelerometer sensor reporting no motion, the guy is sleeping ..so turn it off !"

I’m sure we’ve all gone over your list of reasons a dozen times. We’re not 3rd graders here. Just very frustrated customers tired of the run around and disappointed in Apple for not directly addressing the issue.

I’m sure we’ve all gone over your list of reasons a dozen times. We’re not 3rd graders here. Just very frustrated customers tired of the run around and disappointed in Apple for not directly addressing the issue.

Thanks for the suggestion! I can already tell it’s not working for me since the screen’s already gone black once since then, even though it usually only happens at night. Hopefully others will have more luck, and hopefully Apple will get its act together and fix this bug.

did any of you contact apple support and get feedback? it's getting increasingly frustrating with the dark display after 8 o'clock in the evening - and especially when you've tried the available workarounds hundreds of times and nothing helps...

It’s not ALWAYS on display, It’s SOMETIMES on display. Like a joke…

I solved this problem 2 days ago. Deleted all sleep data, sleep reminders and sleep focus settings. fixed. It never turned itself off for 2 days. Then I plugged the phone into the charger and woke up in the morning. Today it started to turn itself off again. I'm really about to go crazy. After using android for 10 years, I decided to switch to iphone just because aod came. aod neither works as smooth as android nor as simple as android

Me too. Usually it happens after 8pm - the always on then is always off after a few seconds. At night it never stays on - but when I wake up, I want to see the time. Also it happens sometimes at day. Like right now. 10am. It don't want a "smart" Always on - I want an always on display that is in fact always on. Always. I don't know if Apple understands the word, but always means: It doesn't turn off. At least let me decide in the option menu, if I want some smart-off or whatever.

But right now, it is messed up.

Same here. Really annoying. Got rid of my bedside clock due to this feature being so useful. Now that AOD is not actually on, I can’t see the time when I wake up in the middle of the night and so I must get another bedside clock. Thanks for that…