Iphone 12 OLED Contrast fades or change at low brightness

I was wondering if it's normal for an OLED display to change or fade contrast at low brightness, especially with gray colors. When I put my phone at max brightness, everything looks normal, but when I started lowering it, especially at the lowest brightness, the coloring of the image is distorted, like everything fades, and I feel like it’s not normal. I tried to search it on the web if it's normal for an OLED display to do that, but the results are mixed, or maybe it's just a bug in an update. I'm currently on iOS 18.2. The image that i proved is the example of it’s lowest brightness. Hope someone can help me



iPhone 12, iOS 18

Posted on Jan 12, 2025 7:16 AM

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3 replies

Jan 12, 2025 9:30 PM in response to jomari0421

On an iPhone 12, the issue of fading contrast or changes in photo display at low screen brightness, especially with gray colors, could be influenced by a few factors specific to the device's display technology:


  1. Auto-Brightness: The iPhone 12 has an auto-brightness feature that adjusts the screen brightness based on ambient lighting conditions. In low-light environments, the screen will automatically dim, and this could affect the visibility of contrast in photos, particularly in gray tones. This might cause the image to look less vibrant or clear when viewed at low brightness levels.
  2. Low-Light Photography: If the photo was taken in poor lighting conditions (low-light or gray-heavy environments), the image could have reduced contrast and clarity, particularly in areas with subtle gray tones. Even if the photo was taken under optimal lighting, low-light shots may not capture as much detail, leading to faded or blurry photos when viewed at low brightness.
  3. OLED Display Characteristics: The iPhone 12 uses an OLED display, which offers deep blacks and high contrast ratios. When the screen brightness is dimmed too low, the display may not show subtle differences in grays or low-light areas as accurately, leading to faded or washed-out images.
  4. Display Settings and Calibration: The iPhone 12 allows some display adjustments, such as True Tone and Night Shift. True Tone adjusts the display's color balance based on ambient light, which could make grays appear warmer or cooler, depending on the environment. At lower brightness, these adjustments may be more noticeable and could affect the display of gray tones. Additionally, if the screen is not calibrated optimally, the display may not handle subtle tones like gray effectively.


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Iphone 12 OLED Contrast fades or change at low brightness

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