Always On Display not working properly on iPhone 17 Pro Max

In addition make sure your iPhone isn't,

• Connected to your Apple Watch and you walk away
• Is Idle for a while (according to Apple, your iPhone learns your patterns and turns the AOD off automatically)
• Sleep Focus enabled
• Low Power Mode enabled
• Using a Continuity Camera

If you have confirmed all that, then have your iPhone returned and exchanged for a new one, which you are eligible within 14 days to do so.

If this is a software issue, it should be able to be resolved with a Forced Restart.

• Press and quickly release the Volume Up Button
• Press and quickly release the Volume Down Button
• Press and hold the Side Button until you see the Apple Logo (Past the Power Off Slider, up to 30 seconds)

After you can also try using Standby Mode with the display set to Never turn off, does that work? You can do so in Settings > Standby > Turn it on and tap Display > Never. This feature utilizes the Always On Display. So if that also doesn't work this would indicate an issue with the ProMotion Display, which powers that feature. This will help us determine whether this is a hardware issue.

@Zachyy, return the phone? Based on personal experience and a myriad of other iPhone users reporting the same problem ("Always On" going black when it shouldn't), this sounds more like a software bug. In my case, it's occurring on a 17 Pro--not a 17 Pro Max. Different phone. Same issue.

Returning the phone sounds a bit like tossing the baby out with the bathwater....