iPhone locks when face down despite Auto-Lock set to Never

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Level 2

188 points

iPhone locks when face down despite Auto-Lock set to Never

I am a hobbyist magician, and I like to perform techy tricks using magic apps on my iPhone 17 running iOS 26.2.1. The other night, I was highly embarrassed when my performance failed, despite precautions I took to make sure what happened wouldn’t happen.

The trick I was performing required opening an app, and making sure it stayed open through the performance. I set Auto-Lock to Never, assuming this would be sufficient, and laid the phone face down on the table. Several minutes later, at the climax of the trick, it failed. I picked up my phone, and when I saw the screen was black, I tapped it, only to find that the phone had locked and I had to log back in.

Is there something about the word “Never” that I don’t understand? Does the iPhone lock anyway when it’s face down, or some other unknown behavior?

iPhone 17 Pro Max, iOS 26

Posted on Feb 1, 2026 6:57 PM

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Answer 1

SravanKrA

Level 10

431,892 points

Feb 1, 2026 9:04 PM in response to jla930

Is this your corporate/organisation/enterprise/School Management iPhone? Then please contact the system administrator of your corporate//organisation/enterprise/School Management
If it is your device, in that case, do you have any profile installed by your corporate/organisation/enterprise/School Management?
1. Erase the profile added by you If you have installed a profile on your own --> Install or remove configuration profiles on iPhone - Apple ...
2. Or please contact the system administrator of the organisation who provided the profile to you

A corporate profile installed on your iPhone could potentially be contributing to the inaccessibility of certain features.

Here's why:

Restrictions: Corporate profiles can have restrictions placed on apps and functionalities. These restrictions might be limiting some activity, causing it to be unresponsive or quit.
Managed Apps: IT departments might deploy specific navigation apps through the profile, potentially blocking certain functions or features.
Security Settings: Corporate profiles often have stricter security settings that could affect app or function behavior. This might be causing unexpected behavior of an App or functions.

Here's what you can do:

Check with IT: The best course of action is to contact your IT department. They can explain the restrictions set by the corporate profile and see what is affected. They might be able to adjust settings or suggest alternative apps or features approved for corporate use.
Look for App Conflicts: See if your IT department uses a different app through the corporate profile. Conflicting apps might cause crashes.

Additional points to consider:

Even if the profile isn't directly affecting the function, it's still a good idea to check with IT. They might be aware of similar issues and have workarounds.
While troubleshooting, make sure you prioritize safety. Don't fiddle with your phone.

By working with IT and considering these possibilities, you can hopefully identify if the corporate profile is the culprit and find a solution that allows you to use the iPhone to your liking.

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Answer 2

jla930 Author

Level 2

188 points

Feb 1, 2026 9:23 PM in response to SravanKrA

@SravanKra, thanks for the reply, but this is my own phone that I purchased. I followed your link regarding configuration profiles, and I found something that says to go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management. VPN is not connected, and there is a link that says “Sign In to Work or School Account…”, but I’m not signed in to any account.

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