If you’re an iPhone user, you might have noticed that your phone’s brightness automatically adjusts based on the lighting conditions around you. While this feature is designed to reduce eyestrain and make the screen easier to view, it doesn’t always work as expected. Sometimes, your display might dim even when you’re outside in the sun. For example, if you’re standing partially in the shade, your iPhone could mistakenly lower the brightness, making the screen harder to see. And even if you manually increase the brightness, it often goes back down because of auto-brightness. Fixing this issue may require more than just toggling off a single setting, but that’s where you should start.
Disable Auto-Brightness
The first step in stopping your iPhone from adjusting brightness automatically is to turn off auto-brightness. This feature is responsible for dynamically changing your screen’s brightness according to the ambient light. While useful in some cases, it can be frustrating if it doesn’t behave as expected.
To turn off auto-brightness:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
- Scroll down and toggle off Auto-Brightness at the bottom of the page.
This setting is somewhat hidden in the Accessibility menu rather than the Display & Brightness section, so many users might not even realize it’s enabled. Once turned off, your screen will stop adjusting brightness automatically under most conditions.
Turn Off True Tone
If your display is still adjusting on its own, the next setting to disable is True Tone. True Tone is a feature found on iPhones starting from the SE (2nd generation) model. It adjusts the screen’s color temperature and brightness to match the lighting environment, improving visual comfort and color accuracy. While helpful, it can also result in unwanted brightness changes.
To disable True Tone:
- Open Settings.
- Navigate to Display & Brightness.
- Under the Brightness section, toggle off True Tone.
Disabling True Tone, along with auto-brightness, should ensure your screen brightness remains consistent.
Be Mindful of Overheating
Even if you turn off both auto-brightness and True Tone, your iPhone might still dim the display under certain conditions. One common reason is overheating. Your iPhone has built-in protections to prevent internal damage, which include automatically reducing display brightness when the device becomes too hot.
To prevent overheating:
Use your iPhone within the recommended temperature range of 32°F to 95°F (0°C to 35°C).
Store your phone between -4°F and 113°F (-20°C to 45°C).
Avoid leaving your iPhone in direct sunlight, such as on a car dashboard or a hot sidewalk, as these situations can cause it to overheat and dim the display.
Overheating isn’t always caused by external temperatures. It can also result from internal issues like a degraded battery or software bugs. To address these, you can:
Check battery health: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to see if your battery needs replacement.
Keep your software up to date: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and ensure you’re running the latest version of iOS to resolve potential software glitches.
By disabling auto-brightness and True Tone and taking steps to prevent overheating, you can minimize unexpected brightness adjustments on your iPhone. These changes will help you maintain better control over your screen’s visibility, making it easier to use your device in any environment.
