By default, your iPhone is configured to turn off its screen and lock itself after 30 seconds of inactivity. This is an aggressive power-saving measure designed by Apple to maximize battery life and enhance security. If you set the phone down on a table, it quickly secures itself before anyone else can grab it.
However, this short timeout can be incredibly frustrating. If you are trying to follow a recipe while cooking, reading a long article without constantly touching the screen, or referencing notes while giving a presentation, having your screen constantly fade to black is a major annoyance.
You can easily increase the amount of time your iPhone waits before turning off the screen, or you can disable the Auto-Lock feature entirely so the screen stays on until you manually press the side button.
How to Change the Auto-Lock Time
The setting that controls screen timeouts is located in the Display settings, not the Security settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Display & Brightness.
- Scroll down the page until you find Auto-Lock. Tap on it.
- You will see a list of time intervals ranging from 30 Seconds to 5 Minutes, along with a “Never” option.
- Tap the specific time interval you prefer. A blue checkmark will appear next to your selection.
If you choose Never, your iPhone screen will remain illuminated indefinitely. You must remember to press the physical Power/Side button on the right edge of your phone to turn the screen off before putting it in your pocket.
Why is Auto-Lock Greyed Out?
Occasionally, you may navigate to the Display & Brightness menu only to find the Auto-Lock option greyed out and permanently locked to 30 seconds. You cannot tap on it or change it.
This happens when Low Power Mode is enabled. Low Power Mode aggressively restricts background processes and forces the screen to turn off as quickly as possible to conserve remaining battery life.
To regain access to the Auto-Lock settings, you must turn off Low Power Mode:
- Go back to the main page of the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap on Battery.
- Toggle the switch next to Low Power Mode to the Off (grey) position.
You can now return to the Display & Brightness menu and adjust your Auto-Lock settings as desired.