The Annoyance of the Glowing Screen
By default, modern iPhones utilize a feature called “Raise to Wake.” Using the internal accelerometer and gyroscope, the phone detects when you physically pick it up off a desk or pull it out of your pocket and instantly turns on the lock screen. While this is incredibly convenient for quickly checking the time or glancing at a notification, it can also be a major source of battery drain and distraction. If you frequently carry your phone in your hand while walking or exercising, the screen will constantly turn itself on and off. If this automated behavior bothers you, you can force the iPhone to only wake up when you explicitly tap the screen or press the side button.
How to Turn Off Raise to Wake
This setting is surprisingly not located in the standard Accessibility or Battery menus; it is tucked away in the display settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down the main list and tap on Display & Brightness (it has a blue icon with two overlapping letter A’s).
- Scroll down to the middle of the display settings page.
- Locate the toggle switch labeled Raise to Wake.
- Tap the switch to turn it Off (the green background will disappear).
Testing the Change
The change takes effect immediately. Press the side button to lock your phone and set it down on a table. Now, pick the phone back up and tilt it toward your face as you normally would. The screen will remain completely black. To wake the phone, you must now deliberately tap the glass screen once (using the “Tap to Wake” feature) or press the physical side power button.