The Always On Display (AOD) is a feature found on modern Android smartphones with OLED screens. When you lock your device, instead of the screen going completely pitch black, it remains faintly illuminated to show the time, date, battery percentage, and incoming notification icons. While convenient for checking the time at a glance without touching the phone, AOD guarantees continuous battery drain. Even though OLED panels only power the specific pixels in use, keeping the display controller active 24/7 can noticeably reduce your standby battery life and increases the risk of screen burn-in over several years.
This guide explains how to completely disable the Always On Display (AOD) system-wide on your Android smartphone to maximize battery longevity.
Disable Always On Display via Settings
Because Android is heavily customized by different manufacturers, the exact location of the AOD toggle can vary slightly, but it is universally tied to the Lock Screen settings.
- Open the main Settings app on your Android smartphone.
- Depending on your manufacturer:
- Samsung Galaxy: Tap on Lock screen.
- Google Pixel: Tap on Display > Lock screen.
- OnePlus/Motorola: Tap on Display or Home screen & Lock screen.
- Locate the setting named Always On Display (or “Always show time and info” on Pixel devices).
- If there is a master toggle switch directly next to it, tap it to the Off (grey) position.
- If there is no toggle on the main menu, tap into the Always On Display menu itself and turn the master switch at the top of the screen to the Off position.
Verify the Absolute Standby Mode
Flipping this switch commands the display controller to cut power to all OLED pixels the moment the device is locked.
To verify the restriction is active, press the physical Power/Sleep button on the side of your smartphone to lock the device. Set the phone down on a table. The screen will immediately fade to pitch black and remain entirely off. No clock, battery percentage, or notification icons will be visible. The phone will now consume the absolute minimum amount of power while in standby, requiring a physical tap or a button press to wake the display.