How To Keep Your Screen On Iphone

Your iPhone screen is set by default to turn off quickly, but you can keep your iPhone screen on for much longer by changing one setting.
Through the "Display & Brightness" menu, you can set your iPhone screen to stay on for 30 seconds, a few minutes, or forever.
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When you first get a new iPhone, the default setting for screen Auto-Lock will turn off your screen after 30 seconds of inactivity.

This can be super annoying, especially if you're letting someone else use your phone, and they have to keep handing it back to you to unlock.

If you're actively using your iPhone, the screen will stay on. However, certain functions like running a timer don't count as activity in iPhone world — the screen will still black out, so you can't see how much time is left unless you adjust your screen settings.

Fortunately, you can adjust your settings to keep your iPhone screen on for much longer. Here's how.

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How to keep your iPhone screen on

You can change the Auto-Lock setting that turns your screen off with a few clicks.

1. Open Settings.

2. Tap "Display & Brightness."

Navigate to the "Display & Brightness" menu in your Settings app.

3. Tap "Auto-Lock."

4. Choose the amount of time you want your screen to stay on after you last touch your iPhone. Your options are 30 Seconds, anywhere from one to five minutes, and Never. If you choose Never, your screen will stay unlocked and awake all the time, unless you manually turn it off using the button on the side of your phone.

Pick how long you'd like your iPhone screen to stay on before locking.

If for some reason the "Never" option isn't showing up, it might be because your iPhone is managed by your organization, school, or another administrator. In these cases, you'll need to contact that administrator for more information.

If you set your iPhone screen to stay on all the time for a short-term reason, remember to change it back to Auto-Lock when you're done. Leaving your phone on the "Never" setting is a good way to kill your battery quickly, and give anyone who picks up your phone access to your apps.

The reason Apple includes Auto-Lock on its iPhones and other devices is to extend battery life, and keep your data secure. If you set your screen to stay on all the time, make sure you keep an eye on your phone, and charge it up regularly. Consider bringing a portable battery pack when you're out.

As an alternative to "Never," set your phone for the longest time before Auto-Lock (five minutes). This will save you much of the annoyance of constantly unlocking your phone while still preserving your battery.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

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'Why won't my iPhone charge?': How to diagnose and fix common iPhone charging problems
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Laura McCamy is a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.