Is Your Screen Dimming When Watching Videos?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Do you experience your iPhone or iPad screen dimming automatically while watching videos? I love watching YouTube, Netflix, or similar videos while doing other things, like eating lunch alone. One thing that annoys me is when my iPhone or iPad dims the screen during videos. Sometimes, I have to tap the screen to prevent it from dimming. Your device screen may dim while watching videos for several reasons, which I will explain in this article.
If your iPhone screen dims unexpectedly while watching videos, it can be frustrating and disrupt your viewing experience. This issue is usually caused by several settings or conditions that can be easily adjusted. In this article, I’ll go over the most common causes of screen dimming on an iPhone and provide practical solutions to help you enjoy uninterrupted video playback.
On an iPhone, screen dimming occurs through a combination of hardware and software adjustments to manage brightness and conserve battery life. The primary cause is the auto-brightness feature, which uses the ambient light sensor to detect surrounding light conditions and automatically adjust the screen brightness. For example, if you move from a bright environment to a darker one, the iPhone will dim the screen to make it easier on your eyes and save battery.
Additionally, your iPhone or iPad may dim the screen due to power-saving measures. When Low Power Mode is enabled, or the battery level is low, the device reduces screen brightness to extend battery life. If the device begins to overheat, the system may temporarily lower the brightness to prevent damage to internal components. Another reason for dimming could be the Attention Aware feature on Face ID models, which checks if you are looking at the screen and dims it if it detects you’re not paying attention.
How to Fix Screen Dimming While Watching Videos
- Disable Auto-Brightness
Auto-brightness adjusts your screen brightness based on ambient light conditions, which can sometimes cause the screen to dim unexpectedly during videos. To turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
- Scroll down and toggle Auto-Brightness off.
This will prevent the iPhone from automatically changing the brightness based on surrounding light.
2. Turn Off True Tone
True Tone adjusts the display’s color and brightness based on the lighting in your environment. This feature might cause dimming while watching videos. To disable it:
- Open Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Toggle True Tone off.
This will ensure the screen brightness remains constant regardless of the lighting around you.
3. Disable Attention Aware Features
For iPhones with Face ID, the Attention Aware feature can cause the screen to dim if it thinks you’re not looking at the screen. To turn this feature off:
- Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
- Toggle off Attention Aware Features.
This will stop the iPhone from dimming the screen when it detects that you’re not directly looking at it.
4. Adjust Auto-Lock Settings
If your screen dims and locks quickly while watching videos, you might need to adjust your auto-lock settings:
- Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock.
- Set Auto-Lock to a longer time frame or Never or to prevent the screen from dimming during inactivity.
Remember to change this setting back to a shorter interval to save battery life when you’re not watching videos.
5. Turn off Dim Flashing Lights
- Tap Settings > Accessibility > Motion.
- Scroll down and turn off Dim Flashing Lights, it was set to on.
This will prevent the screen from dimming in response to flashing lights in videos.
Screen dimming while watching videos on your iPhone or iPad can be caused by various settings and conditions. By following these steps, you can troubleshoot and resolve the issue, ensuring an uninterrupted and enjoyable viewing experience. If the problem persists, it may be worthwhile to contact Apple Support for further assistance.
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