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How to change the Auto-Lock time on iPhone

Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and pick a time. 30 seconds saves the most battery. Pick longer if you read on the phone.

How to do it

  1. Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock.

  2. Pick 30 seconds if you want the screen to sleep quickly. Pick a longer time if you read on the phone.

  3. Then open Settings > Face ID & Passcode, or Touch ID & Passcode, and set Require Passcode to Immediately.

Auto-Lock never fires while you are looking at some navigation and video screens. If the phone stays on during a map, that is the app, not a broken timer.

Questions people ask

Why is Auto-Lock greyed out?

Low Power Mode fixes it at 30 seconds. Turn Low Power Mode off and you can change it.

Does a shorter Auto-Lock save battery?

Yes, a bit. The screen is one of the biggest power users, so less time on means more battery left.

Why does my screen stay on during navigation?

Some map and video apps keep it on on purpose. That's the app, not a broken setting.

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