Apple’s making a big change to the iPhone 14 Pro’s controversial always-on display

By Cristina Alexander Published November 15, 2022

The iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on display shouldn’t always have to stay on. Thankfully, the latest iOS 16.2 beta test is allowing users to hide their wallpapers and notifications from the controversial feature.

According to a report from 9to5Mac, iOS 16.2 beta 3 is giving iPhone 14 Pro users the option to toggle off the wallpaper and notifications from the always-on display, following reviews complaining about the feature needlessly draining the phone’s battery life. Although the always-on display dims the wallpaper by default, Apple implemented changes to address the issue.

Always-on display on an iPhone 14 Pro. — Apple

In the Display and Brightness menu on the Settings app, you’ll see these changes in the form of three new toggle options. The always-on setting is switched on by default, which dims the wallpaper when you leave your iPhone 14 Pro alone. In iOS 16.2, there are two other settings: Show Wallpaper and Show Notifications. You can either toggle both of those off, or you can leave one of them on and shut off the other of your choosing. Once they’re shut off, the lock screen will only show a pure black wallpaper with the time and widgets when you lock your phone or leave it idle.

Recommended Videos

Many Android phones on the market offer users the ability to turn off the always-on display, allowing them to only look at the clock and any of their lock screen widgets, such as the weather forecast and calendar reminders, without compromising their battery life. Apple’s latest always-on display update to the iOS 16.2 beta may help resolve the iPhone 14 Pro’s battery problem.

Cristina Alexander

Gaming/Mobile Writer

Cristina Alexander is a gaming and mobile writer at Digital Trends. She blends fair coverage of games industry topics that…

Topics

Computing

Stop fighting with your roomie over outlets and get one of these multi-port chargers before you head back to school

One plug, zero drama, all your devices charged by morning.

Satechi ChargeView

Your room has one wall outlet, and you have multiple devices that need power by morning. Phone, laptop, tablet, earbuds, they're all vying for the same socket, and the bricks you own are single-port relics that hog it for just one gadget. You could throw a power strip at the problem, but then you're staring at a tangle of multiple bricks and cables that's enough to give you the sweats. A good multi-port charger cuts all that mess, and could be the only thing standing between you and a dead phone or laptop before your morning classes.

Back-to-school season is a smart time to buy one. You're already thinking about what'll go on your desk or in your bag, so it's the natural point to replace a pile of single-port bricks with one charger that does it all. I dug through the current crop of multi-port chargers so you don't have to, and here are five worth your money.

Phones

Back-to-school phone shopping on a tight budget? Here’s the one phone I’d recommend without hesitation

The budget phone market got messy this year, but one phone still makes sense.

Galaxy A17 in all colors on gradient background

Somewhere between the last day of school and the first day back, your phone conked out. Perhaps the screen shattered after a particularly nasty fall, or its battery regularly gives up by noon, or apps take so long to launch that by the time they do, you've forgotten why you opened them in the first place. You don't think it'll last another school year, but between all the school supplies and everything else, a budget phone is all your wallet can handle right now.

Fortunately for you, cheap phones have come a long way, offering better screens, bigger batteries, and more capable cameras than devices launched just a couple of years ago. Since you're already prepping to head back to school, this is as good a time as any to lay your old phone to rest and lock in an upgrade. But unfortunately, the timing isn't great for the smartphone industry in general, and that has had a real impact on entry-level phones.

Phones

5 mid-range phones I’d recommend you spend your Back-to-School budget on

From the Pixel 10a to the Moto G Power 2026, these five phones prove you don't need flagship money for a great back-to-school upgrade.

Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Does your phone have a cracked screen? A battery that barely makes it past 3 PM? Or a camera that captures a blurry mess instead of great memories? You know it's high time for a new one, and right now, while you're shopping for the new school year, is probably the best time to make the switch.

The best part is that you don't need to spend flagship money to get a phone that'll last you the next few years. Mid-range phones have gotten seriously good of late, closing the gap with flagships where it matters the most, be it battery life, performance, or camera quality. Whether you're upgrading your own phone or picking one out for your kid before classes start, here are the best mid-range phones worth your money this back-to-school season.