Apple Watch · Display & Sound
Keep your watch face visible without raising your wrist
Always-On Display, available on Apple Watch Series 5 and later (excluding SE models), keeps a dimmed version of the watch face and complications visible at all times instead of the screen going black when you lower your wrist.
What you should know
- Available on Apple Watch Series 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Ultra, and Ultra 2 — not supported on SE models.
- When the wrist is lowered, the display dims and reduces detail (e.g., hiding second hands) to save power, then brightens again on wrist raise or tap.
- Turning Always-On Display off can noticeably extend battery life, especially on older Series models.
Why it matters
Always-On Display is convenient for glanceable time and stats, but it is one of the more power-hungry display features — understanding the battery trade-off helps you decide whether to keep it on.
Best practices
- Disable Always-On Display before a long day away from a charger, like travel or camping.
- Use it alongside a low-power watch face if you want the glanceability without the biggest battery hit.
Common problems and fixes
- Always-On Display option missing from Settings
- Confirm your watch model supports it — SE models and Series 4 and earlier don't have the feature at all.
- Battery drains faster than expected
- Turn off Always-On Display in Settings → Display & Brightness, or enable Low Power Mode which disables it automatically.
Tips and tricks
- Low Power Mode automatically turns off Always-On Display along with other background activity, so you don't need to toggle it manually before enabling Low Power Mode.
Frequently asked questions
Does Always-On Display show everything all the time?
No — while your wrist is lowered it shows a dimmed, simplified version of the face; full brightness and detail return when you raise your wrist or tap the screen.
Related settings
- Display & BrightnessApple Watch lets you control screen brightness, text size, and how the display wakes when you raise your wrist or tap it. These settings live in the Watch app under Display & Brightness, or directly on the watch in Settings.
- Battery & Power SavingApple Watch typically lasts about 18 hours on a charge under normal use. Low Power Mode and Power Reserve give you ways to stretch battery life when you can't charge right away, and the Battery app shows usage history.
More Display & Sound guides for Apple Watch
- NotificationsApple Watch mirrors iPhone notifications by default, but each app's alert behavior can be customized independently on the watch — including which apps notify you at all and whether alerts show a preview.
- Sound & HapticsSound & Haptics settings control how loud alerts play, how strong the Taptic Engine's tap feels, and whether the watch stays silent. These are available both on the watch and in the Watch app.