iPhone (iOS) · Personalization
Use StandBy and Customize the Lock Screen on iPhone
StandBy turns your iPhone into a glanceable bedside display of clocks, widgets, and Live Activities whenever it's charging and turned sideways, while Lock Screen settings control what you see without unlocking the device at all.
How to open Lock Screen & StandBy
- Plug your iPhone in to charge and prop it up sideways.
- Wait a couple of seconds for StandBy to appear automatically.
- Swipe left or right to switch between Clock, Photos, and Widgets.
- Open Settings → StandBy to adjust Night Mode, Motion to Wake, and default screens.
What you should know
- StandBy activates automatically when the iPhone is charging, in landscape orientation, and the screen is locked.
- StandBy screens cycle between Clock, Photos, and Widgets views with a swipe, and each remembers its own last state.
- Night mode dims StandBy to a red-tinted display in low light so it's less disruptive on a nightstand.
- Tapping a StandBy screen once wakes it fully; a second tap can open the related app if Always-On features are supported.
StandBy requires a stand, dock, or case that keeps the iPhone propped in landscape while charging — it won't activate lying flat on its back.
Why it matters
StandBy converts an idle charging phone into a useful bedside or desk display without buying a separate smart display or clock, showing the time, calendar events, and Live Activities at a glance. Because it only appears under specific conditions (charging, landscape, locked), understanding those requirements is the difference between it working reliably every night and never appearing at all. It's also worth configuring deliberately since a bright, non-dimmed StandBy screen can be genuinely disruptive on a nightstand if Night Mode isn't set up correctly.
Best practices
- Use a stand or MagSafe dock that reliably holds the iPhone in landscape, since a wobbly or flat charging setup will prevent StandBy from triggering consistently.
- Turn on Night Mode so StandBy automatically dims and tints red in a dark bedroom instead of staying at full brightness.
- Add Live Activities-aware widgets (like a timer or delivery tracker) to StandBy so in-progress activities stay visible while charging.
- Set a default StandBy screen (Clock, Photos, or Widgets) that matches what you actually check most, since it reopens to your last view otherwise.
- Disable 'Motion to Wake' if you find StandBy lighting up too often from small vibrations or nearby movement overnight.
Common problems and fixes
- StandBy never appears even though the iPhone is charging
- Confirm the device is actually in landscape orientation and the screen is locked — StandBy won't trigger in portrait or while actively in use, and some third-party chargers may not be recognized reliably.
- StandBy is too bright at night despite the room being dark
- Turn on Night Mode in Settings → StandBy, which only tints and dims automatically once ambient light is low enough for the sensor to detect.
- Tapping a StandBy widget doesn't do anything
- Tap once to wake the display fully out of its dimmed state first — the first tap after inactivity only wakes the screen rather than activating the widget underneath it.
- StandBy keeps switching back to the Clock screen instead of Widgets
- Swipe to your preferred screen right before unplugging, since StandBy resumes from whichever view was active the last time it closed.
Tips and tricks
- Long-press any StandBy screen to access customization options for widgets, clock styles, or photo shuffle sources directly from that view.
- Pair StandBy with a Focus mode like Sleep so notifications stay quiet while the display still shows the time and any allowed alerts.
Frequently asked questions
Does StandBy work with any charger?
It works with any charging method — MagSafe, a Qi charger, or a Lightning/USB-C cable — as long as the iPhone is propped in landscape orientation while charging.
Does StandBy drain the battery while charging?
No, since the iPhone is plugged in while StandBy is active, the display itself doesn't meaningfully affect charging speed or overall battery health.
Can I stop StandBy from turning on automatically?
Yes, StandBy can be turned off entirely in Settings → StandBy if you'd rather your Lock Screen stay dark or in its normal locked state while charging.
Related settings
- WallpaperWallpaper settings let you personalize your Lock Screen and Home Screen with photos, curated presets, or Photo Shuffle rotations, plus Lock Screen extras like widgets, filters, and a customizable time display.
- Display & BrightnessDisplay & Brightness settings control screen brightness, True Tone, Dark Mode, text size, and Night Shift for warmer colors in the evening.
- Control CenterControl Center gives you one-swipe access to frequently used toggles and shortcuts — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, Flashlight, and more — and can be fully customized with the specific controls you personally rely on.
More Personalization guides for iPhone (iOS)
- Home Screen & App LibraryHome Screen settings control how new apps are added and how your app pages are arranged, while App Library automatically sorts every installed app into categorized folders you can browse or search without needing a tidy Home Screen at all.
- Home Screen WidgetsWidgets show live, glanceable information from an app directly on the Home Screen or Today View, in small, medium, large, or Smart Stack sizes.
- Display ZoomDisplay Zoom scales the entire interface larger (Zoomed) or shows more content at once (Standard), changing the effective size of icons, text, and controls together.
- Action ButtonOn iPhone 15 Pro and later, the Action Button replaces the mute switch and can be assigned to trigger Silent Mode, Camera, Flashlight, a Shortcut, Accessibility features, and more with a press-and-hold.
- Back Tap GesturesBack Tap lets a double or triple tap on the back of the iPhone launch an action or Shortcut, without touching the screen or any physical button.
- Tap to Wake & Raise to WakeRaise to Wake turns the screen on when the iPhone is lifted, while Tap to Wake turns it on with a single tap anywhere on the display while it's lying flat.