iPhone (iOS) · Personalization
Control how the screen wakes without a button
Raise 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.
How to open Tap to Wake & Raise to Wake
- Open Settings and tap Display & Brightness for Raise to Wake.
- Toggle Raise to Wake on or off.
- Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Touch for Tap to Wake.
- Toggle Tap to Wake on or off.
What you should know
- Raise to Wake is toggled in Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Tap to Wake is toggled in Settings > Accessibility > Touch.
- Both work independently of Face ID or Touch ID and simply illuminate the Lock Screen.
- Disabling both means only the side button or an incoming notification will wake the display.
Why it matters
These two settings determine how much friction there is before a user even sees their Lock Screen, which matters for quickly checking the time or a notification without pressing anything. Raise to Wake suits people who habitually pick up their phone, while Tap to Wake suits a phone resting flat on a desk or nightstand. Because both settings also affect battery drain from frequent accidental wake-ups, being able to turn either off independently gives users control over the balance between convenience and battery longevity.
Best practices
- Turn off Raise to Wake if the iPhone is often jostled in a bag, since accidental wake-ups drain battery.
- Keep Tap to Wake on for a nightstand phone so checking the time doesn't require finding the side button in the dark.
- Reassess these settings after switching to a case or mount that changes how often the phone moves.
Common problems and fixes
- Screen turns on unexpectedly in a pocket, draining battery faster.
- Turn off Raise to Wake in Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Tapping the screen doesn't wake it.
- Enable Tap to Wake in Settings > Accessibility > Touch, since it's off by default on some setups.
Tips and tricks
- Use Tap to Wake for a quick glance at notifications on a desk without unlocking the phone.
Frequently asked questions
Do these settings affect Face ID?
No, waking the screen and authenticating with Face ID are separate steps; these settings only control screen illumination.
Does StandBy mode use these settings?
StandBy has its own wake behavior when charging in landscape, independent of these toggles.
Related settings
- Lock Screen & StandByStandBy 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.
- 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.
More Personalization guides for iPhone (iOS)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.