iPhones are used constantly throughout the day, so it gets frustrating when the screen keeps dimming or locking while you are still reading, following a recipe, or watching something.
This article explains how to deal with the automatic screen turn-off feature on iPhone in 5 different ways, starting with normal settings changes and ending with reset options when the issue seems deeper.
Part 1: Wake Your Phone with Raise to Wake
Many iPhones have a feature called Raise to Wake. This feature detects the motion of the phone and wakes the display when you lift it to look at it.
When you raise your phone in your hand, pick it up from a desk, or take it out of your bag or pocket, these sensors are activated. They turn on the screen automatically, which makes the phone easier to use even though Auto-Lock still remains on.
To enable this feature in your iPhone:
Step 1 – Open Settings.
Step 2 – Tap Display and Brightness.
Step 3 – You will find a toggle button. Switch it on to activate the Raise to Wake feature.
how to syop iphone from locking rais to wake your iphone
Now whenever your phone's sensors detect movement from a normal pick-up motion, they will turn on the screen.
Part 2: Use iPhone’s Settings to Stop It from Locking
You can also use Settings to stop your iPhone's screen from going black and locking. You can do this by changing the Auto-Lock feature.
To turn off Auto Lock:
Step 1 – On your phone, open Settings.
Step 2 – Tap Display and Brightness.
how to syop iphone from locking display and brightness
Step 3 – Choose Auto Lock to open its settings.
how to syop iphone from locking autolock settings
Step 4 – Change the Auto Lock setting to Never. If Auto-Lock is stuck at 30 seconds, turn off Low Power Mode first.
how to syop iphone from locking autolock settings never
Now, your phone screen will not automatically lock when it hasn't been in use for a while. Whenever you want to turn off the screen, you'll have to do it manually.
Part 3: Change the Auto-Lock Timer
One possibility to prevent your phone screen from automatically locking is to turn off Auto-Lock completely. But this can also drain the battery if you forget to turn off the screen manually.
A better way is to change the timer duration on the Auto-Lock feature. You usually have options in the range of 30 seconds to 5 minutes.
To set time duration for Auto Lock or to change it:
Step 1 – Go to Settings on your iPhone and then to Display and Brightness.
Step 2 – Tap Auto Lock.
Step 3 – You'll see several options for the time limit. Select the one that works best for you.
how to syop iphone from locking by changing sleep timer
Your phone will now wait for the duration time you chose. And if there is no activity, the screen will turn off automatically.
Depending on your settings, you might also have a cue before the screen turns off. The screen will dim just before it locks, which lets you know it is about to go out.
You can tap the screen to prevent it from turning off. On Face ID models, Attention Aware features may also help keep the screen from dimming while you are looking at it.
Part 4: Use LockAway to Stop Your Phone Screen from Locking
You can also use external software or tool to prevent your phone’s screen from going black. My recommendation is to use an all-rounder tool like LockAway. That way you’ll have access to many useful settings all in one place.
To use LockAway:
Step 1 – Download LockAway on your computer from its website and then install it.
Step 2 – Now, connect your iPhone to the computer, either PC or Mac. You need to do this with a USB cable (preferably the original one that comes with the device).
Step 3 – From the options that show up on the main screen, select one titled Unlock Screen Passcode.
how to stop iphone from locking - Unlock Screen Passcode Home Menu
Step 4 – Wait for the process to complete before you disconnect your phone from the computer.
Advantages:
LockAway can give you a lot of benefits:
- You can unlock your disabled iPhone when you forgot the passcode
- You don’t need any specialized training or skills to use LockAway. It is very simple to use.
- You don’t need another helper software like Finder or iTunes.
- It fully supports iPhone 5s to iPhone 17 and iOS 26 and earlier versions.
- It is completely safe to use LockAway as it provides data security and privacy.
Once you have LockAway installed on your computer, you can use it for a variety of reasons. It offers solutions to a lot of problems that plague iPhone users. And that makes it beneficial in almost every situation.
Part 5: Erase Your iPhone
If you've come this far, then it means that none of the above methods worked for you. At that point, a reset or erase becomes more of a last-resort troubleshooting step.
You can erase your device entirely to solve this issue. When you erase your device, you lose your applications and custom settings on the phone. So, if there is a deeper software bug causing issues on your iPhone, it may be removed too.
As for your apps, you can download them again. And if you backup your device before you wipe it, you can use the backup to restore your phone later. Why should you be happy, you ask?
Because it means no data loss. You get rid of the problem and still get to keep your data. Pretty cool right?
So, let’s see how you can wipe your phone and prevent your phone from locking all the time:
Step 1 – Back up your iPhone. You can do this by using either Finder, iTunes, or iCloud. It’s completely your choice.
Step 2 – After creating a backup, open Settings on your device and go to General, and then Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Step 3 – On the Transfer or Reset iPhone page, select Erase All Content and Settings.
Step 4 – You will be asked to confirm that you do want to reset or erase your device. Confirm your choice, then enter your passcode and Apple Account password if prompted.
how to stop iphone from locking via erasing
Step 5 – After you successfully wipe your device, you can restore it again. You can do this by using the backup you created in the first step so that you don’t lose any data. Follow the instruction on your phone screen till you get to Apps & Data page. And here, use your backup to restore all your precious data.
This should get rid of any deeper software issue on your system. If the problem returns immediately after restore, the cause may be hardware-related or tied to a specific setting.
Pros
The benefit of using this method is that Apple provides it as an official reset path when normal settings changes do not solve the problem.
Cons
Some cons of using this method include:
- It erases the device, so you need a backup if you want your data back.
- It takes more time than simply adjusting Auto-Lock or Raise to Wake.
- You may need your passcode and Apple Account password to finish the erase.
- If the problem is hardware-related, a full erase may not solve it.
Smartphones are an indispensable part of our lives. And no one wants to waste time by fighting the auto-lock on the screens of our iPhones. If you are as annoyed by your screen locking off of its own accord as me, then follow this article for ways to prevent it. LockAway is not the only feasible method, but it is my recommendation for sure.
