Standby mode is a new feature introduced in iOS 17 that helps extend your iPhone’s battery life. When standby mode is enabled, your iPhone will intelligently turn off the display and enter a low-power state when you’re not actively using the device.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about using standby mode on your iPhone running iOS 17, including how to turn it on, customize it, and turn it back off if needed.
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What is Standby Mode?
Standby mode is designed to extend your iPhone’s battery life by reducing power consumption when you’re not actively using your device. Here are some key things to know about standby mode in iOS 17:
- Intelligent Display Off – With standby enabled, your iPhone will turn off the display when you’re not looking at the screen or touching the device. It relies on the front-facing camera to detect when you’re looking at the screen.
- Low Power State – In addition to turning off the display, enabling standby also puts your iPhone into a low power state to conserve battery life when inactive. It suspends some system activity until you need to use the device again.
- Machine Learning – Standby mode leverages on-device machine learning to adapt to your usage patterns over time. For example, it will learn when you typically leave your phone inactive each day and enter standby automatically at those times.
- Notifications – Although the display is off in standby, you’ll still receive audible alerts and haptic feedback for notifications so you don’t miss anything important. The display will turn on for incoming calls.
- Instant Wake – Your iPhone can instantly wake from standby when you pick it up or tap the screen, thanks to the new ProMotion displays in iPhone 14 models which support variable refresh rates up to 120Hz.
So in summary, standby mode aims to save battery life by turning off your display and limiting background system activity when you’re not using your iPhone, while still allowing notifications and instant wake when needed.
How to Turn On Standby Mode
Turning on standby mode is simple and takes just a few steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on the “Standby” section.
- The first toggle, “Standby,” enables or disables this iPhone feature. It’s on by default.
- Make sure the Standby toggle is green and in the ON position. If not, tap it to enable it.
And that’s it! Standby mode is now activated on your iPhone.
Your iPhone will now intelligently turn off the display and enter standby when you stop using it. It will turn back on instantly when you pick up your phone or tap the screen.
Customizing Standby Mode
In the Standby settings, there are a few additional options you can tweak:
- Always On – The “Always On” toggle lets your iPhone display always stay on, even when you’re not actively using it. This is helpful if you like to use your iPhone as a desk clock or want notifications to be always visible. However, it will reduce battery savings from standby mode.
- Standby After – This setting lets you choose when your iPhone enters standby if it detects inactivity. The default is 1 minute, but you can adjust it up to 5 minutes or 15 minutes to keep the display active longer.
- Resume Tracks – Enable this option to automatically resume audio tracks or podcasts after your iPhone wakes from standby. The content will pick up from the last point before standby.
- Learn Routines – With this enabled, your iPhone will detect your daily charging routines and optimize when to enable standby around your behavior. For example, it may disable standby in the mornings and evenings if it notices you actively use your phone during those times.
So feel free to customize these standby settings to your preferences for the best experience. The default settings work well for most people though.
Disabling Standby Mode
If you decide you don’t want to use standby mode anymore, turning it off is easy:
- Go back into the Settings app and tap on Standby.
- Find the Standby toggle at the top and switch it to the OFF position.
With standby disabled, your iPhone will return to normal behavior and no longer automatically turn off the display when inactive.
Just remember that having standby mode off may negatively impact your iPhone’s battery life, as the display is one of the most power-hungry components. But the choice is yours!
Standby Mode Tips and Tricks
Here are some handy tips to keep in mind when using standby mode on your iPhone in iOS 17:
- Standby works best if you keep Background App Refresh disabled for apps you don’t use often. This prevents inactive apps from consuming power in the background.
- Important alerts like incoming calls will automatically wake your iPhone from standby. But you can disable standby for certain apps if you don’t want to miss their notifications.
- Use Low Power Mode in conjunction with standby to further improve battery life. Low Power Mode reduces background activity.
- Customize the Auto-Lock setting to 1 minute or 30 seconds to more quickly put your iPhone into standby when you stop using it.
- If you use your iPhone as an alarm clock, standby may turn off the display before your alarm goes off. So you may want to disable standby for the Clock app.
- Standby relies on small battery drain overnight to learn your usage patterns. So don’t be alarmed if you notice 1-2% battery drain while sleeping.
- If you want your iPhone screen visible at a glance, enable Always On mode in standby settings. Just know it reduces some battery savings.
- Use a Fast Charger (20W+) to charge your iPhone when possible so it can quickly recharge while you get ready in the mornings.
Troubleshooting Standby Issues
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you’re having issues with standby mode on your iPhone:
Display turns off unexpectedly
- Make sure the Standby toggle is enabled in Settings. If disabled, the display will not turn off automatically.
- Try adjusting the Standby After setting to keep the display on longer before standby activates.
Display doesn’t turn on as expected
- The iPhone display will not turn on if placed screen down on a table. Pick up your iPhone or double tap the screen.
- Check that Raise to Wake is enabled in Settings > Display & Brightness. This allows the iPhone to wake when picked up.
- Your iPhone may not wake from standby if battery is very low. Charge the battery and try again.
Notifications are missed while in standby
- Important alerts should still make audible sounds and trigger haptic feedback. But you can disable standby for important apps.
- Make sure Do Not Disturb is not enabled, as it can silence notifications.
- Check notification settings for the app and make sure alerts are enabled.
- If notifications are still missed, turn off Optimized Battery Charging which may delay notifications.
- As a last resort, you can disable standby mode completely if it causes missed notifications.
So those are some troubleshooting tips to check if you’re having issues with standby behavior not working as expected. Most problems can be resolved with some adjustments to settings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Standby Mode
Here are answers to some common questions about using standby mode on iPhone:
Does standby mode work on all iPhones with iOS 17?
Standby mode is supported on all iPhones with iOS 17, including iPhone 8 and newer. However, the intelligent display off feature requires an iPhone with Face ID sensors to detect eye contact.
How much battery does standby mode save?
Savings vary based on usage, but expect a 15-20% increase in battery life from standby reducing display and system activity during inactive periods.
Can I still use always-on display with standby enabled?
Yes, Always-On display under Settings > Display & Brightness can be enabled along with Standby. They work together nicely to save power while keeping info visible.
What happens if I get a phone call during standby?
Incoming phone calls will override standby and turn on the display at full brightness. After the call, standby mode resumes.
Do alarms and timers still go off if the iPhone is in standby?
Yes, any set alarms or timer alerts will automatically wake your iPhone from standby at the scheduled time to alert you.
Can I exempt certain apps from standby?
Unfortunately there is no per-app control for standby mode. You can either enable/disable it completely, or disable it system-wide when using certain apps.
What’s the best way to wake my iPhone from standby?
The fastest way is to simply tap on the screen or press the side button. Picking up your iPhone also quickly wakes it thanks to the accelerometer.
Conclusion
And that covers everything you need to know about using standby mode on your iPhone with iOS 17! To recap:
- Standby mode saves battery life by turning off the display intelligently when you’re not using your device.
- Enable standby in Settings > Standby and customize options like Always On or Standby After to suit your needs.
- Your iPhone will automatically wake from standby when you pick it up or tap the screen thanks to ProMotion displays.
- Disable standby if you prefer your iPhone to always stay on, but your battery life may decrease as a result.
- Use standby tips like disabling Background App Refresh, enabling Low Power Mode, and charging overnight to maximize battery savings.
I hope this guide has helped explain what standby mode is and how you can configure it for great battery life without missing anything important on your iPhone! Let me know if you have any other standby mode questions.
Table summarizing key settings for Standby Mode:
| Setting | Description | Default |
| Standby | Enables/disables standby mode | On |
| Always On | Keeps display continuously on | Off |
| Standby After | Sets inactive time before standby | 1 minute |
| Resume Tracks | Resumes audio/video after standby | Off |
| Learn Routines | Optimizes for your usage patterns | On |