How to turn off auto-brightness on an iPhone

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-turn-off-auto-brightness-on-an-iphone/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e · iOS 27.0.1

4 of 4 steps with real screenshots · 2 official sources below

Device

iPhone

Shown on

iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Accessibility › Display & Text Size

Real screenshots

4 of 4 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Settings and tap Accessibility

   On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27, Accessibility is in the group that starts with General, above Action Button and Appearance.

   Watch these steps Done

2. 

   Tap Display & Text Size

   It is in the Vision group. On our iPhone 17e it was the fourth row, below VoiceOver, Zoom and Hover Text.

   Done

3. 

   Scroll to the bottom and switch off Auto-Brightness

   A note warns that turning off auto-brightness may affect battery life, energy consumption and long-term display performance. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 it was on, just below Reduce White Point.

   Done

4. 

   Set the brightness yourself

   Open Control Centre and drag the brightness slider. You can also drag the Brightness slider under Settings, Display & Brightness. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 that page has no Auto-Brightness switch, only a More in Accessibility Settings link at the bottom.

   Done

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.

Watch these steps

What we saw on our device

• Open Settings and tap Accessibility: On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27, Accessibility is in the group that starts with General, above Action Button and Appearance.
• Tap Display & Text Size: On our iPhone 17e it was the fourth row, below VoiceOver, Zoom and Hover Text.
• Scroll to the bottom and switch off Auto-Brightness: On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 it was on, just below Reduce White Point.
• Set the brightness yourself: On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 that page has no Auto-Brightness switch, only a More in Accessibility Settings link at the bottom.

If you do not see this option

• No Auto-Brightness on Display & Brightness Apple puts the switch under Accessibility, Display & Text Size. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27, Display & Brightness had only the Brightness slider, True Tone, Night Shift, Auto-Lock, Raise to Wake and a More in Accessibility Settings link. Source: Adjust the screen brightness and color on iPhone
• Auto-Brightness is not near the top of Display & Text Size Scroll to the end of the page. On our iPhone 17e the last switches were Reduce Bright Effects, Dim Flashing Lights, Display Pulse Smoothing (PWM), Reduce White Point and then Auto-Brightness. Source: Adjust the screen brightness and color on iPhone

If this does not work

• The colours still change with the light That is True Tone, which Apple says adapts the colour and intensity of the display to the light around you. Turn it off under Settings, Display & Brightness. On our iPhone 17e it was on. Source: Adjust the screen brightness and color on iPhone
• Bright colours still look toned down Apple says Reduce White Point tones down the intensity of bright colours. It sits just above Auto-Brightness; on our iPhone 17e it was off. Source: Change display colors on iPhone to make it easier to see what’s onscreen
• The battery runs down faster Apple notes that turning off Auto-Brightness may increase power consumption. Lower the brightness yourself, or switch Auto-Brightness back on. Source: Adjust the screen brightness and color on iPhone

About this guide

Auto-Brightness changes the screen with the light around you. Apple says the iPhone uses its ambient light sensor to set the brightness for the current light. The switch is not on the Display & Brightness page: Apple puts it under Accessibility.

The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 17e running iOS 27.0.1.

Good to know

True Tone, under Settings, Display & Brightness, changes the colour warmth with the room light, and Night Shift makes the screen warmer in the evening. Both are separate from Auto-Brightness.

Apple says dimming the screen extends battery life. With Auto-Brightness off, turn it down by hand in dark rooms.

In short: Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text Size, Auto-Brightness off.