How to turn on Always-on display on a Google Pixel (Android 17)

Device

Android

Shown on

Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Display and touch

Real screenshots

3 of 3 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Display and touch

   Open Settings and tap Display and touch. Always-on display is under Lock display, between Lock screen and Screen timeout. It has a switch right on the row.

   Done

2. 

   Turn on the switch

   Tap the row to open its page. It has one switch, Always-on display, with the note Increased battery usage. Turn it on. Ours was off.

   Done

3. 

   Or wake the screen when you need it

   If you'd rather save battery, Settings, Display and touch, Lock screen has Tap to check phone, Lift to check phone and Wake screen for notifications under When to show. All three were on on ours.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• Not on the Lock screen page? Right. On our Pixel 10a with Android 17, the Lock screen page has notifications, widgets, shortcuts, Dynamic clock and the wake gestures, but no Always-on display. It is a separate row on Display and touch.

If this does not work

• Battery going down faster? The switch itself says Increased battery usage. Google says to turn off Always-on display to save battery: Settings, Display and touch. Source: Manage screen & display settings on a Pixel phone
• Don't see notifications on the locked screen? Check Notifications on lock screen on the Lock screen page, then see Pixel not getting notifications.

About this guide

Always-on display keeps a dim clock and a few details on the screen when the phone is locked, so you don't have to wake it.

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in Dark mode. Ours was off. We only looked and didn't turn it on.

Good to know

To make the screen stay on longer while you use it, see how to change the screen timeout.

To keep the battery healthy overnight: how to limit charging to 80% on a Google Pixel.

In short: Settings, Display and touch, Always-on display: turn on the switch.