Does Apple Watch Always On Display Drains Battery?

Few Apple Watch users complain that the Always on display drains the battery life of their watch. 

Always on display is a huge advantage; you don’t need to turn your wrist up to see the time. But on the contrary side, there are chances that it can drain battery life. 

Apple Watch has short battery life compared to Garmin, Fitbit, and other brands, so does the Always-on display have a greater impact on its battery?

In today’s article, we will discuss whether Always being on display drains batteries and how to overcome this problem. 

Does Apple Watch Always On Display Drains Battery?

Effect of Always On Display on Apple Watch battery

Always on display in Apple Watch is a handy feature that continues to display when your watch is asleep. 

So if you’re running or walking, you can view the display at a glimpse. 

But does the Apple Always on display drains the battery life?

Well, it drains the battery life of the Apple Watch, but the impact of always on display on battery life varies across the Apple Watch series. 

We have seen that in Apple Watch Series 5 or 6, the impact of AOD on battery life is greater than in the latest models. 

However, always on display is not only a single factor contributing to battery drainage. Other factors, like continuous heart rate tracking, GPS, notifications, brighter displays, etc., also lower the battery backup. 

So you can’t only blame the AOD as the only factor that impacts the battery of your Apple watch.

Related Post: Charge Apple Watch On Wireless Charger

Effect of Always-On Display on Different Apple Watch Models?

We have seen that the Always on display has a very lower impact on Apple Watches having 38mm or 40mm displays

Whereas if you have an Apple Watch with a 44mm or larger display, battery life is greatly impacted by Always on display.

Similarly, the always-on display in Apple Watch Series 5 and 6 significantly decreases the battery backup. 

The impact of Always on Display on Apple Watch Series 7 and 8 is minor, so you can neglect it. 

When Should You Use Always On Display On Apple Watch?

Apple Watch battery life with Always On Display

You can turn on Always on Display anytime you want on Apple Watch. But when the battery percentage is hanging low, it’s not recommended to turn the AOD. 

Similarly, during driving or walking, you can turn on the Always-on display, which seems very handy at that time. You can view the time and other metrics at one glance. 

But during the night or in a casual routine, turning on the Always on display is not recommended. If the battery life of the Apple Watch is below 20%, then turn off the Always-on display; at that point, it substantially affects the battery performance. 

Does the Apple watch always on display turn off at night?

If you have enabled the bedtime schedule on your Apple Watch, this will automatically turn off the Always-on display. Now your Apple Watch is in nightstand mode, and now this mode will automatically turn off on awake time. 

The sleep mode in Apple Watch eliminates all distractions of notifications, displays, or vibrations. So you can enjoy a peaceful sleep. 

Does Turning Off the Always On Display Increase Battery Life?

If you turn off the Always-on display, the battery life will be somewhat preserved. But again, it depends on the model of Apple Watch that you’re using. 

After conducting a different test on the Apple Watch series 5/6, it is concluded that AOD drain 1.5 – 2% more battery per hour. So if you turn off the AOD, it will save 10 to 15% of Apple Watch battery life. 

But on flagship models like Apple Watch Series 7 and 8, AOD has a very minute impact, that’s why you won’t see any significant preservation of battery life. 

How To Preserve The Battery Life Of Apple Watch

As I mentioned earlier, several factors drain the battery life of the Apple watch. So one can preserve the battery of the Apple Watch by turning off some features. 

  • The GPS is one of the biggest battery wasters on the Apple Watch. So make sure to turn it off and only use GPS when needed.
  • Also, turn off the continuous heart rate tracking. When this feature is turned on, your Apple Watch will constantly gather data from the heart rate sensor, which drains more battery. 
  • Keep the screen brightness low because higher brightness is the enemy of the Apple Watch battery. 
  • Minimize the notifications, or turn them off if you don’t need them. The more notifications, the greater will be the battery drainage. 
  • Always use a lighter, more elegant watch display because a complex watch face uses more battery resources. 
  • You can also use low power mode on your battery life to preserve its battery life. 

Final Words: 

Always on display is one of the valuable features of the Apple Watch, but it drains the battery life. So if you’re traveling across cities and want a long-lasting battery, then make sure to turn off Always on Display. 

Similarly, the impact of AOD is greater in Series 5 and 6, whereas Series 7 and 8 use advanced technologies to deal with Always-on display. 

Related Post: DOES THE APPLE WATCH COME CHARGED?

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