José Adorno/BGR Always-on display (AOD) for the Apple Watch was introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5. Since then, Apple has improved this feature by making the dimmed screen brighter. And with the popular Apple Watch Series 10 and newer models, the company offers a screen that can show the time constantly without significantly disrupting the battery. But how much power does the Apple Watch’s AOD use compared to having this feature disabled? According to Macworld testing on two identical Apple Watch Series 10 models, with the always-on display enabled, the battery lasted more than 30 hours compared to 10 to 12 hours longer with the feature disabled. So even though Apple asks users to take advantage of AOD, turning it off can be a great way to reduce the need to recharge. And, given that Apple is touting up to 18 hours of battery life for its Series 10 smartwatch, MacWorld’s testing suggests that the Series 11, with a published battery life of 24 hours in regular use, could run even longer on a full charge. For comparison, one Reddit user shared detailed test results that show the always-on display on their Apple Watch Series 7 reduced battery life by 26%. Nonetheless, they believe that this is not the main reason why some Apple Watch users experience poor battery life. Suggestions for preserving Apple Watch battery life Raditya/Getty Images There are several ways to improve the battery life of your Apple Watch, including turning off the always-on display. According to Apple, users can preserve battery power while working out by enabling power saving mode, which turns off the heart rate sensor. This is available on the iPhone’s Apple Watch app under My Watch > Workout, and for longer workouts, users can pair their watch with a Bluetooth chest strap instead. The company also suggests that users who often inadvertently turn on their screen while active should change a key option on the wake screen on their Apple Watch. To do this, go to Settings > General > Wake screen and turn off the Turn on wake screen when wrist raise option. You can always just press the digital crown to see the display as needed. Apple also recommends leaving Bluetooth on to preserve the watch’s battery life, as it provides more power-efficient communication with an iPhone. Finally, consider enabling the yellow circle on your Apple Watch as part of Low Power Mode to further reduce trips to the charger. This is available under Settings > Battery, and when enabled, Apple Watch turns off AOD and background sensors for heart rate measurements, heart rate notifications, and irregular rhythm notifications. Should you turn off always-on display? José Adorno/BGR Despite what Macworld’s findings suggest, you may not want to turn off the Apple Watch’s always-on display. After all, what’s the point of having a watch where you can’t tell the time at a glance? For example, when you’re reading a book, working on a computer, or out and about, you can easily see what time it is without lifting your wrist. Having owned most Apple Watch models since Series 3, I would suggest turning off AOD only if your battery has degraded beyond 90%, to save as much life as possible. Other online reviewers agree, noting better battery life with AOD disabled, but finding it’s not enough of a difference to avoid having their Apple Watch always on. Another method to save battery is to ignore notifications that appear even if you don’t move your wrist. To do this, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, go to Notifications, and turn off Show notifications when wrist is down. Given that Apple updated the Apple Watch in 2024 to be 40% brighter than its predecessor when viewed at an angle, and more power efficient for a faster refresh rate in Always-On mode, it seems worth taking advantage of this feature instead of having a blank screen on your wrist. Post navigation The 3 hidden costs of buying a smart watch
José Adorno/BGR Always-on display (AOD) for the Apple Watch was introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5. Since then, Apple has improved this feature by making the dimmed screen brighter. And with the popular Apple Watch Series 10 and newer models, the company offers a screen that can show the time constantly without significantly disrupting the battery. But how much power does the Apple Watch’s AOD use compared to having this feature disabled? According to Macworld testing on two identical Apple Watch Series 10 models, with the always-on display enabled, the battery lasted more than 30 hours compared to 10 to 12 hours longer with the feature disabled. So even though Apple asks users to take advantage of AOD, turning it off can be a great way to reduce the need to recharge. And, given that Apple is touting up to 18 hours of battery life for its Series 10 smartwatch, MacWorld’s testing suggests that the Series 11, with a published battery life of 24 hours in regular use, could run even longer on a full charge. For comparison, one Reddit user shared detailed test results that show the always-on display on their Apple Watch Series 7 reduced battery life by 26%. Nonetheless, they believe that this is not the main reason why some Apple Watch users experience poor battery life. Suggestions for preserving Apple Watch battery life Raditya/Getty Images There are several ways to improve the battery life of your Apple Watch, including turning off the always-on display. According to Apple, users can preserve battery power while working out by enabling power saving mode, which turns off the heart rate sensor. This is available on the iPhone’s Apple Watch app under My Watch > Workout, and for longer workouts, users can pair their watch with a Bluetooth chest strap instead. The company also suggests that users who often inadvertently turn on their screen while active should change a key option on the wake screen on their Apple Watch. To do this, go to Settings > General > Wake screen and turn off the Turn on wake screen when wrist raise option. You can always just press the digital crown to see the display as needed. Apple also recommends leaving Bluetooth on to preserve the watch’s battery life, as it provides more power-efficient communication with an iPhone. Finally, consider enabling the yellow circle on your Apple Watch as part of Low Power Mode to further reduce trips to the charger. This is available under Settings > Battery, and when enabled, Apple Watch turns off AOD and background sensors for heart rate measurements, heart rate notifications, and irregular rhythm notifications. Should you turn off always-on display? José Adorno/BGR Despite what Macworld’s findings suggest, you may not want to turn off the Apple Watch’s always-on display. After all, what’s the point of having a watch where you can’t tell the time at a glance? For example, when you’re reading a book, working on a computer, or out and about, you can easily see what time it is without lifting your wrist. Having owned most Apple Watch models since Series 3, I would suggest turning off AOD only if your battery has degraded beyond 90%, to save as much life as possible. Other online reviewers agree, noting better battery life with AOD disabled, but finding it’s not enough of a difference to avoid having their Apple Watch always on. Another method to save battery is to ignore notifications that appear even if you don’t move your wrist. To do this, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, go to Notifications, and turn off Show notifications when wrist is down. Given that Apple updated the Apple Watch in 2024 to be 40% brighter than its predecessor when viewed at an angle, and more power efficient for a faster refresh rate in Always-On mode, it seems worth taking advantage of this feature instead of having a blank screen on your wrist.
