iPhone Standby Setup: What It Shows & How to Change It

Standby turns your iPhone into a glanceable display while it charges: clock, calendar, photos, widgets, and live activities. You can choose exactly what appears, switch between pages with a swipe, and customize each view. This guide covers enabling Standby, setting the display options, and picking what shows on each page. You’ll need an iPhone with iOS 17 or later (or iOS 18 for the newest features) and a charger — wired or MagSafe both work, though the always-on display requires an iPhone 14 Pro or later.

What You’ll Need

iPhone running iOS 17 or later (iPhone XS and newer)
A charger: Lightning/USB-C cable, MagSafe charger, or any Qi wireless charger
For always-on display: iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model
iOS 18 for the new Standby widgets and more layout options

Step-by-Step

Update your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install iOS 17 or later. Standby won’t appear on older versions.
Enable Standby. Open Settings > Standby and turn on the toggle at the top. If you don’t see this menu, you’re not on iOS 17+.
Choose when Standby activates. In the same Settings screen, decide between Only While Charging (default) or Always On (only on Pro models with an always-on display). The always-on option keeps the clock visible even when the phone is locked and charging, but uses more battery.
Set the side button behavior. Below that, choose whether pressing the side button during Standby shows notifications. Show Notifications is the default; you can switch to Hide Notifications for more privacy.
Place your iPhone in Standby mode. Connect the charger, then rotate your iPhone to landscape orientation (horizontal) and place it on a stand or prop it up. The screen should switch to Standby automatically after a moment. If it doesn’t, make sure the phone is locked and the screen is off.
Understand the three main pages. Swipe left or right to move between them: the clock page (large clock with date), the photos page (a slideshow of your favorite pictures), and the widgets page (a grid of widgets).
Customize the clock page. On the clock page, press and hold the screen. You’ll see style options: Digital, Analog, World Clock, Solar, and Float. Tap one to apply it. Some styles let you change the color by swiping up or down on the clock face.
Customize the photos page. Press and hold on the photo page. You’ll see a + button to add albums, or you can tap an existing album to change which one is displayed. Choose Featured to let iOS pick from your library, or select a specific album. You can also turn on Shuffle to randomize the order.
Customize the widgets page. Press and hold on the widgets page. The widgets will jiggle. Tap the + in the top-left corner to add a new widget. Scroll through the list (Weather, Calendar, Clock, Battery, etc.) and tap to add. To remove one, tap the – on its corner. Drag to rearrange. Tap Done when finished.
Use Smart Rotate (iOS 17 only). If you want the widgets page to show different widgets based on time of day or location, make sure Smart Rotate is on in the widget editing screen (the toggle appears when you hold the widgets page). iOS 18 removed this in favor of a simpler widget grid.
Add live activities. If you have a timer running, a music track playing, or a sports game in progress, it will automatically appear at the bottom of the clock page or as a small card on the widgets page. You can tap it to expand it.
Exit Standby. Simply pick up your iPhone or tap the screen. To go back to Standby, just put it back down on the charger.

Common Mistakes

Not rotating to landscape. Standby only works in landscape orientation. If your phone is upright (portrait), it won’t trigger.
Expecting always-on on non-Pro models. The always-on display is a hardware feature. On standard iPhones, Standby only appears while charging and the screen will turn off after 30 seconds by default.
Confusing Standby with the lock screen. Standby is a separate mode. If you see your normal lock screen with a clock at the top, you’re not in Standby — rotate the phone and wait a second.
Forgetting to enable it in Settings. On a fresh iPhone, Standby is on by default, but if you turned it off previously, you’ll need to re-enable it.
Holding the phone instead of propping it up. Standby needs the phone to be relatively still and flat-ish. Holding it in your hand won’t trigger it.

Tips

Use a MagSafe stand. A magnetic stand makes it easy to position the phone at the right angle and keeps it stable. Any Qi charger works, but MagSafe aligns perfectly.
Set a bedtime schedule. In the Clock app’s Bedtime tab, you can set a sleep schedule. When Standby is active at night, the clock will dim and show a red tint to avoid disturbing your sleep.
Use the right widget size. On the widgets page, you can have a large widget on the left and two small ones on the right, or a single large widget. Experiment to find what shows the info you need at a glance.
Turn off notifications for sensitive apps. In Settings > Notifications, you can choose which apps show notifications in Standby. Consider disabling messages from banking or email apps for privacy.
Charge with the screen facing you. Standby works with the phone face-up on a flat charger, but the screen will be perpendicular to your view. A stand that tilts the phone toward you is much more usable.
Use Standby as a nightstand clock. The analog clock style with a dark background is perfect for a bedside table. Set the brightness to low in Control Center before placing it down.

Troubleshooting

Standby doesn’t activate at all. Check that your iPhone is running iOS 17 or later (Settings > General &emgt; About). Make sure it’s charging — look for the lightning bolt in the battery icon. Rotate to landscape and lock the screen. If it still doesn’t work, restart your iPhone.
Standby turns off after a few seconds. This is normal on non-Pro models. The screen dims after 30 seconds to save battery. On Pro models, go to Settings > Standby and enable Always On.
Photos page shows only one photo. You might have selected a single photo instead of an album. Press and hold, then choose an album or the Featured option. Also check that the album has more than one photo.
Widgets won’t edit. Make sure you’re pressing and holding on an empty area of the widget page, not on a specific widget. If the widgets jiggle, you’re in edit mode. If not, try lifting your finger and pressing again more firmly.
Clock style won’t change. Some clock styles (like Solar) don’t offer color options. If you’re trying to change the color and nothing happens, try a different style first, then adjust the color.
Standby shows the wrong time zone. The World Clock style shows a second time zone. To change it, press and hold, tap the clock, and select a different city. For the main clock, make sure your iPhone’s time zone is set correctly in Settings > General > Date & Time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Standby work with any charger? Yes, any Lightning or USB-C cable works, as does any Qi wireless charger. MagSafe is not required, though it makes positioning easier.

Will Standby drain my battery? On non-Pro models, the screen turns off after 30 seconds, so battery drain is minimal. On Pro models with always-on display, you’ll notice slightly higher battery usage, but it’s designed to be efficient.

Can I use Standby with my phone in portrait orientation? No, Standby only works in landscape. If you want a portrait clock, use the normal lock screen instead.

How do I stop Standby from showing notifications? Go to Settings > Standby and change the side button behavior to Hide Notifications. You can also disable specific apps in Settings > Notifications.

Can I add third-party widgets to Standby? Yes, any widget that works on your home screen can be added to the Standby widget page. Just press and hold, tap the +, and scroll through the list of available apps.

Does Standby work while the phone is plugged into a computer? It should, as long as the computer is providing enough power to charge the iPhone. Some USB ports on older computers may not deliver enough wattage.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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