There is no single battery-drain figure that applies to every iPhone. In a two-week observation of an iPhone 17 running iOS 27 Beta 3, Macworld recorded average discharge of 4.27% per hour with Always-On Display (AOD) enabled and 3.75% per hour with it disabled. That difference was not statistically significant in the author’s dataset. An older iPhone 14 Pro test found different rates, illustrating why results depend on the phone, settings, and test conditions.
What the available tests found
| Test | Reported result | What it measured |
|---|---|---|
| Macworld, iPhone 17, iOS 27 Beta 3, 2026 | 4.27% battery discharge per hour with AOD on; 3.75% per hour with it off. Between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., the rates were 5.88% and 5.37%, respectively. | Daily use over two weeks: AOD was on in the first week and off in the second. The author analyzed battery readings taken every 15 minutes, excluded charging periods, and reported 672 observations in each category. The average-rate difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.3011; the article used 0.05 as its significance threshold). Read Macworld’s test. |
| PhoneBuff test reported by MacRumors, iPhone 14 Pro, January 2023 | About 0.8% battery drain per hour with wallpaper enabled and about 0.6% per hour with wallpaper disabled. | A different model and test setup, comparing wallpaper configurations. These results are not directly interchangeable with Macworld’s daily-use observation. Read MacRumors’ report. |
These are changes in battery percentage, not electrical power in watts. The cited sources do not provide direct power measurements or enough model-specific battery-energy information to convert the results credibly into watts or watt-hours.
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Why the results vary
AOD does not necessarily stay visible all day. Macworld reports that it can switch off in Sleep mode, when the iPhone is face down, when a paired Apple Watch is not nearby, or when CarPlay is active. The precise behavior depends on the iPhone model and software, so a day with AOD enabled in Settings may still include long periods when the display is blank. See Macworld’s explanation of when AOD switches off.
The Macworld comparison was an observation of one phone in everyday use, not a controlled measurement isolating the display’s power draw. The author identified daily use, signal strength, and outdoor temperature as possible influences. Background activity, notifications, coverage, battery condition, charging intervals, and time of day can also complicate a day-to-day comparison.
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What Apple says about AOD and battery life
Apple does not publish a standalone AOD-only battery-drain rate in the cited test information. Its audio playback testing for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max was conducted with AOD enabled, but Apple notes that playback time decreases when the display is visible compared with when the phone is face down or in a pocket or bag. That establishes a battery-life cost under those test conditions, not a universal percentage for everyday AOD use. Read Apple’s battery-test information.
Apple also cautions that battery life varies with use and settings. Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro specifications confirm AOD support and include that qualification.
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How to check whether AOD affects your iPhone
For a useful personal comparison, look for a pattern across several similar days rather than relying on one day’s battery decline. Keep other usage as consistent as practical and note whether AOD was actually visible, whether the phone was face down, and whether you spent time in areas with weak cellular coverage.
- Open Settings > Battery and review daily battery usage along with app and system activity.
- Compare days with AOD on and off that have reasonably similar screen use, signal conditions, and time away from a charger.
- Use the battery chart’s comparison with today and the previous seven days to spot broader patterns. It shows overall battery use; it does not isolate the display’s electrical draw.
- If battery life changed just after an iOS update, wait a few days before drawing a conclusion. Apple notes that update-related background work can continue after installation.
Apple’s guidance also recommends checking battery usage by app and system activity and considering factors such as background activity, notifications, and low or absent mobile coverage. Read Apple Support’s battery guidance.
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Should you turn Always-On Display off?
If you prefer the persistent glanceable screen, the available figures do not establish a guaranteed saving from switching it off on your own iPhone. The recent iPhone 17 observation found a modest difference in average discharge, but it was not statistically significant; the older iPhone 14 Pro test measured a different wallpaper comparison. If you are trying to extend runtime, turning AOD off is a reasonable setting to test, but judge the effect from your own comparable days rather than assuming either test predicts your result.
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