I’m trying to reduce eye strain at night and heard there’s a way to disable or limit blue light on the iPhone screen. I’m not sure how to do this or what settings to look at, and I’d appreciate if someone can guide me step by step.
Oh, disabling blue light on your iPhone? Pfft, Apple got you covered, they even have a fancy name for it—Night Shift. Apparently, we’re all vampires now and can only function with amber hues on our screens. Anyway, no judgment.
Here’s what you do:
- Open Settings—the mothership of everything.
- Scroll down to Display & Brightness because, well, that makes sense.
- Tap on Night Shift—not as mysterious as it sounds.
- From here, either schedule it (good for lazy planners) or enable it Manually until tomorrow.
- Adjust the “Color Temperature” slider to make it look warm enough to toast a marshmallow.
Or hey, if you’re feeling extra tech-savvy, just tell Siri to do it. Something like, “Turn on Night Shift” works. Bam, eye strain reduced. Now you can doom scroll Twitter, uh, I mean X, in peace.
Night Shift is cool and all, but let me just say, it’s not the end-all solution for blue light. Sure, it gives the screen a nice warm glow like you’re hanging out by a digital campfire, but if you’re really into cutting that blue light assault on your eyeballs, have you considered dark mode? Like, full-on Dark Mode domination?
Here’s how you can combine the two for max chill vibes at night:
- Turn on Dark Mode: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and select “Dark.” Even better, you can set it to switch automatically based on the time. (Because why manually do anything in 2023?)
- Pair it with Night Shift (yes, credit to @viajantedoceu for already explaining this but—you know—double reminder).
Also, let me throw in a curveball: if you’re hardcore about eye strain reduction, try setting up Reduce White Point. It’s the hidden gem of accessibility settings you didn’t know you needed:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
- Toggle on Reduce White Point and adjust the slider until your phone’s brightness looks like it would politely whisper “goodnight.”
Oh, and PSA: There’s still some debate on whether Night Shift actually reduces eye strain or improves sleep. Scientists are apparently as confused about this as they are about pineapple on pizza. So maybe don’t rely on it alone—take breaks, lower your brightness, and stop staring at TikToks until 3 AM (I know, easier said than done).
Alright, skipping Night Shift for a sec—cool as it is, have you tried blue-light-blocking screen covers? Seriously, these are physical add-ons you slap onto your iPhone. They’re like sunglasses for your screen, cutting blue light without changing the display colors, unlike Night Shift, which can sometimes make your photos look… post-apocalyptic? Perfect if you’re super into screen realism. Downsides, though? Adding yet another expense to your gadget arsenal and potentially some touch screen sensitivity reduction. But hey, options right?
Now, I need to mention a setting that feels a bit glossed over sometimes: True Tone. Okay, this isn’t specifically a blue light killer, but it adjusts your screen to the ambient light wherever you are, making it easier on the eyes. Some argue it complements Night Shift beautifully, giving you warmer tones that don’t scream technological chaos at 2 AM. Check it out in Settings > Display & Brightness. Just toggle it on—done!
A contrary take on Night Shift though: remember the science isn’t unanimously sold. Some studies suggest Night Shift might keep the blue light down, but doesn’t necessarily guarantee better sleep or less strain. It’s more about trying what works for you. Like testing screen time limits (I know, buzzkill suggestion) to naturally avoid late-night eye fatigue… k, easier said than done.
For a low-commitment hack: Lower Default Brightness. Don’t rely on auto-brightness alone; crank that dimness down to nightlife-appropriate levels in Settings > Display & Brightness, or manually via Control Center (pull down from the top right). Works wonders when paired with darker wallpapers.
Competitors @cacadordeestrelas and @viajantedoceu already laid out Night Shift and Reduce White Point like pros, so I’ll wrap it here: mix and match these strategies, and maybe pick up some blue light glasses too. Commercial blue-cut glasses are very accessible these days, just avoid cheap knockoffs that do zilch, or you’re wasting cash.
Pros: Flexible solutions, won’t mess up your visuals if you go the hardware route (screen covers/glasses).
Cons: Night Shift, True Tone, and those settings? They all rely on software-based filtration and don’t entirely kill off blue light.