How to use Always On Display

Last Update date : Aug 09. 2022

Always On Display is a feature that keeps you connected by letting you view notifications in screen off mode without touching your smartphone. You can also customise your lock screen to show only what you need to see, such as the date, time, weather, calendar, or Bixby Routines. To learn more ways to make Always On Display as efficient as possible, read below. 

View of the Always On Display function on a Galaxy phone.

How do I activate Always On Display?

To activate Always On Display follow these steps:

View of a Galaxy phone home screen with the settings icon highlighted. View of a Galaxy phone home screen with the settings icon highlighted.

Step 1. From your Home screen, go to Settings.

View of the Settings screen with the “Lock screen” option highlighted. View of the Settings screen with the “Lock screen” option highlighted.

Step 2. Tap “Lock screen”.

View of the “Lock screen” menu with “Always On Display” toggle button highlighted. View of the “Lock screen” menu with “Always On Display” toggle button highlighted.

Step 3. Tap the toggle button to activate "Always On Display".

View of “Always On Display” screen with toggle button highlighted. View of “Always On Display” screen with toggle button highlighted.

Step 4. Tap "Always On Display" to check the settings.

Please note:

  • Always On Display and some of its features are only available on certain devices. If your device differs from the examples shown, it may not be possible to use the latest Always On Display features. Make sure you are using the latest software version.
  • Activating Power saving mode will disable Always On Display. To use the Always On Display function, you must turn off power saving mode. 

How do I change the settings?

To change the Always On Display settings, open Always On Display via the Settings menu. From there choose your preferred Always On Display settings. 

1. Choose your preferred display mode:

  • Tap to show: Always On Display will display for a few seconds when you touch the screen.
  • Show always: Always On Display will show all the time.
  • Show as scheduled: Always On Display will display only at the times you set. Tap “Set Schedule” to set the start and end times for the display.
  • Show for new notifications: Always on Display will only display new notifications.

2. Tap “Clock Style” then select the watch type you prefer from the available styles, colours and layouts. If you wish, you can upload your own photos or gifs. When you are finished customising your watch type, tap “Done” to save.

3. Tap the toggle button to activate or deactivate “Auto brightness”.

4. Tap “Screen orientation” then select “Portrait” or “Landscape”.

5. Tap the back arrow to save your changes.

How do I choose which applications to display?

If the Always On Display function is active, it will always display the clock and notifications by default. However, you can always add other applications to display like music, calendar, weather or Bixby Routines by following these steps:

View of a Galaxy phone home screen with the settings icon highlighted. View of a Galaxy phone home screen with the settings icon highlighted.

Step 1. From your Home screen, go to Settings.

View of the Settings screen with the “Lock screen” option highlighted. View of the Settings screen with the “Lock screen” option highlighted.

Step 2. Tap “Lock screen”.

View of the “Lock screen” with the “Widgets” option highlighted. View of the “Lock screen” with the “Widgets” option highlighted.

Step 3. Select “Widgets”.

View of the “Widgets” app with the music toggle button highlighted. View of the “Widgets” app with the music toggle button highlighted.

Step 4. Tap the toggle buttons next to each application you want to display on the lock screen. Make sure the "Always On Display" button is activated.

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