In the iOS 17 update, Apple added the StandBy feature, or what is known as standby mode, where it can make the iPhone work as a smart screen that remains on when it is not in active use, displaying different things such as a large clock, a smart digital photo frame, or a home. A small pod, a live activity tracker, a screen to display various widgets, and more. This feature is compatible with iPhone devices running iOS 17. Here is how this feature works and how to set it up in some detail.
Standby mode
To enable StandBy mode, all you have to do is place the iPhone on its side while charging, either on a wireless charger or using a charging cable. Once standby mode is activated, you can interact with Siri using “Hey Siri” or the new “Siri” wakeup phrase, allowing you to ask questions or direct Siri to perform various tasks. Additionally, you can access widgets for apps that support standby mode, select photo albums to view, or customize the available standby clock options.
The StandBy feature works effectively when connected to a charger via a Lightning cable or any Qi certified wireless charger. However, optimal performance is achieved when used with MagSafe chargers. One of the unique features of the StandBy when paired with MagSafe chargers is its ability to remember your preferred screen configuration for each specific MagSafe charger. This means you can have different views set up in different rooms throughout your home, enhancing flexibility and customization of your iPhone display.
Requirements for the StandBy feature to operate
The StandBy feature updates iOS 17 on any compatible iPhone model.
Quick facts about the StandBy feature
◉ Standby mode works when charging the iPhone while it is on its side, as we mentioned.
◉ Standby mode remembers preferred views for each MagSafe charger.
◉ It can be turned off easily.
◉ In the watch view, five watch styles are available in custom distinctive colors.
◉ In the Photos view, you can switch between your best photos, specific albums, or even the shared iCloud photo library.
◉ In the Widgets view, you can see two widgets at once and navigate through up to 20 widgets with Smart Rotate turned on.
◉ Live activities, such as music controls, timers and sports scores, are easily accessible and can be viewed full screen through Now Playing.
◉ Siri results and notifications are designed to be viewed from a distance through this feature.
◉ You can show or hide notification previews.
◉ Incoming phone and FaceTime calls will appear with contact stickers in this landscape mode.
◉ Direct voicemail will appear if the iPhone is unlocked.
◉ Standby mode can be turned on through the always-on display feature with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models.
◉ Standby mode can be awakened by tapping on the screen, gently moving the surface on which the iPhone is located, or detecting ambient movement in the room.
◉ Night mode displays low-light standby mode with a red color.
How to turn on StandBy mode
◉ Open Settings.
◉ Go to the “StandBy Standby” section, and enable the StandBy Standby feature.
◉ Adjust any additional preferences according to your preferences:
◎ StandBy Readiness: This option allows you to turn standby mode on or off.
◎ Always On Display: This option is specific to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. When enabled, it keeps the screen always on, but standby mode will intelligently turn it off when not in use. When disabled, standby mode will enter sleep mode after about 10 to 20 seconds.
◎ Night mode: You can enable or disable this option, which adds a red color to standby mode when low ambient light is detected.
◎ Motion to Wake: This feature, only available on iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max and later, allows the device to automatically wake up from standby mode when it detects motion at night.
◎ Show notifications: Turn this option on to control the display of notifications during standby mode. Important notifications will still appear even when the standby feature is turned off, but other notifications will be placed silently in your Notification Center.
◎ Show preview on click only: This option lets you decide whether you want to hide notification previews while in standby mode. Enabling this feature enhances privacy, especially if you're with other people. When launched, you'll need to tap a notification to view its preview.
Activate standby mode during sleep
When you place your iPhone horizontally while charging, you will encounter the following message: “Welcome to StandBy. Explore useful tools, view your favorite photos, or view your perfect watch. Swipe left or right to switch between them.” To access the default standby view, click Continue.
On iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with Always On Display enabled, the screen will remain active most of the time, except when it intelligently turns off automatically. In cases where this feature is disabled, or on other iPhone models, standby may only be visible for a specified period before the screen goes to sleep. However, you can easily wake it up by tapping on the screen.”
Navigate between widgets in the StandBy screen
The default StandBy screen display can vary depending on your use of apps and whether Smart Rotate and Widget suggestions are enabled or disabled. To move between your widgets, scroll up or down on any of the currently active widgets.
Drag between widgets, images and time
You can also change the display from StandBy widgets to display your photos or the clock full screen. Swipe left once from the widget screen to view your photos, then swipe left again to open the full-screen clock. In addition to the time, the full-screen clock may also display the next scheduled alarm for your reference.
In the photo view, you can swipe up or down to change the topic to be displayed. The GIF below shows switching between nature, pets, and cities themes. There are also themes for featured people and people you have hidden.
In full-screen clock view, you can swipe up or down to change the clock style that is displayed. You can switch between analogue, digital, global, solar and floating formats. World mode displays points on the map that correspond to locations listed in the World Clock section of the Watch app. You can click on each dot to see the city name and the current time in that specific time zone.
Open applications from widgets and images
On the widget view, you can tap the widget to open the app. Your iPhone will ask you to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID if necessary. For example, opening Reminders will take you directly to the list of reminders you've set up before.
You can also open the Photos app from the Photos view. Tap the screen to bring up the “View in Photos” option, tap it, and unlock the iPhone using Face ID or Touch ID if necessary, then the photo that appears on StandBy will open in the Photos app.
Adjust the widget in standby mode
To edit the widget in StandBy mode, tap and hold on any of the active widgets to open its editing options. You can turn on or off Automatic Smart Rotate or Widget Suggestions, which may display widgets that are not useful to you. Swipe up or down on the widget to access what you want to edit.
You can click on the widget while editing to see if you can change what's visible. For example, clicking on the Reminders widget lets you choose which menu is displayed, Weather lets you choose which city forecast is displayed, and Arrows lets you choose the stock you want to track most.
Press the + sign button at the top left or top right to add a new widget to the Smart Stack panel. This works just like a widget on your home screen or lock screen. Find the widget you want and click on it to add it.
You can add a new widget to the Smart Stack left or right.
You can also delete the widget. Just click on the (-) sign and “Remove” to hide it. You can always add it again later if necessary.
Edit photos in standby mode
You can also tap and hold any photo in the StandBy photo view to change the photos that appear. You may need to unlock your iPhone before continuing.
As mentioned earlier, when it comes to topic-specific content, the default collections include Featured, Nature, Pets, Cities, and People. To control the visibility of images within StandBy, simply tap the eye icon associated with a specific topic to either hide or reveal those images.
You can also add your own albums as collections to display on the StandBy screen. Just tap the (+) sign at the top left or top right, and choose an album from your list.
Editing hours in standby mode
Full screen clocks can also be customized, just long press on the current clock to open the editor. You may need to unlock your iPhone before continuing. Tapping the color selection button, which looks like a camera's capture button, will allow you to change the colors of certain items for each hour.
All watches have a color selection button except the World Watch. The only way to customize the full-screen world clock is to open the clock app in the World Clock tab and add or subtract cities. These cities will appear as points on the world clock.
View live activities in standby mode
One of the coolest things about the StandBy monitor is its support for live or streaming activities. Any live activity running on your lock screen will also go into standby mode, which you can adjust to be displayed full-screen, whether it's a simple timer or statistics for a sports game you're following.
To view live activity in standby mode, simply tap its small icon near the top of the screen. The live activity will expand to fill the screen. To exit the live activity view, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
If you have more than one Live Activity running, you can open one and tap the Live Activity icon near the top to open the other.
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It is as if the feature was created to compete with screen-enabled home devices released by Google Nest and Amazon Echo. A good idea from Apple instead of issuing the Apple Home with a screen
The problem is if you want it to always be on, as long as it is in the charging state
Apple why don't you put an option to be always on so that you have a device that always shows you the time when you are in the office even if it reduces the charging speed
Is it necessary to put the phone in the charger in order for this standby feature to be activated? I hope that Apple will do this feature without connecting the phone to the charger, because sometimes I do not want to connect the device to the charger every night until the morning.
شكرا
Yes, it must be in the charger because this feature consumes a battery, so if you do it, you will wake up and see that the phone has run out of charge.
My iPhone XNUMX and the standby mode does not appear?!
• Note that procedures for preparedness are available in the settings
Hello Qasim Al Qasim 🙋♂️, Don’t worry, the solution is very simple. First, make sure your system is updated to iOS 17, then make sure you enable standby mode from Settings. Finally, to activate this feature, the iPhone must be in a horizontal position while charging on a wireless charger or using a charging cable. If all these steps have already been followed and standby mode is still not visible, there may be a problem that requires consulting Apple experts. 😊📱
Is the feature available on the iPhone 12 Max or only new devices?
God bless you, really, a wonderful article. I have a question, if you would be so kind
How can I set the clock in the standby because the time that appears is wrong?
Hi Anwar👋, To correct the time in standby mode, you need to make sure the time is set correctly in the device settings first. Go to “Settings,” then “General,” then “Date & Time.” Make sure that the “Set automatically” option is enabled. If the time is set correctly here and it still displays incorrectly in standby mode, there may be a software issue. Try restarting your iPhone or updating the operating system if an update is available.😊📱⏰
Your displayed clock appears to be the world clock, usually Cupertino (CUP). To change this, swipe the screen until your local clock appears.
What is the difference between standby mode and dynamic island?
Hello Sultan Muhammad 🙋♂️, The difference between Standby mode and Dynamic Island is not clear in your question, because Interactive Island is not a well-known term in the Apple world. Maybe you mean something else? 🤔 But in general, standby mode in iOS 17 allows you to use the iPhone as a smart screen that shows various information while it is charging, such as the clock, photos, tools, and others. Hope this was helpful! 😊📱
Thank you for this wonderful article. I expect this to be the longest article in your history
What is the benefit of the extension (profile) that was added to Safari in the settings? Please explain it, thank you
Welcome Fadi 🙋♂️, your profile in Safari allows you to customize settings and preferences for specific websites. Through it you can change the font size, disable the ad blocker, activate the desktop version of the site, and other customizations. This feature is very useful if you want a different experience on a specific site without affecting your experience on other sites. I hope this explanation has been useful to you 👍😊.