Night Shift automatically shifts your iPhone’s display colors to the warmer end of the spectrum after sunset, reducing blue light exposure and helping you fall asleep more easily. If Night Shift isn’t activating as expected—or the controls are greyed out—follow this comprehensive, step-by-step guide to diagnose and resolve the issue.

How can I fix iPhone Night Shift not working?

Why Night Shift Matters

  • Reduces Eye Strain: Warmer colors are gentler on your eyes in low light.
  • Supports Sleep Health: Limiting blue light in the evening helps regulate your circadian rhythm.
  • Customizable Schedule: You can have Night Shift follow the sun or your own timetable.

When Night Shift stops working, you lose these benefits. The following sections guide you through quick fixes, advanced settings tweaks, and hardware checks.

Verify Basic Night Shift Settings

Step 1: Open Night Shift Settings

  • Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift.

Step 2: Check Scheduled Activation

  • Scheduled: Ensure the toggle is On.
  • Sunset to Sunrise: Uses your location to adjust automatically.
  • Custom Schedule: Tap From/To and set your preferred start and end times.

Step 3: Adjust Color Temperature

  • Use the Color Temperature slider to make the display “Warmer” or “Cooler.”
  • Slide two-thirds toward More Warm for noticeable effect.

Step 4: Manually Enable Night Shift

  • In Night Shift settings, tap Manually Enable Until Tomorrow.
  • Verify the display shifts immediately.

If Night Shift still doesn’t activate, proceed to the next section.

Check Auto-Brightness and True Tone

Night Shift interacts with other display features. Misconfigured settings here can override Night Shift.

Auto-Brightness

  • Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
  • Scroll down and toggle Auto-Brightness Off, then On again.
  • Test Night Shift manually.

True Tone

  • In Settings > Display & Brightness, toggle True Tone Off temporarily.
  • Try enabling Night Shift manually.
  • If Night Shift works, leave True Tone Off or update iOS (see section 5).

Ensure Date, Time, and Location Are Correct

Night Shift uses your device’s clock and location to determine sunset times. Incorrect settings can prevent automatic activation.

Verify Date & Time

  • Open Settings > General > Date & Time.
  • Toggle Set Automatically On.
  • Confirm the displayed time matches your local time zone.

Verify Location Services

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
  • Scroll to System Services at the bottom.
  • Ensure Setting Time Zone is On.
  • In System Services, also enable Compass Calibration, which uses the ambient sensor.

After correcting Date, Time, or Location, test Night Shift manually.

Restart Control Center and Display Services

Refreshing system services can clear transient glitches.

Restart Control Center

  • Pull up Control Center (swipe down from top-right or up from bottom).
  • Long-press the Brightness slider until it expands.
  • Tap the Night Shift icon (moon within a sun) to toggle it on/off.

Force-Restart Your iPhone

  • iPhone 8 or Later: Press Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold Side until Apple logo.
  • iPhone 7 / 7 Plus: Hold Side and Volume Down until Apple logo.
  • iPhone 6s and Earlier: Hold Home and Side/Top buttons.
  • After restart, test Night Shift again.

Update iOS and Reset Settings

If Night Shift still fails, a software bug or corrupted setting may be the culprit.

Update iOS

  • Connect to Wi-Fi and a charger.
  • Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  • Tap Download and Install if an update is available.
  • After updating, revisit Settings > Display & Brightness > Night Shift.

Reset All Settings

Note: Does not erase personal data but resets preferences (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpapers, etc.).

  • Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
  • Tap Reset All Settings.
  • Enter your passcode and confirm.
  • Reconfigure Wi-Fi and nearby settings, then retry Night Shift.

Test in Safe Mode and Remove Profiles

Boot into Safe Mode

For devices with jailbreak or third-party tweaks:

  • Power off your iPhone.
  • Hold the Volume Up button while turning it on.
  • If Night Shift works in Safe Mode, a tweak or app is interfering.

Remove Configuration Profiles

  • Go to Settings > General > VPN & Device Management (or Profiles & Device Management).
  • Identify and remove any suspicious or unnecessary profiles.
  • Restart and test Night Shift.

Inspect Hardware: Ambient Light Sensor

Night Shift relies on your iPhone’s ambient light sensor to adjust display tone. Obstructions or damage can break functionality.

Clean the Sensor Area

  • The sensor is near the front camera and earpiece.
  • Gently wipe the top bezel with a soft, lint-free cloth.
  • Remove any screen protector or case covering the sensor.

Test Ambient Light Response

  • Lower room lights or cover the top bezel with your hand.
  • Observe whether Auto-Brightness adjusts (Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size).
  • If Auto-Brightness doesn’t respond, the ambient sensor may be faulty—proceed to professional service.

Contact Apple Support or Service

If all else fails and Night Shift still won’t work, the issue may be deeper in iOS or hardware.

  • Apple Support App: Use the preinstalled Support app to schedule diagnostics or chat with an advisor.
  • Genius Bar Appointment: Book online at https://getsupport.apple.com
  • Apple Authorized Service Provider: For out-of-warranty repairs or sensor replacement.

Preventing Future Night Shift Issues

  • Keep iOS Updated: Install updates as soon as they’re available.
  • Avoid Third-Party Tweaks: Jailbreak tweaks can interfere with system features.
  • Regularly Clean Sensors: Monthly maintenance prevents sensor blockage.
  • Monitor Profiles: Only install trusted configuration profiles from known sources.
  • Backup Before Major Changes: Always back up via iCloud or Finder/iTunes before resetting or updating.

Conclusion

Night Shift enhances eye comfort and supports healthy sleep cycles by reducing blue light exposure in the evening. When it stops working, the root cause is often a simple settings misconfiguration, display-feature conflict, or outdated software. Follow these steps in order—verify basic Night Shift settings, check related display features, confirm date/time/location accuracy, refresh system services, update iOS, reset settings, and inspect hardware sensors. If issues persist, remove conflicting profiles or seek professional Apple support. With systematic troubleshooting and preventive maintenance, you’ll restore Night Shift functionality and keep your iPhone’s display optimized for every hour of the day.

Similar Tests