If you've ever been reading, following instructions, or watching video on your iPad only to have the screen dim at the most inconvenient moment, you're not alone.

ipad air design starlight
Automatic dimming helps preserve battery life, but it can be frustrating when you need your screen to stay bright and active. Fortunately, you can prevent your iPad screen from dimming automatically, and all it involves is a change in settings.

The following steps show you how it's done.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Select Display & Text Size.
  4. Scroll down to the bottom and toggle off the switch next to Auto-Brightness.

settings

Now that you have disabled Auto-Brightness, which relies on the ambient light sensor to make adjustments, you'll have to use the manual route the next time that you want change the brightness of the screen.

control center
The easiest way to do this is to invoke the Control Center by swiping down diagonally from the top right-hand corner of your iPad. Then drag the brightness slider with your finger to adjust it to your preference. Alternatively, you can adjust the brightness slider found in Settings ➝ Display & Brightness.

Night Shift

If your screen tends to look dimmer at nighttime, it's possible that the Night Shift feature is enabled. Designed to reduce eye strain during the evening hours, Night Shift automatically adjusts the colors of the iPad display to make them look warmer. If this is something you'd prefer not to see, go to Settings ➝ Display & Brightness, then tap Night Shift, and disable the schedule by turning off the switch.

settings
You can also optionally change the Color Temperature of the screen on the fly using the slider, which makes it Less Warm or More Warm.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple's Next Launch is Today

Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available. Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
apple silicon 1 feature

Apple Responds to Skyrocketing RAM and Storage Chip Prices

Thursday January 29, 2026 2:40 pm PST by
On an earnings call with equity analysts today, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to fast-rising RAM and SSD storage chip prices in the supply chain. Prices for RAM and NAND storage chips are surging lately due to high demand from companies building out AI servers, resulting in supply constraints. Cook said that rising memory chip prices had a "minimal impact" on Apple's gross margin in the...