I recently got a new device and I’m having trouble finding the right settings. How do I adjust screen brightness and enable Night Shift? I’d like to know where to find these options in the settings menu, whether there’s a quick way to access them from the control center or notifications panel, and if I can schedule Night Shift to turn on automatically at certain times of day. Also, I’m not sure what the recommended brightness levels are for different lighting conditions, or what color temperature settings work best for Night Shift to reduce eye strain in the evening.
How to Adjust Screen Brightness and Enable Night Shift
Adjusting Screen Brightness
On iPhone/iPad:
Method 1: Control Center
- Swipe down from the top-right corner (iPhone X and later, iPad with Face ID) or swipe up from the bottom (iPhone 8 and earlier, iPad with Home button)
- Locate the brightness slider (sun icon)
- Drag the slider up to increase brightness or down to decrease brightness
Method 2: Settings
- Open the Settings app
- Tap "Display & Brightness"
- Use the brightness slider under "BRIGHTNESS"
- Toggle "Auto-Brightness" on or off (when enabled, your device automatically adjusts screen brightness based on ambient light)
Method 3: Siri
- Say "Hey Siri, increase brightness" or "Hey Siri, decrease brightness"
- Say "Hey Siri, set brightness to 50 percent"
On Mac:
Method 1: Keyboard
- Press F1 key to decrease brightness
- Press F2 key to increase brightness
- On Touch Bar Macs, tap the brightness icon and adjust the slider
Method 2: Control Center
- Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar (top-right corner)
- Click the brightness slider
- Adjust the slider up or down
Method 3: System Settings
- Click the Apple menu
- Select "System Settings" (macOS Ventura or later) or "System Preferences" (earlier versions)
- Click "Displays"
- Adjust the brightness slider
- Check or uncheck "Automatically adjust brightness"
On Apple Watch:
- Swipe up from the watch face to open Control Center
- Tap the brightness percentage
- Tap the minus or plus buttons, or turn the Digital Crown
On Apple TV:
- Go to Settings
- Select "Video and Audio"
- Adjust "Brightness"
Enabling Night Shift
On iPhone/iPad:
Method 1: Control Center
- Open Control Center (swipe down from top-right or up from bottom)
- Press and hold the brightness slider
- Tap the Night Shift icon at the bottom (crescent moon icon)
Method 2: Settings
- Open Settings
- Tap "Display & Brightness"
- Tap "Night Shift"
- Toggle "Scheduled" to set automatic times (Sunset to Sunrise or Custom Schedule)
- Adjust "Color Temperature" slider (Less Warm to More Warm)
- Toggle "Manually Enable Until Tomorrow" to turn on immediately
Method 3: Siri
- Say "Hey Siri, turn on Night Shift"
- Say "Hey Siri, turn off Night Shift"
On Mac:
Method 1: Control Center
- Click Control Center in the menu bar
- Click "Display"
- Click "Night Shift" and select:
- Turn On For Today
- Turn On Until Tomorrow
- Off
Method 2: System Settings
- Click the Apple menu
- Select "System Settings" or "System Preferences"
- Click "Displays"
- Click "Night Shift" (or find it in the sidebar)
- Set Schedule: Off, Custom, or Sunset to Sunrise
- Adjust "Color Temperature" slider
- Click "Turn On Until Tomorrow" for manual activation
Night Shift Schedule Options:
Sunset to Sunrise:
- Automatically turns on at sunset and off at sunrise based on your location
- Requires Location Services to be enabled
Custom:
- Set specific times for Night Shift to turn on and off
- Enter your preferred start and end times
Manual:
- Turn on until tomorrow or until a specific time
- Must be manually enabled each time
Adjusting Color Temperature:
- Move the slider toward "Less Warm" for a subtle effect
- Move the slider toward "More Warm" for a stronger orange/amber tint
- The warmer the setting, the more blue light is filtered
Requirements:
- Night Shift requires iPhone 5s or later, iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air or later, iPad mini 2 or later
- On Mac: requires a Mac introduced in 2012 or later
- Night Shift is not available on Apple Watch or Apple TV