How to Turn Off Blue Light on iPhone, With Photos

Have you ever found yourself struggling to comfortably use your iPhone screen in low light or at night? This is because the blue light emitted by the screen can be a source of irritation for the eyes. Not only can blue light disrupt our sleep cycles, but it can also affect our bodies in tons of other unforeseen ways. 

Luckily, there are several solutions to this problem that we will explore in this article. So, read on to discover how you can turn off the blue light on your iPhone and improve your overall comfort and well-being.

Understanding the Blue Light and Its Harms 

According to the University of California, prolonged exposure to blue light can “damage retinal cells and cause vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration.” If that doesn’t sound scary enough, just know the risks don’t stop there. 

You should probably be more concerned with the short term drawbacks, such as your sleep. Blue light can have an adverse effect on your sleeping habits, due to mimicking the sun’s natural effect on our brains. In other words, when we stare at our phone screen at night, our brain thinks it is daytime.

The blue light coming from the iPhone screen is a type of light that has a very short wavelength. All electronic devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets emit it. This light tends to suppress your melatonin production in the body. It is a hormone that controls a person’s sleep cycle. Hence, someone who is constantly subjected to this light finds it hard to enjoy a healthy sleep.

You might face difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, and other sleep disorders. However, we’re not here to scare you straight. Instead, let’s tackle the problem head-on. It’s actually quite simple, so hang in there.

How to Turn Off Blue Light on iPhone: Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you understand the benefits of turning off the blue light on your iPhone, let’s get into the step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Open the Control Center

To turn off blue light on iPhone, you will need to access the Control Center. Starting at the top-right corner of your screen, you need to swipe down. This can also work if you start at the bottom of your screen and swipe up.

Step 2: Click on the Night Shift Icon

In the Control Center of your iPhone, you will see a variety of icons. Press the Brightness Control icon. Then, look for the icon Night Shift, which looks like a crescent moon inside a sun.

Step 3: Adjust the Night Shift Settings

Once you click on the Night Shift icon, you will see the Night Shift settings screen. 

Here, you can adjust the color temperature and schedule of the Night Shift. To turn off the blue light, you have to drag the Color Temperature slider all the way to the left to the “Less Warm” setting.

Step 4: Turn Off the Scheduled Night Shift

If you have Night Shift scheduled to turn on automatically at certain times, you’ll also need to turn off that setting. 

To do this, you have to go to Settings. You will find an option for Display and Brightness. Select the option of Night Shift in the next step. Here, you can adjust the schedule or turn off Night Shift entirely.

Step 5: Use True Tone (Optional)

If you want to further reduce the blue light emitted by your iPhone, you can enable True Tone. This feature uses ambient light sensors to adjust the color temperature of your screen based on the lighting conditions around you. To enable True Tone, you have to go to Settings. Here you will find the option for Display and Brightness. Choose True Tone from here.

Here’s a quick video we recommend for demonstrating how to turn off blue light, made by content creator

Alternative Solutions to Turn Off Blue Light on iPhone

If you do not want to use Night Shift or True Tone to turn off the blue light on your iPhone, there are a few other options available.

1. Reduce Screen Brightness

One simple solution is to reduce the brightness of your iPhone screen. This can help reduce the amount of blue light emitted by your device. To do this, swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to access the Control Center, then drag the Brightness slider to the left.

2. Use Blue Light Filtering Apps

If you want to turn off blue light on iPhone without going into the settings, you can always look to third-party apps. These apps use a red or orange overlay to filter out blue light, making the screen appear warmer and more yellow. Some popular blue light filtering apps include Flux, Night Shift Pro, and Iris.

You can download Flux, one of the most popular blue light filtering apps, from the App store on your iPhone. 

These solutions will help you reduce exposure to the blue light emitted by your iPhone. Night Shift mode was designed to block blue light and make using your screen easier in low-light situations. When you reduce the blue light, this can ease your brain into a more natural evening state, helping you fall asleep.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Cristian Dina/Shutterstock.com.