To maintain a safe screen distance on your iPhone and reduce eye strain or other potential issues from prolonged screen usage, you can use a few iPhone features and follow some healthy practices:
1. Enable Screen Distance in iOS (if available)
iPhones with Face ID sensors running iOS 17 or later have a built-in feature called Screen Distance that alerts you when you're holding the phone too close to your face.
To enable this feature:
- Open Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Screen Time.
- Select Screen Distance and toggle it on.
- The iPhone will notify you if you're holding the device closer than 12 inches (30 cm) for an extended period.
2. Enable Night Shift Mode
Night Shift changes the color temperature of the screen to reduce blue light exposure, which can cause eye strain.
- Go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Night Shift.
- You can schedule it to automatically turn on at certain times or enable it manually.
3. Reduce Brightness and Enable Auto-Brightness
Reducing your screen brightness can make it easier on your eyes when you're using your iPhone for extended periods.
- Manually: Swipe down from the top-right corner to open the Control Center, and adjust the brightness slider.
- Auto-brightness: Go to Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size → Toggle on Auto-Brightness.
4. Use Larger Text
Larger text can help prevent you from bringing the phone closer to your eyes.
- Go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Text Size to adjust the font size.
- You can also toggle Bold Text for more readability.
5. Follow the 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule helps to reduce eye strain. Every 20 minutes, take a break for 20 seconds, and look at something 20 feet away. This helps reduce eye fatigue from prolonged focus on the screen.
6. Use Dark Mode
Using Dark Mode may reduce eye strain in low-light conditions.
- Go to Settings → Display & Brightness and select Dark.
7. Hold the Phone at a Safe Distance
As a general guideline, aim to hold your phone at least 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) away from your face. You can practice maintaining this distance and try to avoid slouching or bringing the phone too close.
8. Limit Screen Time
Reducing the overall time you spend on your phone helps prevent overexposure and fatigue.
- Set daily screen limits by going to Settings → Screen Time → App Limits to manage how long you spend on certain apps.