Apple introduced a feature called ‘Raise to Wake’ in iOS 10 for its iPhone lineup.
Raise to Wake is only available on the iPhone 6s model and later. Earlier models than the 6s including the iPhone 6 are not able to use it.
What is Raise to Wake?
Raise to wake is a simple feature introduced on the iPhone. The screen will turn on when you lift your phone from a flat surface like a table or a desk.
It will illuminate the lock screen when you pick it up, it will not automatically unlock the device though. Allowing you to see your notifications and access your phone quicker, reducing the steps you need to take.
If you are unable to unlock your phone with Face ID then paired with Raise to Wake all you have to do is pick up your phone. The phone then lights up and unlocks for you without pressing a button.
You can get into your phone more or less instantly with these features without compromising on security. It saves you pressing a button to wake the phone up and then entering a password to unlock it.
Unlocking your phone manually can be a bit tedious and frustrating sometimes. Especially when you are in the middle of something like reading a news article or a web page and the phone screen turns off and you have to enter your password again all because you haven’t pressed on the screen for 30 seconds.
In summary, what is Raise to Wake on iPhone? The Raise to Wake feature turns your phone screen on when you pick it up so you do not need to press a button. It pairs well with Face ID to allow you to get into your phone quickly and easily.
Why does my phone light up when I move it?
If you have an iPhone and your phone lights up when you move it, you likely have Raise to Wake enabled. You can turn this feature off if it bothers you by following the instructions further down.
However, Raise to Wake can be useful if you want to see your notifications on your home screen quickly or paired with Face ID allowing you to unlock your phone quicker.
Will my phone light up in my pocket?
No, your iPhone shouldn’t light up when carrying it around with you unless you pick it up and look at it.
If you are having an issue with your phone turning on while in your pocket. Follow the steps further down to turn the feature off.
Should I turn ON Raise to Wake?
I would suggest that it is a good feature to have enabled. As it offers a slight quality of life improvement where you do not need to press a button every time to turn the screen on.
Raise to Wake is essentially a feature designed by apple to refine the process of turning on the screen for its user. It’s always in the interest of tech companies to make their software as user-friendly as possible.
However, if you find that the screen waking up automatically bothers you or the screen is turning on when you do not want it to. Apple offers you the choice to turn it off and you can follow the instructions below on how to do so.
My suggestion would be to leave it on unless you have a good reason to turn it off, ultimately the choice is yours.
What happens if I turn OFF Raise to Wake?
Turning off Raise to Wake will stop your phone from automatically turning on the display when you pick the phone up. Instead, you will have to use the side button or home button to turn on the display.
Alternatively tapping on the screen will also turn on the screen with newer iPhone models with Tap to Wake enabled.
How to Turn ON/OFF Tap to Wake
By default Tap to Wake should be enabled. If you find it’s not working or you would like to turn it off, you can find the setting in the following location.
- Open Settings.
- Select Accessibility.
- Select Touch.
- Press the Tap to Wake switch to turn ON/OFF.
Green indicates the feature is on.
How to Turn ON/OFF Raise to Wake
This feature will most likely be on by default, but I’ll cover here how you can turn it on and off.
- Open Settings.
- Select Display & Brightness.
- Press the Raise to Wake switch.
When the switch is green. It indicates the feature is on.
Does Raise to Wake waste battery?
Raise to Wake will not have much impact on your battery. If you are having an issue with your battery draining too quickly, try reducing the screen brightness.
The brightness has a fairly big impact on how long a battery lasts on all devices.
If your auto brightness is off, turning this on will determine the lighting in your surroundings and adjust your brightness accordingly.
This can save your battery from draining too quickly as it will dim the screen in darker conditions and only turn the brightness up when needed.
