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iPhone Straining Your Eyes? This Feature Could Help

Staring at your iPhone for a long time could hurt your eyes, but a hidden feature could block your screen until your device is at a safer distance.

Headshot of Zachary McAuliffe
Headshot of Zachary McAuliffe
Zachary McAuliffe Staff writer
Zach began writing for CNET in November, 2021 after writing for a broadcast news station in his hometown, Cincinnati, for five years. You can usually find him reading and drinking coffee or watching a TV series with his wife and their dog.
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Zachary McAuliffe
2 min read
A person rubbing their eyes while sitting on the couch and holding a smartphone.
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According to my iPhone, I spend about 3 hours a day looking at it. I'm sure I hold my iPhone close to my face at times, especially at night, and that might be why my eyes hurt sometimes. Luckily, there's a hidden iPhone feature called Screen Distance that could help all of us take better care of our eyes.

CNET Tips_Tech
CNET

The feature warns you when you're holding your iPhone or iPad too close to your face, sort of like having a parent tell you to sit farther back from the television or computer screen. Although having a screen near your face might not harm your eyes, it could stress and irritate them, according to health care organization Cedars-Sinai. But this iPhone feature aims to help reduce eyestrain. According to Apple, it could even lower the risk of myopia, or nearsightedness.

Here's how to turn Screen Distance on and give your eyes a break.

Turn on Screen Distance

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Screen Time.
3. Tap Screen Distance. 

Two screenshots showing different screens when enabling Screen Distance on iPhone.

These screens appear the first time you access Screen Distance.

 Apple/CNET

Then you'll see two screens that explain what Screen Distance is and how it works. Tap Continue on both screens, and Screen Distance automatically turns on after these screens. Both screens appear only the first time you go into Screen Distance.

An iPhone screen that's been blocked by the Screen Distance feature, and a screen once the iPhone is away from your face.

When you hold your iPhone too close to your face for too long, Screen Distance blocks your screen.

 Apple/CNET

Now, after holding your iPhone too close to your face for a few minutes, your screen gets blocked by a message reading, "iPhone May Be Too Close." 

Your screen remains blocked until you hold your iPhone farther away. Then, your screen shows a checkmark, and you have to tap Continue to remove the block. 

Read more: How to Beat Eyestrain, According to Optometrists

Turning off Screen Distance

Screen Distance is a useful iOS feature that may reduce eyestrain and even decrease the risk of nearsightedness. However, if you find the warnings more annoying than helpful, here's how to turn Screen Distance off.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Screen Time.
3. Tap Screen Distance.
4. Tap the toggle next to Screen Distance.

Now you can go back to holding your iPhone as close to your face as you want without interruption from your phone -- or your parents. 

For more iOS news, here's what to know about iOS 26.4 and iOS 26.3. You can also check out our iOS 26 cheat sheet for other tips and tricks.

Watch this: iPhone in Space: The Many Apple Products That Left Earth