iOS 26 Changes iPhone’s Always On Display

Apple has quietly tweaked how the Always On Display works in iOS 26, and while the change improves visibility, it might frustrate fans of the feature’s original look.

📱 What’s New in iOS 26

In previous versions, Always On Display simply dimmed your Lock Screen wallpaper, letting you see your chosen photo, clock, widgets, and notifications at a glance.

With iOS 26, Apple now blurs your wallpaper by default when the display dims. The result? Better contrast for text and widgets — but less focus on your wallpaper photo.

⚙️ How to Bring Back the Original Look

Thankfully, Apple added a new option to switch it back.
You can go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Always On Display and turn off the “Blurred Wallpaper” toggle to restore the previous behavior.

💭 Blur or No Blur?

While the blur may help with privacy and readability, some users feel it defeats the purpose of showing their Lock Screen photo at all.

Which do you prefer — a blurred, cleaner look or the classic dimmed wallpaper?