The Apple Watch is a smartwatch fitted for people with active and busy lifestyles. Released in 2015, it features various apps for health monitoring, GPS, compass, and similar apps on your iPhone. However, some Apple Watch users have asked how to make Apple Watch brighter.
It happens when they don’t know how to adjust Apple Watch brightness, especially in bright environments. This guide will show you how to turn brightness up on Apple Watch and how to fix the Apple Watch dim screen issue.
Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
Why is My Apple Watch Dim?
Many factors can make your Apple Watch turn dim. It can be due to a problem that’s software or settings-related or because of a bug. Here are the most common reasons why your Apple Watch turns dim:
- Auto-brightness – Your Apple Watch automatically adjusts its brightness based on your environment. Try moving your watch outdoors or in a bright environment and check if this fixes the issue.
- Bugs – Similar to your iPhone, your Apple Watch can also have bugs that might affect one of its features—like its brightness. However, you can solve this by restarting your Apple Watch.
- Outdated Software – Another reason your Apple Watch is dim is outdated software. Try updating your smartwatch to its latest watchOS version and check if this solves the issue.
We also have a guide on How to Remove Scratches From Apple Watch if you want to keep the watch in pristine condition.
How to Make Apple Watch Brighter
There are various methods to fix the Apple Watch dim screen issue, regardless of your Apple Watch model and OS version. Remember to review each fix and determine the most effective one for your Apple Watch.
Fix #1: Adjust Its Brightness Manually
If you feel your Apple Watch is too dim despite moving to a brighter environment, you can adjust its brightness manually via the Settings app or the Watch app on your iPhone. To manually adjust the brightness of your Apple Watch, follow these steps:
- Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch and select Settings.
- Go to Display & Brightness and tap the Increase button (on the right) to increase the brightness to your desired level.
To manually adjust the brightness of your Apple Watch via the Watch app, proceed to these steps:
- Tap the Watch app on your iPhone and choose My Watch.
- Select Display & Brightness and drag the brightness slider to your desired level.
If you would like to find out more about your watch, check out our article on how to stop your Apple Watch zooming in and making the text unreadable.
Fix #2: Restart Your Apple Watch
If adjusting its brightness doesn’t work, you can restart it to potentially fix any minor bugs. This is a risk-free yet effective fix that works for most glitches on your Apple Watch. To restart your Apple Watch, follow the steps below:
- Press and hold the Side button on the watch until the Power Off screen appears.
- Drag the POWER OFF slider to the right to turn off your Apple Watch. On watchOS 9, you’ll need to tap the Power Button on the top right to show the Power Off slider.
- Wait for one minute. Then, turn it on by pressing the Side button on the watch.
- Check if the issue is fixed.
Fix #3: Force Your Apple Watch to Brighten
As mentioned earlier, all Apple Watches have an auto-brightness feature, allowing them to adjust automatically to any lighting environment. However, if you think it’s still dim despite trying to change it manually, you can trick your Apple Watch into being brighter than usual by using your iPhone’s Torch and putting it under direct sunlight.
This way, you’ll force it to re-adjust its brightness to the highest setting. To force your Apple Watch to brighten, proceed to the steps below:
- While wearing your Apple Watch, go under direct sunlight and enable your iPhone’s Torch feature.
- Next, point your iPhone’s torch near the watch face and check if the brightness increases to its brightest setting.
If this doesn’t work, you could follow this trick done by users on Apple Support forums to increase the brightness on your Apple Watch:
- Turn on your watch and go to the Phone app.
- Tap the Keypad option and select the green “<“ icon.
- Go back to the Keypad option and press the Digital Crown twice.
- Check if the brightness increased significantly.
Fix #4: Update Your Apple Watch
It’s critical to update your Apple Watch to its latest watchOS version to avoid bugs and glitches. It also gives you the latest features and apps unavailable on the last OS version. To update your Apple Watch via Settings, follow these steps:
- Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch and go to Settings.
- Select General > Software Update and choose Download and Install on the latest available update.
To update your Apple Watch via the Watch app, do the following:
- Turn on your iPhone and launch the Watch app.
- Select My Watch and navigate to General > Software Update.
- Tap Download and Install on the latest software update.
If you are interested in taking care of your Apple Watch, please also read our article which explores Can I Wear My Apple Watch In The Pool or Shower?
If you want to declutter, please read How to Delete Apps on your Apple Watch.
Final Thoughts
Apple’s Apple Watch is among the best and most well-received smartwatches today. It’s known for its excellent features and apps, which make it possible to access your notifications and tasks without opening your iPhone. However, some Apple Watch users have had problems with its brightness or their Apple Watch being too dim.
Hence, this guide hopefully helps you to make your Apple Watch brighter. If these fixes were ineffective, try contacting Apple Watch Support for further assistance.