Yes, iPhone has a blue light filter built in, and it's called Night Shift

Every iPhone made in the last ten years has a blue light filter already installed. Apple calls it Night Shift, and it works by shifting the colors on your screen toward the warmer end of the spectrum — away from blue light — when you turn it on. The filter doesn't require any app download or purchase. You control it directly from your iPhone's settings or from Control Center, and you can set it to turn on automatically at sunset or at a specific time you choose.

Night Shift reduces the amount of blue light your screen emits, which some research suggests can make it easier to fall asleep if you use your phone before bed. Blue light tells your brain it's daytime, so filtering it out may help your body produce melatonin — the hormone that makes you sleepy — at a normal time. Whether the effect is strong enough to matter for you personally is something you'll notice only by trying it.

Key Takeaways

  • Night Shift is Apple's built-in blue light filter, available on all recent iPhones at no cost.
  • You can turn Night Shift on manually from Control Center or set it to activate automatically at sunset or a specific time each day.
  • The filter makes your screen appear warmer and more orange-tinted, and you can adjust how strong the effect is.
  • Night Shift works on your iPhone's main display but not on external monitors connected to your phone.

How to turn on Night Shift right now

The fastest way to activate Night Shift is through Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older iPhones), then look for the brightness controls. You'll see a sun icon with a slider. Long-press on that brightness section — don't just tap it — and a menu will expand. Tap the Night Shift button to turn it on immediately.

When Night Shift is active, your screen will take on a warmer, more orange tone. The intensity of this shift depends on your settings. If the change feels too strong or too subtle, you can adjust it by going back to Control Center and dragging the brightness slider while Night Shift is on. Moving the slider to the right makes the filter stronger; moving it left makes it weaker.

Setting Night Shift to turn on automatically

If you want Night Shift to activate without you having to remember to turn it on, you can schedule it. Open the Settings app, tap Display & Brightness, then tap Night Shift. Toggle on the "Scheduled" option. You'll see two choices: "Sunset to Sunrise" or "Custom Schedule."

If you choose Sunset to Sunrise, your iPhone will automatically turn on Night Shift when the sun sets in your location and turn it off when the sun rises. If you choose Custom Schedule, you can set exact times — for example, 9 PM to 7 AM. Once you've set your schedule, Night Shift will activate at those times every day without any action from you. You can still override the schedule by turning Night Shift off manually in Control Center whenever you want.

Adjusting the strength of the blue light filter

Night Shift has a range of intensity settings. The strongest setting makes your screen very warm and orange; the weakest setting is barely noticeable. You adjust this in the same Settings menu where you turned on the schedule. Go to Settings, then Display & Brightness, then Night Shift. You'll see a slider labeled with a blue dot on one end and an orange dot on the other. Drag the slider toward the orange dot to make the filter stronger, or toward the blue dot to make it weaker.

There's no "correct" strength — it depends on what feels comfortable to your eyes and what you're trying to achieve. If you're using Night Shift mainly to reduce eye strain in a dark room, you might prefer a moderate setting. If you're using it to help yourself sleep, you might prefer a stronger setting. You can change this slider as often as you want, and the change takes effect immediately.

Night Shift on different iPhone models and iOS versions

Night Shift has been available on iPhones since iOS 9.3, which came out in 2016. If your iPhone is running iOS 9.3 or newer, you have Night Shift. All current iPhones — iPhone 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, and older models still receiving updates — include it. If you're not sure what iOS version your phone is running, go to Settings, tap General, then tap About. Look for "Software Version."

The controls and features are the same across all models, though the way you access Control Center differs slightly on older iPhones. On iPhone X and newer, swipe down from the top-right corner. On iPhone 8 and earlier, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. The Night Shift button itself works the same way on all models.

What Night Shift does and doesn't do

Night Shift filters blue light on your iPhone's screen only. It does not affect external monitors, tablets, or other devices connected to your phone. If you use an external display with your iPhone — for example, a monitor connected via USB-C or HDMI — that monitor will not have the blue light filter applied. You would need to adjust the external monitor's settings separately if it has its own blue light filter.

Night Shift also does not reduce the total amount of light your screen emits. It only changes the color temperature. If you want to reduce brightness as well — which can also help reduce eye strain — you can do that separately using the brightness slider in Control Center or in Settings. Some people use both Night Shift and reduced brightness together, especially in the evening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Night Shift actually help you sleep better?

Research suggests blue light can interfere with melatonin production, so filtering it out may help some people fall asleep more easily. However, the effect varies from person to person. The best way to know if it works for you is to use it consistently for a week or two and notice whether you fall asleep more easily. Other factors — like screen time itself, caffeine, and stress — often matter more than the color of the light.

Can I use Night Shift during the day?

Yes. You can turn on Night Shift anytime, whether it's scheduled or not. Some people use it during the day if they find the warmer tone easier on their eyes in bright sunlight, though this is less common. There's no downside to using it whenever you want.

Will Night Shift affect photos or videos I'm editing?

Yes, Night Shift will change how colors appear on your screen, which can make it harder to edit photos or videos accurately. If you're doing color-sensitive work, turn off Night Shift temporarily. You can do this quickly from Control Center. Once you're done editing, turn it back on.

What if Night Shift isn't working?

First, check that it's actually turned on in Control Center or in Settings. If it's on but you don't see the warm tone, make sure your display brightness isn't set to maximum — Night Shift is less noticeable at very high brightness levels. If you've adjusted the slider all the way toward blue, the filter will be nearly invisible. Try dragging it toward orange to see the effect more clearly.

Can I use Night Shift on my iPad too?

Yes. iPads running iOS 9.3 or newer have Night Shift with the same controls as iPhones. Access it the same way: through Control Center or Settings, then Display & Brightness, then Night Shift.