How to Disable Wallpaper Dimming on iPhone

In this guide, we will learn how to disable wallpaper dimming on an iPhone. When you enable dark mode for iPhones, the change also applies to the wallpapers you have set on the iPhone home screen, and the wallpaper gets darker.

Most users prefer to use dark mode on their iPhones all the time. This helps to ease the stress on their eyes when using the phone for long hours. However, the wallpaper appears dim, which may not be desirable for many users.

The only way to lighten the dark overlay on the wallpapers is to disable the dark theme. Users may not want to disable dark mode, as it offers a comfortable visualization experience.

1. How to Disable Wallpaper Dimming on iPhone?

There is a workaround to disable wallpaper dimmingand here is how you can use it. Keep in mind that Apple introduced the dark mode feature in iOS 13, which means you can get the feature on iOS 13 and iOS 14 devices.

1. Go to Settings > navigate to Wallpaper and tap on it.
   
2. Scroll to the option Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper.
3. Turn the toggle beside the option off to disable wallpaper dimming on your iPhone.

The dark texture from the wallpaper will be removed even though the dark mode for the rest of the iPhone will be intact.

While it may seem like a small featureit highlights Apple’s endeavors in favor of its users. Avid Apple users usually take note of the small features that make usability more flexible.

1.1 Why I Can’t Find Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper Option?

If you are running iOS 16, you will not find the option Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper. Apple has apparently removed the feature.

Instead, you can customize the color overlay and adjust the background color of the wallpaper set on the home screen. This is not the same feature that is now unavailable.

1.2 Potential Workaround for the Missing Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper Option

You can tweak the Reduce white point feature as a working alternative to disable wallpaper dimming on iPhones.

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility.
2. Tap on Display & text size > Tap the switch beside Reduce white point to enable it.
3. Now, you can tweak the intensity of the bright colors by adjusting the percentage of Reduce White Point.
   

The above method has a caveat: It may bring down the overall brightness tone, which may cause some users to feel uncomfortable with the visualization.

If this doesn’t work, you can manually adjust the display brightness from the control center depending on the lighting available.

Set the brightness so that the dark mode theme doesn’t overpower the wallpaper’s presencemaking it look too dark or too light.

Wrapping Up

If you still use iOS 13 or iOS 14, you should be able to disable wallpaper dimming on your iPhone. It is unclear why Apple removed such a useful feature, but we can hope that with public demand, they may bring it back on iOS 16. Until then, follow the workarounds to compensate.