How do I change the screen timeout on my Android phone?
Open Settings, tap Display (on Pixel, Display & touch), then Screen timeout, and pick how long the screen stays on after you stop touching it. A shorter time saves battery. A longer time helps when you are reading. You cannot turn the timeout off completely on most phones.
Steps to check
Open Display settings
Open the Settings app. Tap Display. On Pixel phones the menu is called Display & touch. If you do not see it, type timeout or screen timeout in the search box at the top of Settings.
- Samsung Settings → Display.
- Pixel Settings → Display & touch.
Tap Screen timeout and pick a time
Tap Screen timeout (some older phones say Sleep). Choose a duration from the list, such as 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 2 minutes. That is how long the screen waits after you stop using the phone before it turns off. Samsung's help lists options from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. Motorola and Pixel offer a similar list. Only the times shown in the menu can be chosen.
- Samsung Settings → Display → Screen timeout → choose 15 seconds up to 10 minutes. Samsung notes you cannot turn timeout off completely, and the lock screen may turn off sooner on its own.
- Pixel Settings → Display & touch → Screen timeout → choose a time. Optional: Adaptive timeout can turn the screen off earlier when you are not using it.
On Motorola, set Screen timeout the same way
Open Settings → Display → Screen timeout and pick the idle time before the phone sleeps. Motorola also offers Attentive Display on many models: under Screen timeout, turn on Attentive Display if you want the screen to stay on while you are looking at it and sleep sooner when you look away. Lighting can affect how well that works.
If the screen still turns off too soon
Battery or power saving modes can shorten the timeout on their own, sometimes to about 15 seconds. Turn off or ease power saving temporarily and check Screen timeout again. Playing video in full screen usually keeps the screen on; a small browser window may not. On Samsung, Keep screen on while viewing (under Screen timeout on some models) uses the front camera to keep the screen on while you look at it. On Pixel 4 and later, Screen attention does a similar job under Display & touch.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
The screen going black after the time you chose when you are not touching it, or a shorter timeout while Battery Saver or power saving is on.
Worth a closer look
The screen turning off after one or two seconds no matter which timeout you pick, or staying on forever when you are not using the phone. Restart the phone, check for a stuck proximity sensor or thick case covering the top, then contact the phone maker if it continues.
Common questions
- Will a longer screen timeout drain my battery?
- Yes, a little. The screen is one of the biggest battery users. Use a longer time when you need it for reading, and a shorter time day to day if battery life matters more.
- Can I keep the screen on forever?
- Most phones do not allow that in the normal Screen timeout menu. Samsung says timeout cannot be turned off completely. For hands-free reading, use Keep screen on while viewing, Screen attention, or Attentive Display if your phone offers it.
- Does screen timeout lock the phone?
- Timeout turns the display off. Your lock screen and screen lock (PIN, pattern, or fingerprint) are separate settings under Security or Lock screen. The display can turn off before or when the phone locks, depending on your lock settings.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Manage screen & display settings on a Pixel phone (Pixel Phone Help (Google))
- Change the screen timeout on your Samsung Galaxy to save power (Samsung Support)
- Change screen timeout (motorola signature) (Motorola Help)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.