After updating to the latest iOS 17, are you frequently seeing a pop-up that says “iPhone is Too Close“? Don’t worry! In this guide, I’ll walk you through five ways to resolve this issue on your iPhone.
Apple introduced the Screen Distance feature in iOS 17 to help prevent eye strain. It’s handy for those times when you’re holding your iPhone too close to your face. A full-screen pop-up appears, interrupting whatever you’re doing, to remind you to maintain a safe distance between your eyes and your iPhone’s screen.
Why Does the “iPhone is Too Close” Alert Show Up?
The Screen Distance feature utilizes the iPhone’s TrueDepth camera sensor. If your face is closer than 12 inches to your iPhone, the “iPhone is Too Close” alert pops up. This feature is only available on devices running iOS 17 or iPadOS 17.
Recently, I noticed that this alert started popping up even while I was streaming videos or gaming. This could be due to holding the iPhone too close to my eyes or perhaps a software bug. Let’s jump right in and fix this issue ASAP.
Top Fixes for the “iPhone is Too Close” Alert on iOS 17
If you’re running into this issue frequently, try the following fixes:
Update to the Latest iOS 17 Version
After I updated to the latest iOS 17 beta, my iPhone kept bombarding me with the “Too Close” alert. To fix this, simply update your iPhone or iPad to the most current iOS 17 version. Head to Settings > General > Software Update and click “Install New Update“. If you’re on a developer or beta build, consider switching to the stable release to squash any pesky bugs.
Keep Your iPhone at a Safe Distance
The alert only shows up when you’re holding your iPhone too close to your face. Apple recommends maintaining a distance of at least 12 inches to avoid eye strain. Try holding your iPhone a bit farther from your face and see if that resolves the issue.
Reboot Your iPhone
A simple hard reboot can fix a myriad of unknown issues. Press and hold the side button and volume down button simultaneously, then swipe to power off when prompted. Power it back on and see if that does the trick.
Clean Your TrueDepth Camera
If the TrueDepth camera sensor is obstructed, it may trigger the “iPhone is Too Close” alert. Gently wipe down the notch area of your iPhone with a clean microfiber cloth to ensure the sensor is unobstructed.
Disable the Screen Distance Feature
As a last resort, you can turn off the Screen Distance feature entirely. While not the ideal solution, this will definitely stop the “iPhone is Too Close” alert from popping up. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on Screen Time.
- Navigate to Screen Distance.
- Toggle off the Screen Distance feature.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, these tips help you fix the “iPhone is Too Close” issue. Before applying any fixes, reboot your device to clear out minor glitches. Remember, the Screen Distance feature is there to protect your eyes from harmful blue light, so try to keep it enabled whenever possible.
