iPhone 17 Pro’s New OLED Setting Aims To Reduce Eye Strain

The iPhone 17 Pro is silently making an important change that many users have been waiting for. It has recently been discovered that Apple will add a new toggle in the Accessibility menu that allows people to disable screen flickering in iOS 26 (via MacRumors). The feature is found under Display & Text Size, and it specifically targets pulse width modulation or PWM, which is the dimming method used in OLED displays.

Apple introduces a new PWM toggle in iOS 26, giving iPhone 17 Pro users relief from OLED screen flickering

PWM works by rapidly turning pixels on and off to monitor and control the brightness. While most users never notice the flickering, it can be quite annoying for some, as it triggers uncomfortable symptoms such as headaches, eye strain, and even dizziness. All of these symptoms have been reported at lower brightness levels, which means that the new feature will be more than a welcome addition.

By introducing this toggle, Apple is offering an alternate dimming method that does not take into account screen flickering. However, the company has also issued a statement that disabling the PWM may affect how the display performs in certain low-brightness situations. Nonetheless, the move is significant because it marks the first time Apple has directly acknowledged PWM as an issue.

Before today, sensitive users have either avoided OLED iPhones entirely or put up with the screen flickering. Apple is finally listening to its customers, and it could make the iPhone 17 Pro much more comfortable for this group of people to use. At this point, the PWM toggle is only confirmed for the iPhone 17 Pro models, but it is possible that the base iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models get the feature as well. The company could make this a standard feature as part of its Accessibility options from this point forward.

The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models bring a plethora of front-facing additions to the table, including the new A19 Pro chip and better cameras, which would appeal to a lot of users, but do you think the devices are good enough to upgrade from the iPhone 16 lineup?

The new iPhone 17 Pro PWM toggle directly addresses a long-standing user concern over OLED screen flickering. This accessibility feature could finally make the premium device comfortable for everyone to use daily.

Thought you’d like to know

What is PWM on a phone screen?

PWM stands for Pulse Width Modulation. It is a technique OLED screens use to control brightness. The screen rapidly flickers its pixels, which can cause eye strain for some viewers.

Why does PWM cause headaches for some people?

The rapid flickering, though imperceptible to many, can be detected by sensitive eyes. This can lead to neurological symptoms like headaches, eye strain, and nausea, especially at lower brightness settings.

Who will benefit from the new iPhone PWM toggle?

The feature is designed for users who experience physical discomfort from OLED screens. It provides an alternative dimming method to alleviate symptoms and improve their user experience.

Will the PWM toggle be available on older iPhone models?

Currently, the feature is only confirmed for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 26. It is unclear if Apple will bring this software-based solution to older OLED iPhone models via an update.