How to Fix Galaxy S20 Always on Display Not Working

The Always On Display of the Samsung Galaxy S20 is a useful feature that allows you to check the time, notifications, and other information without having to wake up your phone every time. 

However, some Galaxy S20 users have reported that this feature is not working properly. This is mostly a software issue and can be resolved by applying some simple fixes.

In this guide, we will guide you with 05 practical solutions to fix the Always On Display not working issue on your Samsung S20.

Note: Solutions in this guide will work on any Samsung Galaxy S20 model (S20, S20 Plus, S20 Fe, and S20 Ultra models.)

Editor’s note: We created these instructions using a Samsung Galaxy S20 running Android 12. Depending on your device’s software version, some steps and menu positions may look slightly different.

Fix 01: Disable Power Saving & DND Modes

The Power Saving and Do Not Disturb (DND) Modes on your Samsung S20 interfere with the Always On Display feature. 

These modes conserve your device’s battery life and limit distractions but also prevent the Always On Display from functioning properly. Therefore, If you’re having trouble with this feature, the first thing you need to do is ensure these modes are turned off.

In order to turn off Power Saving Mode follow these steps:

1. Go to the Settings menu on your Galaxy S20.
2. Scroll down and select Device Care.
3. Tap on Battery.

4. Here, you’ll see Power Saving Mode. If it’s on, tap on it to turn it off.

In order to turn off Do Not Disturb Mode follow these steps:

1. Go to the Settings menu on your Samsung Galaxy S20.
2. Scroll down and select Sounds and Vibration.
3. Tap on Do Not Disturb.

4. If it’s enabled, tap on the switch to turn it off.

Fix 02: Change Always On Display Settings

The Always On Display feature on your Samsung S20 can be customized for how and when it should activate.

There are 03 options available for you to choose from, such as “Tap to show” “Show always,” and “Scheduled.”

Most of the time, the “Show always” option works best to resolve the issue with the Always On Display not working, as it ensures that the feature is always active, which can fix any glitches causing it to override.

Here’s how you can change the Always On Display settings on your Samsung Galaxy S20:

1. Open the Settings app on your Galaxy S20.
2. Scroll down and select Lock screen.
3. Tap on Always On Display.

4. Under Display mode, select Show Always.

Fix 03: Update Always On Display Service

The Always On Display feature on your Samsung S20 operates as a separate service or application.

This means that it can be updated independently from the rest of your device’s software. Updating the Always On Display service will fix any bugs or glitches that are causing the feature to malfunction.

Here are the steps to update the Always On Display service:

1. Go to Always On Display settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on About Always on display.

3. Wait until the service checks for available updates. If so, you can then download the update from the Galaxy Store and install it.

Fix 04: Clear Always On Display Service Data

Always On Display feature may not work properly due to corrupted or outdated data with the service. Since the Always On Display operates as a separate service on your Galaxy S20, its cache, and other data can be cleared independently.

This is a valuable step in fixing corrupted data and can be the root cause of the issue.

Here’s how you can clear the Always On Display service data:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Apps.
3. Tap on the filter button and toggle on “Show system apps.”

4. In the list of apps, find and tap on Always On Display.

5. Now, tap on Storage.
6. Here, you’ll see two options: Clear Cache and Clear Data. Tap on both.

Note: Clearing data will reset all the settings of the Always On Display feature to default. So, you need to reconfigure your preferences for this feature as we discussed in fix 02 once you’ve cleared the data.

Fix 05: Update Device Software

This issue will also arise due to outdated device software. This is because Older versions of software may have bugs or compatibility issues that interfere with certain features, including Always on Display.

Here’s how you can check for updates and install them on your Samsung Galaxy S20:

1. Head over to Settings.
2. Tap on Battery and device care.

3. Select Software update.

4. Then, tap on Download and install.

Wrapping Up

We hope these solutions have been helpful in resolving your Always on Display not working issue. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance regarding the above solutions in this guide feel free to leave a comment below.