Katarzyna Petru
Apple has done something that many users have been waiting for years. The iPhone 17 Pro features the option to completely disable PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), which is responsible for brightness regulation in OLED screens. This is a huge change, especially for those sensitive to flicker – the ones who experienced headaches, eye strain, or dizziness after prolonged use of their phones.
Where does this problem come from?
PWM works in such a way that instead of changing the intensity of the current, the screen turns pixels on and off in very rapid cycles. The darker the screen is set, the longer the pixels remain off, and the brighter it is – the longer they shine. Our eye interprets this as a regulation of brightness, although in practice it is simply an illusion. The problem arises for individuals sensitive to flickering at low frequencies – that’s when eye strain occurs, and even a flickering effect can be seen even after putting the phone down.
Alternative – DC Dimming
OLED or QD-OLED televisions have long handled this differently – they use DC dimming, which adjusts brightness directly by changing the current. This solution is free from flicker and now – for the first time – it is also coming to the iPhone.
New option in iOS 26
In iOS 26, in the accessibility settings, in the Display and Text Size section, a new option has appeared:
“It disables pulse width modulation, providing a different way of dimming the OLED display, which may result in a smoother image at low brightness. Disabling PWM may affect display performance at very low brightness under certain conditions.”
At this moment, the feature has been confirmed on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, but it is also possible that it will appear on the base models, such as the iPhone 17 or iPhone Air.
The competition does not offer complete freedom
In comparison, Google in the Pixel 10 only allows increasing the PWM frequency to 480 Hz, but does not provide the option to completely disable this technology. It is clear that Apple has taken a step further by giving users a real choice.
The official premiere of the iPhone 17 will take place on 19 September. All new models will also feature a 120-Hz OLED, and Pro version owners will be able to see if the new function truly resolves the flickering issue once and for all.
