Samsung Galaxy S23 seems to have finally got 'Auto' option in AOD settings

After much confusion and user complaints, Samsung appears to have quietly added the “Auto” option to the Always On Display (AOD) settings for the Galaxy S23 series. This feature, which allows the AOD to automatically turn off when the phone is in a pocket or face down, was previously available on older Samsung models but mysteriously absent from the S23 lineup.

One user took to Reddit to highlight that the change arrived with the latest update (version 8.8.43.2) to the Always On Display app. The Auto function now gives S23 users the same convenience that S24 owners have enjoyed since launch, addressing what had become a frustrating discrepancy between the two generations of flagship phones.

The absence of this feature had been a point of contention among S23 owners since the release of One UI 6. Many users reported that their AOD would remain dimly lit even when the phone was in their pocket or face down, unlike previous Samsung models that would completely turn off the display in these situations.

“I don’t know, but it wasn’t there on my S23 Ultra. I didn’t check after updating to One UI 7, so I checked after this app update. Maybe it’s a thing with One UI 7,” explained Reddit user aleks01100001, who first spotted the new option.

But there’s still plenty of confusion around whether the phone even had the option before the One UI 6 update. Some users in various forums have insisted that their S23 devices running One UI 5 did automatically turn off the AOD in pockets, while others on the same software version claimed it only dimmed. Then, with the One UI 6 update, many more users began noticing the absence of a clear ‘Auto’ off function, leading to threads questioning its removal or if it was an S24-exclusive feature initially.

The thing is, I wasn’t able to find any evidence suggesting that the Galaxy S23 had an “Auto” option in the AOD settings. I went through official documents, articles highlighting the AOD settings on One UI 5, and even videos, but couldn’t find anything of sorts.

I also found a couple users arguing about whether the feature existed earlier on Reddit. Even a Samsung Care Ambassador mentioned that they had no idea if and when the phone will get an update that adds the feature. So yes, it’s still unclear what was actually going on here. If you’re an S23 user and think I missed something, feel free to correct me in the comments below.

Nevertheless, for those interested in trying out the new feature, the updated AOD app is available through the Galaxy Store or can be downloaded from APK Mirror. Simply update the app and check your AOD settings to see if the Auto option appears. It seems Samsung might be listening to user feedback, or perhaps standardizing features across its device generations. Either way, it’s a positive step for Galaxy S23 owners.