# Disappearing Bedside Clock — user reviews > 82 indexed App Store user reviews of Disappearing Bedside Clock by Midnight Oil Enterprises LLC, rated 4.30/5 from 92 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/disappearing-bedside-clock/id870111622/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/disappearing-bedside-clock/id870111622.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 66 · 4★ 11 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 8 ## What do users think of Disappearing Bedside Clock? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🌑 Dark and dim display - 👆 Tap to wake functionality - ✨ Simple and elegant design - 💡 Customizable colors - 🚫 No subscriptions needed - 👍 Excellent customer support - ⏰ Works with iOS alarm - 🌙 Ideal for sleeping - 💡 Vibration activation - 🌟 Indispensable app - 💯 GOAT status - ✅ Works as promised - ✨ Pure black background - 💡 Motion/vibration activation - 💡 Always on option - 💡 Fade out feature - 💡 Quick time display - 💡 Discreet night light - 💡 No annoying glow - 💡 Easy to see time - 💡 Solves light problem - 💡 No fluff features - 💡 Reliable and easy - 💡 Minimalistic quality - 💡 Works with Siri **Cons** - 🔋 Battery drain concerns - 💡 Screen stays backlit - 🐛 Settings change on own - 🐛 Crash on update - 🚫 No alarm function - 🚫 Notifications all night - 🐛 Long-proximity gesture issues - 🐛 Backlight trick doesn't work - 🐛 iOS 13 update issues - 💡 White hue on screen - 💡 Screen doesn't go completely dark - 💡 Backlight always on - 💡 Incompatible with iPad Pro - 💡 Too complicated settings - 💡 Screen stuck at full brightness - 💡 Drains battery quickly - 💡 Screen doesn't turn off - 💡 Warm phone overnight - 💡 Super bright in disappeared mode - 💡 Still some light visible - 💡 Cannot turn screen off completely - 💡 White bar too bright - 💡 Backlight always on faintly - 💡 Too easy to tap screen - 💡 Vibration feature intermittent **Commonly reported bugs** - Settings change on their own - App crashes on open after 14.2 update - Long-proximity gesture doesn't work - Backlight trick doesn't work in iOS 13 - Screen doesn't go off - Screen stuck at full brightness - Screen doesn't go completely dark - Backlight always on faintly - Wave feature works intermittently - Crash on open **Most requested features** - Add outside temperature - Add alarm function - Add snooze/off button for iOS alarm - Option for specific hours for always-on vs. vibrate - Add weather information - Change background color ## Newest reviews (16 of 82) ### 5/5 — I love this clock *2021-09-30* It has become my bedside clock every night. Being able to just reach over and tap the night stand and the clock lights up. Also good as a quick night light and then fades away for sleeping. ### 5/5 — Have been using this for years - perfect👍 *2021-08-24, version 1.4.4* Very happy - highly recommended! ### 5/5 — Get ready for a great nights sleep *2021-04-06, version 1.4.4* Fantastic little app that removes your annoying bedside clock light but is there when you want it (a small noiseless tap on my bedside table brings my clock back to life). It does everything it says it will with helpful additional info available on the developers website. Even though the app info says it is for IOS 11 and later, earlier versions are available if you want to revive that old iPhone 4 or 5. I received really fast and accurate support from the developer pointing me to how to download the older version. Thanks Dan for a great app and super service. ### 5/5 — Simple and well designed *2021-02-14, version 1.4.4* Use it everyday. I like the simplicity and elegance. And I appreciate that it works. Have used for years. Best alarm clock on my phone. ### 4/5 — Awesome *2021-01-19, version 1.4.4* I’ve used this app nightly for a couple years now. Works really good. Not bright. Simple. I love it. My only complaint is that the settings change on their own from time to time. I use the thin font and lowest brightness setting and sometimes I’ll open the app and it’ll be a thick font or really bright. Not quite sure why it does this. It’ll also change from always on to disappearing mode. I like it to be always on. So I just change to back. Not too bothersome. Is just weird. ### 5/5 — Excellent *2021-01-02, version 1.4.4* Comforting at night ### 5/5 — Long search over *2020-12-02, version 1.4.4* I recently purchased this app after searching for a clock that doesn’t keep me up at night blasting light in my face. I went through a dozen apps, Amazon Echo and Google/Lenovo Clock. Nothing would go dim enough. The clock app I was using on my iPhone 6 was the dimmest I could find until I came across your app. I’m unable to turn the screen off completely using the proximity sensor gesture, but this app is the dimmest. Good job! Thanks. Would be nice to have outside temp. You can make it optional in the setting screen for those who don’t want it. ### 5/5 — Does exactly what one hopes. *2020-11-23, version 1.4.4* Works as promised. I personally would prefer the screen to go completely blank (black) while the clock hss “disappeared”. Excellent app. ### 5/5 — Great app! *2020-03-09, version 1.4.4* EXACTLY what I was looking for. Works great. Thank you!! ### 2/5 — Long-proximity gesture doesn't work *2020-02-20, version 1.4.4* Used this for the first time last night and had no trouble using the long-proximity gesture to fully darken the screen. Tonight it will not stay dark no matter what I do. As soon as I move my hand to the side, the backlight comes back on. Very frustrating. (iPhone 6s Plus on IOS 13.3.1 with Assistive Touch turned off in settings) ### 5/5 — Best bedside clock ever *2019-12-02, version 1.4.4* This clock is clear , displays the date if you wish , you can choose the colour , set alarms via Siri , fades away , comes back with a wave, can be on at all times , if I’d have designed it myself it’s what I’d have made , and how often does that happen ! ### 4/5 — Pretty cool app *2019-11-16, version 1.4.4* App is pretty much exactly as explained but like a prior review that I read, the back light does go completely black with a hand in front of it and when I move my hand away in a swiping motion out of frame the backlight comes back on. Outside of this issue, it really is a awesome app and I would suggest it to anyone ### 5/5 — Best bedside clock *2019-10-14, version 1.4.4* The vibration activation makes this the best bedside clock. When I wake in the night, it is so easy to check the time by touching the phone or tapping the edge of the nightstand. For my purposes, this App couldn’t get any better. Congrats to the developers! ### 4/5 — Backlight trick doesn’t work in ios 13 *2019-10-01, version 1.4.4* In portrait mode you are supposed to be able to hold your hand for one second in front if the proximity sensor in order to turn off the backlight. The backlight does go off but only stays off as long as your hand is in front of the proximity sensor. Iphone 8. Tried with vibration sensor turned off, same thing. Otherwise the app is as described. Will update the review if it gets fixed or if I find out that I am using it wrong. I won’t use the all with the backlight on. Edit: I saw and appreciate the developer’s response. The light always comes back on. I have now tried it on an iphone 6 as well. EDIT: Bumped up to 5 stars. I figured out that the proximity sensor is affected by the iphone’s “assistive touch” feature under accessibility settings. When I turn it off, I can completely dim the screen! Edit2: Since IOS 13, the trick to turb off the backlight no longer works ### 4/5 — Snooze Button *2019-09-29, version 1.4.4* I think this bedside clock is awesome. Only thing that could make it better for me is if it had a snooze and off button for the iOS alarm clock. I have to swipe down from top and then press snooze that is located right on top of the off button. Too many gestures and probability of hitting the off button instead of snooze could be bad. Without the bedside clock turned on the snooze pops up right in the middle of the screen and the off at the bottom, making it a much easier to navigate half asleep. Again I think it is a great looking clock. ### 5/5 — Ideal bedside clock and night light *2019-09-17, version 1.4.4* I love this app. It enables you to have a good sleep without artificial light, but according to your settings, comes on when needed. It is enough light to show the way if you need to get up in the night. Highly recommend. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Crash *2020-11-23, version 1.4.4* Since 14.2 update, app crashes on open. ### 1/5 — Needs iOS 13 update *2019-09-23, version 1.4.4* No longer works after iOS 13 update. Developers need to get on this fix ASAP ### 1/5 — Works exactly as described but flawed. *2019-01-23, version 1.4.4* A great app that works exactly as described. Unfortunately because it makes the phone always open the “do not disturb” notifications are not blocked so emails messages etc that come in during the night continue to make the phone whistle and buzz. If this was corrected (and an alarm added to the main screen) it would be a 5* app. ### 1/5 — Drains the battery *2018-10-23, version 1.4.4* Drains the battery and a glow remains on the screen all night. Too complicated to follow the long list of do’s and don’ts ### 1/5 — Not working correctly *2018-08-20, version 1.4.4* This was great for awhile - really loved the functionality of it. But now it doesn't turn off and the screen is stuck at full brightness despite adjusting everything in settings, so it's not useful to me anymore. ### 1/5 — Great But... *2018-01-31, version 1.4.4* For the life of me I can’t get the screen to go black on my iPhone 8+... I see people have it go black but no luck :( ### 1/5 — Super bright even in "disappeared" mode *2016-09-18, version 1.4.3* I love the idea, and was hoping to stop using my nightstand alarm clock and start using an app like this. The problem though is it's still very bright even in its "disappeared" state and even with the brightness all the way down. Wish refunds were possible, wasted money on an app that kept me awake until I gave up on it. ### 1/5 — Doesn't do as described *2016-04-21, version 1.4.3* This is an honest review. I downloaded this app because it said that when in use it turns the display off after a set time. This is totally inaccurate! What it does is put up a black screen by turning the ambiance down. It does NOT turn the screen off! I can understand now why the screen can not turn completely off because it would have to lock the phone and then checking the time would require unlocking the screen defeating the purpose of just tapping the table for the clock to turn on. I woke up to my phone being very warm because the display was on all night. Not what I expected! I will be applying to iTunes for a refund but the developer needs to be more honest with its customers and explain that this app will not turn the display off but turn the ambiance right down but not off. ### 2/5 — Light stays on *2023-10-01, version 1.4.6* Wish I had not purchased it. The light/time will go off after a few seconds, but the screen light still stays on. Meaning the screen is black but there is a white hue that creates a constant light. You are better off putting the clock on the main screen of your phone/iPad and just touching it to see the time. ### 2/5 — Notifications all night long *2020-08-12, version 1.4.4* An iPhone considers itself unlocked while this app is active, which is while you are sleeping. Do Not Disturb will not silence anything, texts, emails, calls, unless you switch your preference to always silent. Personally I like getting notifications during the day and expect you do too. If you don’t mind switching up your preferences every night and every morning, then I guess this app could work for you. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — I bought a nightstand charger just for this app! ❤️ *2026-05-28, version 1.4.6* I’ve been using Disappearing Bedside Clock (DBC) nightly for years. I keep my bedroom dark, and when I wake up in the middle of the night I simply tap my nightstand to see the time displayed for a few seconds. Beautifully designed, it’s the unique app I didn’t know I needed until I started using it. Bravo! ### 5/5 — Great! *2026-02-26, version 1.4.6* Just what I was looking for. I like a dark room when sleeping but also like to occasionally check the time. This product allows my room to stay dark and when I need to see the time I just tap my iPhone screen and the time is displayed for a second or two (define in settings), then dark again. ### 5/5 — Best Clock App Ever! *2026-01-25, version 1.4.6* This is the best Clock app that I have ever tried for my iPhone(s)! Over the years I have tried dozens of clock and clock/alarm apps. Most of them have alarms, which is good for some people and a lot of fluff. I just wanted a simple Clock app that worked. When I found this Disappearing Beside Clock, it was exactly what I was looking for. This is a simple uncomplicated app that worked perfectly all the time. I have been using this Clock app for a lot of years and will keep using it. Also, the customer service is top-notch and they are always there to help. I hope you keep updating this app because in my opinion, there’s nothing out there that even comes close. The iPhone has their standby mode with all the features, but I can only use it if I am charging it all the time. I do not have to do it with this app. Please keep the updates coming cause I wanna keep using this. Thanks for creating a great product! ### 5/5 — GOAT! *2025-05-12, version 1.4.6* Best clock app going and I’ve had a few! ### 5/5 — Great app! *2025-04-23, version 1.4.6* Has what I need: dimmable for wife. ### 5/5 — A simply perfect application *2024-04-09, version 1.4.6* I am using this app in an iPhone 15 with firmware 17,4,1. This version has a very good way to show a dimmed clock, and I even considered leaving this bedside clock. It no! With this version of iPhone and firmware, the bedside clock become… perfect? I have it set to dissolve the clock after few se mods an set the color to a warm tone. And if I touch the iPhone in the dark (or even just kick the bedside desk, it elegantly gissokves the displayed clock and darkens totally the display. Using it for years, and will keep using it for more years. Kudos for you! ### 5/5 — Indispensable *2024-02-08, version 1.4.6* One of my favorite apps ever ### 5/5 — I like it *2022-12-08, version 1.4.4* I like it because it does not bother my wife at night. That’s good for both of us. Been married 56 years. ### 5/5 — Favorite app! *2021-11-12, version 1.4.4* 1. Yay no subscription needed! One time cost that’s SO worth it! 2. It’s the only clock app that truly goes dim enough that it doesn’t prompt wakefulness. How can anyone sleep with a bright green Lght in their face? This one is SO subtle. Don’t judge it as too dim if you look at it in the day. Your night vision is keen if not polluted by light. 3. The simple analog face is also conducive to sleep. This is the only app I’ve seen that isn’t too “busy” with second hands and some even have ads! , all of which busy the mind. Bella and whistles are not helpful for sleep. 4. TIP: to dim, turn to portrait, not landscape. Put 2 fingers at top of clock and slowly, without stoping, scroll to the bottom. I had to ask developer how to do this. He was SO responsive & helpful! 5. I use this every night instead of a bedside clock. (If I wake, I need to know the time to know if I should go back to sleep or start waking up.) Great app! ### 5/5 — Best spoon my phone! *2021-10-14, version 1.4.4* I know it’s ridiculous for something so trivial, but this bedside clock is by a mile the app that I have most affection for on my phone. It’s just so well thought through. The only thing it doesn’t do is automatically switch off the (very dim) backlight on the display after the time fade, but that’s a limitation in iOS not anything they can fix directly (and even there you just have to wave at the phone to get rid of it completely). Best money I spent on my phone by far! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-20.*