Popular5 min read

Enable Dynamic Island on Older iPhones

Get the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island feature on iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, and more.

⚠️ Compatibility Notice

Dynamic Island requires MobileGestalt modification, which is only available on:

  • iOS 17.0 - 18.1.1 (SparseRestore exploit)
  • Does NOT work on iOS 18.2 or later

What is Dynamic Island?

Dynamic Island is Apple's innovative feature introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro. It transforms the notch into an interactive area that displays notifications, music controls, timers, and more in a visually appealing way.

With Nugget, you can enable this feature on older iPhones with Face ID (iPhone X and later). While it won't have the same hardware cutout, the software experience is fully functional.

Compatible Devices

✓ Supported

  • iPhone X
  • iPhone XS / XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12 / 12 mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 / 13 mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14 / 14 Plus

✗ Not Needed

  • iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max (has it natively)
  • iPhone 15 series (has it natively)
  • iPhone 16 series (has it natively)
  • iPhone SE (no Face ID)
  • iPhone 8 and older (no Face ID)

Step-by-Step Guide

1

Connect Your Device

Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch Nugget. Make sure your device is detected and shows the correct iOS version.

2

Navigate to MobileGestalt

In Nugget's sidebar, click on the "MobileGestalt" tab. This section contains device spoofing options.

3

Enable Dynamic Island

Find the "Dynamic Island" or "Device Subtype" option. Enable the toggle and select a device model that has Dynamic Island (like iPhone 14 Pro).

4

Apply Changes

Click the "Apply" button at the bottom of the screen. Nugget will create a backup and restore it with the modification. This takes a few minutes.

5

Enjoy Dynamic Island

After your device resprings, Dynamic Island will be active! Try playing music or setting a timer to see it in action.

What You'll Get

  • Music Controls: See album art and playback controls in the Dynamic Island
  • Timers & Alarms: View countdown timers without leaving your current app
  • Phone Calls: Incoming and ongoing call indicators
  • Live Activities: Sports scores, food delivery tracking, and more
  • AirPods: Battery status when connecting AirPods

Known Limitations

  • The notch area won't physically change - Dynamic Island appears around the existing notch
  • Some third-party apps may not support Dynamic Island activities
  • Cannot be enabled on iOS 18.2 or later

How to Revert

Want to go back to the standard notch behavior? Here's how:

  1. Open Nugget and connect your device
  2. Go to the MobileGestalt section
  3. Disable the Dynamic Island toggle
  4. Click Apply
  5. Wait for the device to respring

Troubleshooting

Dynamic Island Not Appearing

Make sure you selected a device subtype that supports Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro or later model). Reapply the settings and respring.

MobileGestalt Option Missing

You're likely on iOS 18.2 or later, which doesn't support MobileGestalt modifications. This feature requires iOS 17.0 - 18.1.1.

Visual Glitches

If you see visual glitches around the notch area, try restarting your device. Some apps may need to be force-closed and reopened.