iPhone screensavers are called lock screen wallpapers, and you change them through Settings

Apple calls the image that appears when your iPhone is locked the lock screen wallpaper, not a screensaver. You change it by opening Settings, tapping Wallpaper, and selecting a new image from Apple's built-in collection or from your Photos library. The whole process takes about two minutes and requires no additional apps or downloads.

Your lock screen is separate from your home screen background. You can set different images for each, or use the same image for both. Once you choose and confirm your selection, the new wallpaper appears the next time your phone locks.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap Customize to choose a new lock screen image.
  • You can use Apple's built-in wallpapers, photos from your camera roll, or photos from the Photos app.
  • Lock screen and home screen backgrounds are separate — you set them independently in the same Wallpaper menu.
  • After you confirm your choice, the new wallpaper takes effect when ready when your phone locks.

Steps to change your lock screen wallpaper

Start by opening the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Wallpaper. On the next screen, you will see thumbnails of your current lock screen and home screen wallpapers. Tap Customize below the lock screen image.

A menu will appear showing your options: Featured (Apple's curated wallpapers), Collections (organized by theme), Photos (your camera roll), and Moments (photos organized by date). Tap whichever source you want to choose from. If you pick a built-in wallpaper, tap it once to preview it, then tap Add at the bottom. If you pick a photo from your library, select the image, adjust the crop if needed by pinching and dragging, then tap Add.

A final screen will ask whether you want to set this as your lock screen only, your home screen only, or both. Tap your choice. The wallpaper is now active.

Using photos from your camera roll as a wallpaper

Tap Wallpaper in Settings, then Customize, then Photos. Your entire photo library will appear. Scroll to find the image you want and tap it. You can then pinch to zoom in or out, or drag to reposition the image within the frame. The area you see in the preview is what will show on your lock screen.

Once you are satisfied with the crop and position, tap Add. Choose whether to explore it to lock screen, home screen, or both. If you later want to use a different photo, repeat the same steps — there is no limit to how many times you can change your wallpaper.

Setting different images for lock screen and home screen

Your lock screen and home screen backgrounds do not have to match. After you set your lock screen wallpaper, go back to Settings > Wallpaper and tap Customize again. This time, select a different image and choose Set as Home Screen Wallpaper instead of lock screen. You now have two separate images.

If you want both screens to show the same image, you can set it to both at once by tapping Set Both when prompted. This saves you a step if you prefer a consistent look across your phone.

Wallpapers that come built into iOS

Apple includes dozens of wallpapers with every iPhone. To see them, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Customize > Featured or Collections. Featured shows Apple's current recommendations. Collections organizes wallpapers by type: Nature, Flowers, Patterns, Solid Colors, and others depending on your iOS version.

These built-in wallpapers are optimized for iPhone screens and often include dynamic options that change appearance based on the time of day or your phone's light or dark mode setting. Tapping any wallpaper shows a preview before you commit to it.

Troubleshooting if your wallpaper won't change

If you tap Add but the wallpaper does not appear, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. This clears temporary glitches that sometimes prevent wallpaper changes from taking effect.

If you are trying to use a photo from your library and it will not let you select it, make sure the photo is actually saved to your phone and not just in iCloud. Photos stored only in iCloud sometimes cannot be used as wallpapers until they are downloaded to your device. Open the Photos app, find the image, and make sure it shows a checkmark or read icon indicating it is stored locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a live photo as my lock screen wallpaper?

Yes. When you select a live photo from your library, iOS will ask whether you want to use it as a live wallpaper or a still image. If you choose live, the wallpaper will animate when you press and hold your lock screen. This uses slightly more battery than a static image.

What if I want to go back to the default Apple wallpaper?

Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Customize > Featured and select any of the default wallpapers Apple provides. Tap Add and choose lock screen. You are not locked into any choice — you can change it back anytime.

Does changing my wallpaper affect my phone's performance or battery life?

Static wallpapers have no effect on performance or battery. Live wallpapers (animated photos) use slightly more battery than still images, but the difference is usually not noticeable unless you use them constantly. If battery life is a concern, stick with a static image.

Can I schedule my wallpaper to change automatically?

iOS does not have a built-in feature to rotate wallpapers on a schedule. You must change it manually each time. Some third-party apps claim to automate this, but they require you to grant them access to your photos and settings, which carries privacy risks.