Change Your iPad Home Screen or Lock Screen Background
You can change the background image on your iPad's home screen, lock screen, or both by opening Settings, tapping Display & Brightness, and selecting Wallpaper. iPad offers built-in images you can use right away, or you can upload a photo from your camera roll. The whole process takes about two minutes.
Your lock screen is what appears when your iPad is asleep or locked. Your home screen is the grid of apps you see after you unlock it. You can set them to the same image or choose different ones for each.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then select Wallpaper to reach the background options.
- You can choose from Apple's built-in wallpaper collection or use any photo saved in your Photos app.
- iPad lets you set different backgrounds for your lock screen and home screen, or use the same image for both.
- After selecting an image, tap Set to confirm, then choose whether to explore it to Lock Screen, Home Screen, or both.
Open Settings and Find the Wallpaper Menu
Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center, then tap the Settings icon (it looks like a gear). Alternatively, find the Settings app on your home screen and tap it directly.
Once Settings is open, scroll down and tap Display & Brightness. You will see several options including Brightness, Text Size, and Bold Text. Below those, you will find Wallpaper. Tap it to open the wallpaper selection screen.
Choose a Built-In Image or Upload Your Own Photo
When you tap Wallpaper, you will see a row of image categories at the top: Dynamic, Stills, Collections, and Photos. The Dynamic and Stills sections contain images Apple designed for iPad. Tap any category to see what is available, then tap an image to preview it full-screen.
To use a photo from your camera roll or photo library instead, tap the Photos category. This opens your photo library. Find the photo you want and tap it. You can also tap a specific album (like Screenshots or Camera Roll) to narrow down your search. Once you select a photo, you can pinch and zoom to adjust which part of the image appears in the background.
Set the Image to Lock Screen, Home Screen, or Both
After you have chosen and previewed your image, tap Set in the bottom-right corner. A menu will appear with three options: Set Lock Screen, Set Home Screen, or Set Both. Tap whichever you prefer.
If you choose Set Lock Screen, only the lock screen background changes. If you choose Set Home Screen, only the home screen background changes. If you choose Set Both, the same image appears on both screens. You can always come back and change one of them later by repeating these steps.
Adjust Image Position on Your Home Screen
If you are setting a background for your home screen, iPad may ask you to adjust the image position. This happens because your home screen needs to show app icons clearly, and some images work better when shifted slightly. You will see a preview with your apps overlaid on top of the image.
Pinch and zoom to move the image around until the important parts are visible behind your app icons. Tap Set when you are satisfied with the position. The background is now applied.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is forgetting to tap Set after choosing an image. If you preview an image but close the app without tapping Set, the change will not be saved. Always confirm your choice by tapping Set.
Another issue is choosing an image that is too busy or too dark. If your background has a lot of detail or very dark colors, your app icons and text may become hard to read. Test your choice by looking at the preview with your apps overlaid before you confirm.
If you upload a photo that is much smaller than your iPad screen, it may appear stretched or blurry. Photos taken with your iPad's camera usually work best because they are already the right size and resolution.
Revert to Apple's Default Background
If you want to go back to the original iPad background, open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then tap Wallpaper. Select the Stills category and choose the default blue or black image at the top of the list. Tap Set and choose Set Lock Screen, Set Home Screen, or Set Both.
You can also reset your entire display settings by going to Settings, tapping General, scrolling to Reset, and tapping Reset All Settings. This will restore all display options to factory defaults, though it will not erase your photos or apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a live photo as my iPad background?
No. iPad only supports still images for wallpaper. If you try to select a live photo, iPad will automatically convert it to a still image before explore it. The motion effect will not appear on your lock screen or home screen.
Why does my photo look blurry after I set it as the background?
This usually means the photo is smaller than your iPad's screen resolution. iPad stretches small images to fill the screen, which makes them appear blurry. Use a photo taken with your iPad's camera, or choose a larger image from your library. You can also crop the image to a larger size before setting it as wallpaper.
Can I set different backgrounds for different home screen pages?
No. iPad applies the same background image to all home screen pages. You can only choose one image for your home screen and one for your lock screen. If you want variety, you can change the background weekly or monthly by repeating the steps above.
What if I cannot find the Wallpaper option in Settings?
Make sure you are in Display & Brightness, not another settings menu. If you are using an older iPad running an older version of iPadOS, the Wallpaper option may be located under a different menu. Check under General or Accessibility if Display & Brightness does not have it.
Will changing my background affect my iPad's battery life?
No. A static background image uses negligible battery power. If you choose a dynamic wallpaper (one that moves or changes), it may use slightly more battery than a still image, but the difference is very small and usually not noticeable during normal use.