The quickest way to change your iPhone background

Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap Add New Wallpaper. Choose a source — Photos to use a picture you took, Wallpaper for Apple's built-in designs, or another app on your phone. Select your image, adjust it if you want, then tap Add and choose whether to set it for your lock screen, home screen, or both. That's the full process.

The whole thing takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look. If you want to use a photo from the internet instead of your camera roll, you'll need to save it to your phone first — a step we'll cover below.

Key Takeaways

  • Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper is the standard path on any iPhone running iOS 16 or later.
  • You can set different backgrounds for your lock screen and home screen, or use the same image for both.
  • Photos you've taken appear in the Photos source, but images from the web must be saved to your phone before you can use them as wallpaper.
  • If a wallpaper won't fit your screen properly, the adjustment screen lets you zoom and move the image before you confirm it.

Using a photo from your camera roll

Open Settings on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Wallpaper. Tap Add New Wallpaper at the bottom of the screen.

Tap Photos. Your camera roll opens. Find the photo you want and tap it once. The preview screen shows how it will look on your lock screen and home screen — you'll see both versions side by side. If the image needs adjustment, pinch to zoom in or out, or drag it to reposition. When it looks right, tap Add at the bottom.

A menu appears asking where you want to set this wallpaper. Tap Set as Lock Screen to change only the lock screen, Set as Home Screen to change only the home screen, or Set Both to use the same image for both. Your choice takes effect when ready.

Using Apple's built-in wallpaper designs

Follow the same path: Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper. This time, tap Wallpaper instead of Photos. You'll see categories like Collections, Nature, Astronomy, and others depending on your iOS version.

Tap a category to see the designs inside it. Tap any design to preview it. The preview shows both your lock screen and home screen. When you find one you like, tap Add, then choose whether to set it for lock screen, home screen, or both.

Apple's wallpapers are optimized for iPhone screens, so they almost always fit perfectly without needing adjustment.

Saving an image from the web to use as wallpaper

If you find a wallpaper image online — on a website, in an email, or in a message — you need to save it to your phone before you can set it as your background. Open the image in your browser or app. Press and hold the image until a menu appears. Tap Save Image or Add to Photos (the exact wording depends on where the image is).

The image is now in your camera roll. Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper, tap Photos, find the image you just saved, and set it as your wallpaper using the steps above.

If the image is much larger or smaller than your screen, the adjustment screen will let you zoom and move it until it looks right. Some very small images won't look good enlarged, so preview carefully before you confirm.

Changing your lock screen without changing your home screen

You don't have to use the same wallpaper for both screens. Open Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper, choose your image, and tap Set as Lock Screen only. Your home screen stays unchanged.

Later, you can set a different image for your home screen the same way — just choose Set as Home Screen instead. This is useful if you want a straightforward design on your lock screen but a busier image on your home screen, or vice versa.

Troubleshooting when wallpaper won't fit right

If your image looks stretched, squished, or cut off, the adjustment screen is where you fix it. After you select an image and before you tap Add, you'll see a preview with zoom and move controls. Pinch with two fingers to zoom in or out. Drag the image to move it left, right, up, or down. The preview updates as you adjust so you can see exactly how it will look.

If an image is very small compared to your screen, zooming it up will make it blurry. In that case, you may want to choose a different image instead. Images that are at least 1080 pixels wide tend to look sharp on any iPhone.

Using wallpaper from third-party apps

Some apps like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay let you browse and save wallpapers directly. Open the app, find an image you like, and save it to your photos using the app's save button. Then follow the standard process: Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper > Photos.

These apps are free and don't require you to sign up. They're useful if you want more variety than Apple's built-in designs offer, or if you're looking for wallpapers in a specific style or category.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a different wallpaper for my lock screen and home screen?

Yes. After you choose an image, tap Set as Lock Screen to change only the lock screen, or Set as Home Screen to change only the home screen. You can set them separately by repeating the process with different images.

Why does my wallpaper look blurry?

The image is probably too small for your screen and got enlarged. Use a larger image instead — at least 1080 pixels wide works well. You can also try zooming out in the adjustment screen to see if a different crop looks better.

Can I use a live photo as my wallpaper?

Yes, if you're on iOS 16 or later. When you select a live photo in the Photos source, the adjustment screen will show a Live toggle. Turn it on to enable the motion effect on your lock screen.

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

Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper > Wallpaper, then choose any of Apple's built-in designs. You can also long-press your lock screen, tap Customize, and select a default design from there.

Can I delete a wallpaper I don't want anymore?

You can't delete Apple's built-in wallpapers — they're part of iOS. If you saved a photo to your camera roll just for wallpaper and want to remove it, open the Photos app, find the image, and delete it there. It won't affect any wallpaper you've already set.