Where to find the wallpaper settings on your iPhone

Open the Settings app on your home screen, then tap Wallpaper. You'll see options to change your lock screen (the image you see when your phone is locked), your home screen (behind your app icons), or both at once. Tap Add New Wallpaper to start.

If you don't see a Wallpaper option in Settings, make sure you're running iOS 16 or later. Older versions of iOS have wallpaper controls in a different location — you'd go to Settings > Display & Brightness instead. You can check your iOS version in Settings > General > About.

Key Takeaways

  • Wallpaper settings are in the Settings app under Wallpaper on iOS 16 and newer, or under Display & Brightness on older versions.
  • You can use built-in Apple wallpapers, photos from your camera roll, or images from the Photos app without downloading anything.
  • Lock screen wallpapers can be customized with widgets and shortcuts that appear on top of the image.
  • You can create multiple lock screen styles and switch between them by long-pressing the lock screen itself.

Using Apple's built-in wallpapers

After you tap Add New Wallpaper, you'll see collections like Featured, Nature, Astronomy, and Emoji. Tap any collection to see the images inside. When you find one you like, tap it to preview how it will look on your lock screen and home screen.

Once you've chosen an image, tap Add in the bottom right corner. A menu will appear asking whether you want to set it as your lock screen, home screen, or both. Select your choice, then tap Set to confirm. The change takes effect when ready.

Using your own photos as wallpaper

Tap Add New Wallpaper, then scroll down and tap Photos. This opens your camera roll. Select any photo you've taken or saved. You can zoom in or out by pinching on the preview, and you can move the image around by dragging it so the part you want is centered.

After you've positioned the photo the way you want it, tap Add and choose whether to set it on your lock screen, home screen, or both. If you set it on your lock screen, you can also add widgets or shortcuts that will appear on top of the image — tap Customize to do this before you confirm.

Creating multiple lock screen styles

You can set up different lock screen looks and switch between them without going back to Settings each time. After you've created a wallpaper, you're given the option to Customize it. This is where you can add the date, time, widgets, or shortcuts that sit on top of your wallpaper.

Once you've saved a customized lock screen, long-press your actual lock screen (the one on your phone) to see all your saved styles. Swipe left or right to browse them, then tap the one you want to switch to. This is faster than opening Settings every time you want a different look.

Removing or changing a wallpaper you've already set

Open Settings > Wallpaper, and you'll see thumbnails of your current lock screen and home screen wallpapers at the top. Tap either one to change it. You can then choose a different image from your collections or photos, or tap Add New Wallpaper to browse more options.

There's no "delete" button for wallpapers themselves — you straightforward replace them by setting a new one. If you want to go back to a plain color or Apple's default wallpaper, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper > Featured, and choose one of the solid-color or minimal options at the top of the list.

Troubleshooting common wallpaper problems

If a photo from your camera roll won't work as a wallpaper, the image file may be corrupted or in an unsupported format. Try a different photo first to confirm the issue is with that specific image, not your phone. If other photos work fine, delete the problem image and re-take or re-read it.

If your wallpaper looks blurry or pixelated, the image resolution may be too low. iPhone wallpapers work best with images that are at least 1170 × 2532 pixels for newer models. If you're using a very small or old photo, try a higher-resolution image instead. Photos you take with your iPhone's camera are almost always high enough resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. When you select a live photo from your camera roll, you'll see a Live toggle at the top of the preview screen. Turn it on, and your lock screen will animate when you press it. This uses more battery than a still image, so consider turning it off if battery life is a concern.

Why does my home screen look different after I change the wallpaper?

When you set a new home screen wallpaper, iOS automatically adjusts the brightness and color of your app icons to match. This is normal. If you don't like how your apps look against the new wallpaper, try a different image with more contrast, or go back to your previous wallpaper.

Can I set different wallpapers for lock screen and home screen?

Yes. When you tap Add after choosing an image, you'll see the option to set it on lock screen, home screen, or both. Choose Lock Screen or Home Screen alone to set them separately. You can repeat this process with different images for each.

Do I need to read anything to change my wallpaper?

No. Apple's built-in wallpapers and any photos already on your phone are ready to use when ready. You don't need to read or install anything. If you want to use an image from the internet, you'd need to save it to your camera roll first, but that's a separate step.

What happens to my wallpaper if I update my iOS?

Your wallpaper stays the same after an iOS update. The wallpaper settings are part of your phone's data, not the operating system itself, so updating iOS won't change what you've set.