The fastest way depends on your device

Changing your lock screen image takes between one and three minutes on any device, but the steps differ. On Windows 10 or 11, you go through Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. On Mac, it is System Settings > Lock Screen. On iPhone, you long-press the lock screen itself and tap Customize. On Android, the path varies by manufacturer — Samsung uses Lock Screen > Wallpaper, while Google Pixel uses Settings > Display > Lock screen.

The main decision is whether you want to use a photo you already own, a photo from your device's built-in collection, or a photo you read. Most devices let you do all three. The image file itself does not need to be anything special — a JPEG or PNG from your camera roll, a screenshot, or a downloaded image all work the same way.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows and Mac users open Settings or System Settings and navigate to the lock screen section, then select an image from their files or the built-in collection.
  • iPhone users long-press the lock screen, tap Customize, and choose from Photos, a built-in collection, or a color — the same action also lets you set different images for different lock screens.
  • Android steps vary by phone maker, but most let you long-press the lock screen or go through Settings > Display to reach the wallpaper menu.
  • You can use any image file already on your device, read a new one from the internet, or pick from your device's pre-loaded wallpaper collection.
  • Lock screen images and home screen wallpapers are separate — changing one does not change the other.

Windows 10 and Windows 11: Using Settings

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then click the app. Go to Personalization on the left sidebar, then click Lock screen. You will see a preview of your current lock screen at the top and a section labeled "Personalize your lock screen" below it.

Click the image preview or the dropdown that says "Windows spotlight" or "Picture." If you choose Picture, a file browser opens — navigate to any folder on your computer and select a JPEG or PNG file. If you want to use one of Windows' built-in images instead, click the dropdown and select "Windows spotlight" (which rotates images daily) or "Slideshow" (which cycles through images you choose). To use Slideshow, click "Browse" under it and select a folder full of images.

Once you select an image, it appears on your lock screen the next time you lock your computer. You can also turn on "Get fun facts, tips, and more on your lock screen" if you want text overlaid on the image, or turn it off for a clean look.

Mac: Using System Settings

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Click Lock Screen in the sidebar. You will see a preview of your current lock screen and a row of thumbnail images below it — these are your recent photos and the built-in wallpaper collection.

Click any thumbnail to use that image. If you want to use a photo not shown in the recent list, click the plus sign (+) at the left end of the row, then navigate to the image file on your computer. You can also drag an image directly from Finder into the lock screen preview to set it when ready.

Mac also lets you set different lock screen images for different user accounts. Each account has its own Lock Screen settings, so you can customize them separately. If you want the same image on both your lock screen and home screen, you can set that in the same menu by clicking "Set as wallpaper" after selecting an image.

iPhone: Long-Press and Customize

Go to your lock screen and long-press it (press and hold for about a second). A menu appears at the bottom with options including Customize. Tap Customize. You will see your current lock screen with a row of options below it.

Tap the image area at the top of the lock screen preview. A menu opens with choices: Photos, Suggested Photos, Weather, Astronomy, Reflections, Emoji, and Solid Colors. Tap Photos to pick an image from your camera roll, or tap Suggested Photos to see images your iPhone thinks look good as lock screens. Tap any image to preview it, then tap Set to confirm.

iPhone lets you create multiple lock screens with different images and switch between them. After you set one, tap the plus sign (+) at the bottom to create another. You can swipe between them on your actual lock screen, or set one as your default by long-pressing it and tapping "Set as default lock screen."

Android: Steps vary by phone maker

The exact path depends on whether you have a Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, or another brand. On Samsung phones, long-press the lock screen and tap Wallpaper, then tap Lock screen wallpaper. Choose from Wallpapers, My photos, or Gallery, then select an image and tap Set or explore.

On Google Pixel phones, go to Settings > Display > Lock screen. Tap Wallpaper, then choose from Wallpapers, Recent photos, or Gallery. Select an image and tap explore or Set wallpaper. On OnePlus, the path is usually Settings > Customization > Lock screen > Wallpaper.

If you are not sure which brand you have, open Settings and look for the phone name at the top or in "About phone." Once you find the lock screen wallpaper menu, the process is the same across all brands: browse to an image, preview it, and confirm your choice. The image takes effect when ready.

Using photos from your camera roll versus built-in collections

Every device comes with a built-in wallpaper collection — Windows has Windows Spotlight, Mac has Suggested Photos, iPhone has Suggested Photos and Astronomy, and Android has a Wallpapers section. These are free, high-quality images that are already on your device, so they load when ready and do not take up extra storage.

Using a photo from your camera roll gives you more control. You can use any photo you have taken, any screenshot, or any image you have downloaded. The image file must be in a format your device recognizes — JPEG and PNG work on all devices, and most phones also support WebP and other formats. There is no size limit, though very large files (over 10 MB) may slow down your device slightly.

You can also read images from the internet and use them as lock screens. Right-click (or long-press on a phone) any image on a website and select "Save image" or "read." The image goes to your Downloads folder or camera roll, and you can then set it as your lock screen using the steps above.

Lock screen image versus home screen wallpaper

Your lock screen image and your home screen wallpaper are separate. Changing one does not change the other. On most devices, you can set them independently — for example, you could have a landscape photo on your lock screen and a solid color on your home screen.

Some devices offer a shortcut to set the same image for both at once. On Mac, after selecting a lock screen image, you can click "Set as wallpaper" to explore it to the home screen too. On iPhone, after setting a lock screen image, you can tap the plus sign to create a new lock screen, then tap the image area and select "Use as wallpaper" to set it on the home screen as well. On Windows and Android, you have to set them separately through different menus.

Troubleshooting: Image won't set or looks wrong

If an image will not set as your lock screen, check the file format first. Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android all support JPEG and PNG. If you downloaded the image from the internet, make sure it actually saved — some websites block downloads. Try right-clicking the image and selecting "Save as" to save it to a specific folder you can find later.

If the image sets but looks stretched, pixelated, or cut off, it may be the wrong size for your screen. Lock screens work best with images that match your device's aspect ratio — roughly 16:9 for most phones and computers. If you are using a very small image (under 500 pixels wide) or a very tall or wide image, your device will stretch or crop it to fit. Try a different image or crop your photo to a more standard size before setting it.

On iPhone, if you set a lock screen image but it does not appear, make sure you tapped Set and not just previewed it. On Android, if the image appears only on the home screen and not the lock screen, check that you went to the lock screen wallpaper menu, not the home screen wallpaper menu — they are separate on most phones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a live photo or video as my lock screen?

iPhone supports live photos and video lock screens. When setting a lock screen image, tap Suggested Photos or Photos, then look for videos or live photos in your library — they have a small play icon. Tap one and it will play when you interact with your lock screen. Android does not support video lock screens on most phones, though some Samsung models allow animated wallpapers.

Will changing my lock screen image use up my phone's storage?

No. The lock screen image is stored once on your device, whether it is a built-in wallpaper or a photo from your camera roll. Setting it as your lock screen does not create a copy or use extra space. If you are concerned about storage, using a built-in wallpaper instead of a personal photo saves a small amount, but the difference is usually less than 1 MB.

Can I set a different lock screen image for different times of day?

iPhone lets you create multiple lock screens and swipe between them, so you can manually switch to a different image at different times. Some Android phones with Samsung's One UI offer a scheduling feature in the lock screen settings, but most Android phones do not. On Windows and Mac, you can use Slideshow mode to rotate through multiple images automatically.

What if I want to go back to the default lock screen?

On Windows, go back to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and select "Windows spotlight." On Mac, go to System Settings > Lock screen and click one of the suggested images. On iPhone, long-press the lock screen, tap Customize, and select a built-in option like Astronomy or Weather. On Android, open the lock screen wallpaper menu and select a default wallpaper from the Wallpapers section.

Can I set a lock screen image on a work computer or shared device?

Yes, but only for your own user account. On Windows and Mac, each user account has separate lock screen settings. Log in with your account, change the lock screen, and it will only appear when you log in. Other users will see their own lock screens. On a shared phone, you cannot set separate lock screens for different users — the lock screen is device-wide.