The quickest way to change your lock screen
Open Settings, tap Lock Screen, then tap Customize. Choose a new wallpaper from the gallery, adjust colors or filters if you want them, and tap Set as Lock Screen at the bottom. That's the whole process — it takes about two minutes.
Your lock screen is the image or color you see when your phone is locked. It's separate from your home screen (the one with your apps), so changing one doesn't affect the other. You can have different wallpapers on each, or the same one on both.
If you want to use a photo you took yourself instead of Apple's built-in images, you can do that too — just select it from your Photos app instead of the gallery during the same process.
Key Takeaways
- Go to Settings > Lock Screen > Customize to reach the lock screen editor in about three taps.
- You can choose from Apple's built-in wallpapers, your own photos, or solid colors, and adjust brightness or add filters before saving.
- Your lock screen and home screen are separate, so changing one does not change the other.
- If you want to use the same wallpaper on both screens, you can set it to both after customizing it once.
- You can create multiple lock screen designs and switch between them whenever you want.
Where to find the lock screen settings
Start by opening the Settings app (the gray gear icon). Scroll down until you see Lock Screen and tap it. You'll see your current lock screen at the top, and below it a Customize button. Tap Customize to open the editor.
If you've never customized your lock screen before, it will show Apple's default wallpaper. That's normal — you're about to change it. The Customize button is always there, even if you've already set a custom lock screen, so you can change it again anytime.
Choosing a wallpaper from Apple's gallery
Once you tap Customize, you'll see a row of wallpaper options at the bottom of the screen. Swipe left through them to see all available choices. Apple includes categories like Nature, Astronomy, Flowers, and Solid Colors. Tap any one to select it.
After you choose a wallpaper, the screen shows you a preview of how it will look on your lock screen. You can adjust the brightness by dragging the slider, or add a color filter by tapping the color circles. These changes are optional — if you like the wallpaper as-is, you don't need to adjust anything.
Once you're happy with how it looks, tap Set as Lock Screen at the bottom right. The new wallpaper appears when ready the next time your phone locks.
Using your own photos as a lock screen
If you want to use a photo you took or saved, tap the + button at the bottom of the Customize screen. Select Photos, then choose the album where your photo is stored (Camera Roll, Favorites, or any other album you've created). Tap the photo you want.
The photo will appear in the preview, and you can adjust it the same way as Apple's wallpapers — change brightness, add filters, or move the image around by dragging it. When it looks right, tap Set as Lock Screen.
Your phone will ask whether you want to add widgets to this lock screen design (small boxes showing the time, weather, or calendar). You can skip this by tapping Skip, or add them later if you want. Either way, your new lock screen is now active.
Creating multiple lock screen designs
You can set up more than one lock screen design and switch between them whenever you want. Each time you go through the Customize process and tap Set as Lock Screen, you're creating a new design. Your phone stores all of them.
To switch between your saved designs, go back to Settings > Lock Screen and look at the thumbnails below Customize. Each one is a lock screen you've created. Tap any thumbnail to make it your active lock screen. You can also long-press your current lock screen from the home screen and tap Customize to switch designs without opening Settings.
Matching your lock screen to your home screen
Your lock screen and home screen are controlled separately, so they don't have to match. But if you want them to, you can set the same wallpaper to both. After you customize your lock screen and tap Set as Lock Screen, your phone will ask if you want to also set it as your home screen wallpaper. Tap Set Both if you want them to match.
If you've already set your lock screen and want to add the same wallpaper to your home screen later, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper. Choose the same image and tap Set as Home Screen Wallpaper.
Troubleshooting common lock screen problems
If your new lock screen doesn't appear after you set it, lock your phone manually by pressing the side button and the volume button together, then releasing both. The new wallpaper should show up. If it doesn't, restart your phone by turning it off and back on.
If a photo from your library won't load, make sure you have enough storage space on your phone. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to check. If you're very low on space, delete some old photos or videos and try again.
If you want to go back to Apple's default lock screen, go to Settings > Lock Screen > Customize and select the plain black wallpaper or any of Apple's built-in options. You can change your lock screen as many times as you want — there's no limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a live photo as my lock screen?
Yes. When you select a photo from your library, your phone will ask if you want to use it as a live photo (one that plays a short animation when you press it). You can choose either option. Live photos use slightly more battery, so some people prefer still images.
What if I want different lock screens on different days?
You can create as many lock screen designs as you want and switch between them manually whenever you like. There's no way to schedule them to change automatically on a timer, but you can change your lock screen in about 10 seconds by long-pressing it from your home screen.
Does changing my lock screen affect my notifications or widgets?
Changing the wallpaper itself doesn't affect notifications. However, each lock screen design can have its own set of widgets (small information boxes). When you create a new lock screen, you can choose whether to add widgets to that specific design.
Can I use a screenshot as a lock screen wallpaper?
Yes. Screenshots are saved to your Photos app like any other image. Go to your Screenshots album, select the screenshot you want, and follow the same steps to set it as your lock screen.
Why does my lock screen look different on my friend's phone?
Apple's wallpaper gallery varies slightly depending on your iPhone model and iOS version. Older iPhones may not have access to all the same wallpapers as newer ones. Both phones can use any photo from your library, though.