The fastest way to change your lock screen wallpaper

Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap Customize Lock Screen. Choose a photo from your library or pick one of Apple's built-in designs, then tap Set as Lock Screen. That's the complete process on any recent iPhone.

The lock screen is the image you see when your phone is locked or when you wake it up. It's separate from your home screen wallpaper, so you can have different images on each one. If you've never changed it before, your iPhone came with a default image — usually a solid color or a subtle pattern.

The steps are the same whether you're using an iPhone 14, iPhone 15, or an older model running iOS 16 or later. If you're running iOS 15 or earlier, the process is slightly different and covered in the FAQ section below.

Key Takeaways

  • Your lock screen wallpaper is separate from your home screen wallpaper, so you can set them independently.
  • You can use any photo from your camera roll, a photo from the Photos app, or one of Apple's built-in wallpaper designs.
  • The lock screen wallpaper appears behind your time, date, and notifications when your phone is locked.
  • You can create multiple lock screen styles and switch between them by long-pressing the lock screen itself.

Using a photo from your camera roll

Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Wallpaper. Tap it, then tap Customize Lock Screen at the bottom of the screen. A row of thumbnail images will appear — tap the plus sign (+) on the left side to add a new wallpaper.

Your photo library will open. Scroll through and tap the photo you want to use. You'll see a preview of how it will look on your lock screen, with the time and date overlaid on top. If you want to adjust which part of the photo shows, pinch to zoom or drag the image around until you're happy with it.

Once you've positioned the photo, tap Add at the bottom right. A menu will appear asking whether you want to set it as your lock screen only, your home screen only, or both. Tap Set as Lock Screen to explore it only to the lock screen.

Choosing from Apple's built-in wallpapers

If you don't want to use your own photos, Apple includes dozens of wallpaper designs you can use instead. In the Customize Lock Screen menu, tap the empty thumbnail on the left (it will say "+" or show a blank square). Instead of opening your photo library, scroll down past your photos to see the built-in collections: Weather, Astronomy, Emoji, Flowers, Nature, and others.

Tap any collection to see the designs inside it. Each one shows a preview of how it will look with your lock screen elements. Some designs, like Weather, change throughout the day. Others, like Astronomy, show a real-time view of the night sky above your location. Tap the design you want, then tap Add and choose Set as Lock Screen.

Adjusting text color and widgets on your lock screen

After you set a wallpaper, you can customize how the time and date appear on top of it. In the Customize Lock Screen menu, tap the time display itself. A color picker will appear — choose a color that stands out against your wallpaper so the time remains readable.

You can also add widgets to your lock screen — small pieces of information like weather, calendar events, or reminders that appear above the time. Tap the plus sign at the bottom of the Customize Lock Screen menu to add a widget. Choose which app's information you want to display, then tap Add Widget.

Creating multiple lock screen styles

You can set up several different lock screen designs and switch between them without going back to Settings. After you've created your first custom lock screen, go back to Customize Lock Screen and tap the plus sign again to create another one with a different wallpaper, colors, and widgets.

Once you have two or more lock screens saved, you can switch between them by long-pressing your actual lock screen (when your phone is locked or just woken up) and swiping left or right through the thumbnails at the bottom. This is useful if you want different looks for work, home, or different times of day.

Troubleshooting common issues

If your wallpaper looks blurry or pixelated on the lock screen, the photo may be too small. iPhone lock screens work best with photos that are at least 1080 pixels wide. If you're using a very old or low-resolution photo, consider choosing a different one or using one of Apple's built-in designs instead.

If the time and date are hard to read against your wallpaper, tap the time in the Customize Lock Screen menu and choose a different color. White or black usually work best, but you can also pick a bright color that contrasts with your image. If you've added widgets and they're covering important parts of your photo, you can remove them by tapping the minus sign next to each widget in the customization menu.

If you accidentally deleted a lock screen style you liked, you can recreate it by going back to Customize Lock Screen and adding a new one with the same wallpaper and settings. Your original photos remain in your camera roll, so you haven't lost anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. When you select a live photo in the Customize Lock Screen menu, it will play a short animation when you long-press your lock screen. The animation plays for a few seconds and then stops, so it won't drain your battery.

How do I change my lock screen wallpaper on iOS 15 or earlier?

Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap Choose a New Wallpaper. Select a photo or built-in design, then tap Set. A menu will ask whether you want to set it as lock screen, home screen, or both. Tap Set Lock Screen. You cannot customize colors or add widgets on older iOS versions.

Will changing my lock screen wallpaper affect my home screen?

No, unless you choose to set the same image on both. When you finish selecting a wallpaper, you'll see options to set it on the lock screen only, home screen only, or both. Choose whichever you prefer.

Can I use a screenshot as my lock screen wallpaper?

Yes. Screenshots are saved to your camera roll just like photos, so you can select them in the Customize Lock Screen menu the same way you would any other image.

What happens to my lock screen wallpaper if I restart my iPhone?

Your wallpaper stays in place. Restarting your phone doesn't change any of your customization settings, including lock screen wallpapers, colors, or widgets.