The quickest way to change your lock screen on iPhone

To change your lock screen on iPhone, open Settings, tap Lock Screen, then tap the preview image at the top. From there you can choose a new wallpaper, adjust colors, add widgets, or modify the lock screen style. The whole process takes about two minutes and doesn't require restarting your phone.

Your lock screen is the image and information you see when your phone is locked. It's separate from your home screen wallpaper, so you can have different images on each. Apple lets you save multiple lock screen setups and switch between them whenever you want.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, go to Lock Screen, and tap the preview image to start customizing your lock screen.
  • You can choose from built-in wallpapers, photos from your library, or create a custom design with colors and filters.
  • Lock screen widgets show information like weather, calendar events, or battery percentage without unlocking your phone.
  • You can create and save multiple lock screen setups and switch between them by long-pressing the lock screen itself.

Opening the Lock Screen settings

Start by opening the Settings app on your home screen—it's the gray icon with gears. Scroll down and tap Lock Screen. You'll see a preview of your current lock screen at the top of the screen.

If you don't see Lock Screen in your settings menu, make sure you're running iOS 16 or later. Older iPhone models cannot customize the lock screen this way. You can check your iOS version by going to Settings > General > About and looking at the System Version number.

Choosing a new wallpaper

Tap the preview image at the top of the Lock Screen settings page. This opens the wallpaper picker. You'll see tabs for Featured, Collections, and Photos. Featured shows Apple's built-in designs. Collections groups wallpapers by theme—like Nature, Cityscapes, or Abstract. Photos lets you pick any image from your camera roll.

Once you choose an image, you can adjust the color tone by swiping left or right on the preview. Some wallpapers let you add a filter or change the blur effect. When you're happy with it, tap Add at the bottom right. If you want to replace your current lock screen instead of creating a new one, tap Set as Lock Screen. If you want to keep both, tap Add as New Lock Screen.

Adding widgets to show information at a glance

Widgets display live information on your lock screen without unlocking your phone. You might show the weather, upcoming calendar events, your fitness rings, battery percentage, or reminders. To add a widget, go back to Lock Screen settings and tap the preview image again. Scroll down and tap Add Widgets.

Tap the plus icon next to any app to add its widget. You can add up to five widgets per lock screen, though space is limited. Tap and drag widgets to rearrange them. Some widgets show more information than others—a weather widget might show just the temperature, or it might show the full forecast depending on which version you choose. Tap Done when finished.

Changing the lock screen font and time display

You can customize how the time and date appear on your lock screen. In Lock Screen settings, tap the preview image, then look for Font or Style options (the exact name depends on your wallpaper choice). Some wallpapers let you change the font family, size, and color of the clock.

You can also hide the date, change the date format, or adjust the color of the time display to match your wallpaper. Not all wallpapers offer all these options—some have limited customization. Tap the preview to see what controls are available for your current wallpaper.

Switching between multiple lock screens

Once you've created more than one lock screen setup, you can switch between them without going back to Settings. Long-press your lock screen (press and hold for about two seconds). A carousel of your saved lock screens appears at the bottom. Swipe left or right to browse them, then tap the one you want to use.

You can create as many lock screens as you want. Many people keep one for work, one for personal use, and one for specific moods or seasons. Each lock screen remembers its own wallpaper, widgets, font style, and time display settings. You can also long-press and swipe to delete a lock screen by tapping the trash icon.

Troubleshooting common lock screen problems

If your changes aren't showing up, lock your phone and wait a few seconds. Sometimes the lock screen takes a moment to refresh. If a widget isn't updating, make sure the app that powers it has permission to run in the background. Go to Settings > [App Name] > Background App Refresh and turn it on.

If you can't add more widgets, you've hit the limit for that lock screen—delete one or create a new lock screen setup instead. If your lock screen keeps reverting to the old one after you restart, restart your phone again. This usually fixes sync issues between Settings and the lock screen system.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. Go to Lock Screen settings, tap the preview, choose Photos, select a live photo, and tap Add. When you long-press your lock screen, the live photo will animate. Not all live photos work equally well—ones with movement throughout the frame look better than ones with movement only in one corner.

Why can't I see the Lock Screen option in Settings?

Your iPhone needs iOS 16 or later. Older models don't support lock screen customization. Check Settings > General > About to see your iOS version. If you're on an older version, you can update by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

Do lock screen widgets drain my battery?

Widgets use very little battery because they update only when you look at your lock screen or at set intervals. Weather and calendar widgets are especially light. Widgets that update constantly, like stock tickers, use slightly more power but still have minimal impact on battery life.

Can I set different lock screens for different times of day?

Not automatically. You have to manually switch between lock screens by long-pressing and swiping. Some third-party apps claim to do this, but Apple's built-in system doesn't offer automatic scheduling based on time of day.

What happens to my lock screen if I update iOS?

Your lock screens are saved and will remain after an iOS update. Your customizations, widgets, and wallpapers all stay in place. Occasionally a major update might reset some settings, but this is rare.