Where to find screensaver settings on your iPhone

On iPhone, the screensaver (called "Lock Screen" in Apple's language) lives in Settings under Display & Brightness, not under a separate screensaver menu. Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then scroll down to find Lock Screen. From there you can choose a new design, add widgets, or change the look entirely.

The exact steps depend on which iPhone model and iOS version you have. iPhones running iOS 16 or later have a completely redesigned Lock Screen with more customization options than older versions. If your phone is running iOS 15 or earlier, you'll see a simpler wallpaper-only option instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen to change what appears when your phone is locked.
  • iOS 16 and newer let you add widgets, change fonts, and layer multiple designs; older versions only let you set a wallpaper image.
  • You can create multiple Lock Screen designs and switch between them by long-pressing the current one.
  • Changes take effect when ready and do not require restarting your phone.

Changing your Lock Screen on iOS 16 and newer

If you have iOS 16, 17, or 18, tap Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen. You'll see your current Lock Screen design at the top. Tap it to open the customization screen, where you can change the wallpaper, adjust the clock style and color, and add widgets that show information like weather or calendar events.

To pick a new wallpaper, tap the image at the bottom of the customization screen. You can choose from Apple's built-in collections (Emoji, Weather, Astronomy, Gradient), upload a photo from your camera roll, or create a custom design. Once you select an image, you can adjust how the clock appears on top of it — change the font, size, and color to match your preference.

To add widgets, scroll down on the customization screen and tap the plus sign. Select an app (like Weather, Calendar, or Reminders), then choose which widget size and information you want to display. You can stack up to five widgets in the same space and swipe between them on your Lock Screen.

Changing your Lock Screen on iOS 15 and earlier

On older iPhones, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Choose a New Wallpaper. You'll see collections like Dynamic, Stills, Live, and Lockscreen. Pick a category, select an image, and tap Set. You'll be asked whether to set it as the Lock Screen, Home Screen, or both — choose Lock Screen to change only what you see when the phone is locked.

These older versions do not let you add widgets or change clock styles. Your only option is to pick a static image or animated wallpaper. If you want more control over your Lock Screen appearance, updating to iOS 16 or later will give you significantly more choices.

Creating and switching between multiple Lock Screens

iOS 16 and newer let you create multiple Lock Screen designs and switch between them without going back to Settings each time. After you customize one Lock Screen, go back to Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen and tap the plus sign at the bottom. This creates a new blank Lock Screen that you can customize separately.

Once you have two or more Lock Screens saved, you can switch between them by long-pressing your current Lock Screen (not tapping — press and hold for a second). A carousel of all your saved designs will appear at the bottom of the screen. Swipe left or right to preview each one, then tap the one you want to use. Your phone will switch to that design when ready.

Using photos from your camera roll as a screensaver

To use a personal photo as your Lock Screen background, open Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen, tap your current design, then tap the image at the bottom. Scroll to the bottom of the collections and tap Photos. Select the album or "Recents" to browse your camera roll, then tap the photo you want.

After you select a photo, you can adjust how the clock appears on top of it. If the clock is hard to read against your image, try changing the clock color or style. You can also use the filter options (if available) to adjust the brightness or add a color overlay to make text more visible.

Troubleshooting Lock Screen changes that don't appear

If you change your Lock Screen but the new design doesn't show up, make sure you tapped the checkmark or confirmation button at the top of the customization screen. Some changes require you to confirm before they take effect. If you're still not seeing the change, lock your phone manually by pressing the side button and swiping up, or wait a few seconds for the screen to lock on its own.

If the Lock Screen option is missing from Settings entirely, check that you're running iOS 16 or later. Go to Settings > General > About and look at the iOS version number. If it's 15 or earlier, you can still change your wallpaper through Settings > Wallpaper, but you won't have the full Lock Screen customization menu.

Resetting your Lock Screen to default

To go back to Apple's default Lock Screen, open Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen, tap your current design, then tap the image at the bottom. Choose one of Apple's built-in collections (like Dynamic or Stills) and select a design you like. This replaces your custom Lock Screen with a standard one.

If you want to remove all your custom Lock Screens and start fresh, you can delete individual designs by long-pressing the Lock Screen you want to remove from the carousel (the one that appears when you long-press your current Lock Screen). Swipe left on the design and tap Delete. You'll always have at least one Lock Screen, so you cannot delete all of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a video as my Lock Screen background?

No. iPhone Lock Screens only support still images or Apple's built-in animated designs (like Weather or Astronomy). You can use a Live Photo, which plays a short animation when you press the Lock Screen, but full videos are not supported.

Why is my Lock Screen not changing when I select a new wallpaper?

Make sure you tapped the confirmation button (usually a checkmark or "Set" button) after selecting your new wallpaper. If you only selected an image without confirming, the change won't save. Also check that you're setting it to the Lock Screen specifically, not the Home Screen.

Can I have different Lock Screens for different times of day?

iOS does not have a built-in scheduling feature for Lock Screens. You can create multiple designs and switch between them manually by long-pressing your Lock Screen, but you cannot set them to change automatically at certain times.

Will changing my Lock Screen affect my Home Screen?

No. Your Lock Screen and Home Screen are separate. When you change your Lock Screen, your Home Screen stays the same unless you specifically choose to update both at the same time. You can set them independently.

What iOS version do I need to add widgets to my Lock Screen?

You need iOS 16 or later to add widgets to your Lock Screen. If you have iOS 15 or earlier, you can only change the wallpaper image. Check Settings > General > About to see your current iOS version.