The fastest way to change your iPhone screen picture

Open the Settings app, tap Wallpaper, then tap Add New Wallpaper. Choose where your picture comes from — Photos to use a picture already on your phone, or Camera Roll if you just took one. Select your picture, adjust it by pinching and dragging until it looks right, then tap Add at the bottom. A menu will ask whether you want this picture on your Lock Screen, Home Screen, or Both. Tap your choice, then tap Set as Wallpaper to confirm.

The whole process takes about 30 seconds once you have picked your picture. If you want to use a picture from the internet instead of one already on your phone, save it first by pressing and holding the image in Safari or another app, then tapping Save Image. It will land in your Photos app, and you can follow the steps above.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings, tap Wallpaper, then Add New Wallpaper to start changing your screen picture.
  • You can choose to change only your lock screen, only your home screen, or both at the same time.
  • Use the pinch and drag tools to position your picture before you confirm, so you see exactly what will show.
  • Pictures from the internet must be saved to your Photos app first before you can use them as wallpaper.
  • You can have different pictures on your lock screen and home screen if you change them one at a time.

Changing only your lock screen picture

If you want a different picture on your lock screen than on your home screen, change them separately. Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then Add New Wallpaper. Pick your picture from Photos, adjust it so it looks the way you want, then tap Add. When the menu appears asking where to use this picture, tap Lock Screen only. Tap Set as Wallpaper to save it.

Your home screen picture will not change. The next time you unlock your phone, you will see the new lock screen picture. If you later decide to change your home screen too, repeat these steps but tap Home Screen instead of Lock Screen in the final menu.

Changing only your home screen picture

Follow the same steps as above — Settings, Wallpaper, Add New Wallpaper, pick your picture, adjust it — but when the final menu appears, tap Home Screen instead of Lock Screen. Your lock screen will stay the same. Tap Set as Wallpaper to finish.

You will see the new home screen picture the next time you go to your home screen. If you have multiple home screen pages, the picture will appear on all of them.

Using a picture from your camera roll

If you just took a photo and want to use it as your wallpaper right away, open the Photos app and find the picture. Tap it to open it full-screen, then tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up). Scroll down and tap Use as Wallpaper. Adjust the picture by pinching and dragging, then tap Add. Choose whether you want it on your lock screen, home screen, or both, then tap Set as Wallpaper.

This route is faster than going through Settings if you already have the photo open. The picture will be ready to use when ready after you confirm.

Positioning your picture so it looks right

After you pick a picture, you will see it on your screen with two fingers shown at the bottom. Use your fingers to pinch (move them closer together to zoom out) or spread (move them apart to zoom in). Drag the picture around with one finger to move it left, right, up, or down. This is your chance to frame the picture the way you want it — for example, to make sure a face is not hidden behind the clock on your lock screen.

Take your time here. Once you tap Add, you will see a preview of how the picture will actually look on your phone, with the time and notifications visible on top. If it does not look right, you can go back and adjust it again. Tap Add only when you are happy with how it looks.

Getting pictures from the internet onto your phone

Open Safari or another web browser and find the picture you want. Press and hold the picture until a menu pops up. Tap Save Image (the exact wording may vary depending on your browser). The picture will be saved to your Photos app. Now you can follow the normal steps — Settings, Wallpaper, Add New Wallpaper — and pick it from your Photos.

Some websites do not allow you to save images this way. If nothing happens when you press and hold, try a different image or a different website. You can also take a screenshot of the picture by pressing the Side button and Volume Up button at the same time, then use that screenshot as your wallpaper.

Fixing common mistakes

The picture looks different on my lock screen than in the preview. This usually happens because the clock and notifications cover part of the picture. Go back to Wallpaper, tap the picture you just set, and tap Customize. Adjust the picture so the important parts are not hidden behind the time. Tap Done, then Set as Wallpaper again.

I cannot find the picture I want to use. Make sure it is saved in your Photos app first. If you downloaded it from the internet, check your Camera Roll or a folder called Downloads. If you took the photo yourself, it should be in Recents at the top of the Photos app.

The picture is too zoomed in or too zoomed out. When you are adjusting the picture before you tap Add, pinch to zoom out (make it smaller) or spread to zoom in (make it bigger). You can also drag it around to center it the way you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a different picture on each home screen page?

No. Your home screen picture appears on all pages. However, you can change your lock screen and home screen to different pictures, and you can use different wallpapers for different Focus modes if you set those up in Settings.

What if I want to go back to the original Apple wallpaper?

Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then Add New Wallpaper. Scroll to the top and tap Default or iOS to see Apple's built-in wallpapers. Pick one and follow the normal steps to set it.

Can I use a live photo or video as my wallpaper?

Yes, if your phone supports it. When you pick a picture, look for a Live or Video label. You can set live photos as your lock screen wallpaper, and they will animate when you press and hold your lock screen. Home screen wallpaper must be a still picture.

Why does my picture look blurry on my lock screen?

Your phone may be explore a blur effect to make the time and notifications easier to read. Go to Settings, Wallpaper, tap your lock screen picture, then tap Customize. Look for a blur or focus slider and adjust it. Tap Done, then Set as Wallpaper.

Can I schedule my wallpaper to change automatically?

Not through the built-in wallpaper settings. However, you can create an automation in the Shortcuts app to change your wallpaper on a schedule. This requires more setup but allows you to rotate pictures at specific times or days.