Where to find the screen saver setting on your iPhone

iPhone does not have a traditional screen saver like older computers. Instead, your iPhone locks the screen after a set time and shows your lock screen — the image or design you see when you wake the phone. If you want to change what appears on your lock screen, you do that through Settings, not through a screen saver menu.

Open Settings, tap Lock Screen, and you will see options to change the image, add widgets, or adjust the appearance. This is where you control what your phone displays when it is locked.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhones do not have screen savers; instead, you customize your lock screen through Settings > Lock Screen.
  • You can choose a built-in image, upload a photo from your library, or use a dynamic or live lock screen option.
  • The lock screen appears after your phone locks, which happens automatically after a time period you set in Settings > Display & Brightness.
  • You can create multiple lock screen designs and switch between them by long-pressing the lock screen itself.

How to change your lock screen image

Open Settings and go to Lock Screen. Tap the thumbnail image at the top of the screen — this shows your current lock screen design. A menu will open showing your options: built-in images, photos from your library, or dynamic lock screens.

If you choose a photo from your library, select the image you want and tap Set. You can then adjust how the image appears — whether it is zoomed, cropped, or filtered. Tap Done when you are satisfied.

Built-in options include color gradients, astronomy views, weather, and time-focused designs. Each one updates automatically — for example, the astronomy lock screen shows a different view of the night sky each time you unlock your phone.

Creating multiple lock screens and switching between them

You can set up more than one lock screen design and switch between them without going back to Settings. Long-press your current lock screen to open the lock screen editor. Swipe left to see other lock screens you have created, or tap the plus icon to add a new one.

When you create a new lock screen, you choose the image or style first, then customize the time display, add widgets, and adjust colors. Once saved, you can switch to it anytime by long-pressing and swiping.

This is useful if you want different looks for work and personal time, or if you straightforward want variety without opening Settings repeatedly.

Adjusting when your screen locks automatically

Your lock screen appears after your iPhone automatically locks. You control how long the phone waits before locking by going to Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen (or Auto-Lock on older models). Choose a time: 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or Never.

If you choose Never, your screen will stay on until you manually lock it by pressing the side button. This drains the battery faster but is useful if you are reading or watching something.

Using dynamic and live lock screens

Dynamic lock screens change their appearance throughout the day — for example, the weather lock screen updates to show current conditions, and the astronomy lock screen shows a different view of the sky each time you unlock. These update automatically without you doing anything.

Live lock screens, available on iPhone 15 and later, show moving images or animations. You can set a live photo as your lock screen, and it will play a short animation when you press and hold the lock screen. Some built-in options like the emoji or kaleidoscope designs also animate.

Adding widgets to your lock screen

Once you have chosen your lock screen image, you can add small widgets that show information at a glance — weather, calendar events, reminders, battery percentage, or fitness activity. Long-press your lock screen and tap Customize. Tap the plus icon below the time to add a widget.

Widgets on the lock screen are smaller than those on your home screen and show limited information. They update throughout the day so you see current data without unlocking your phone.

Troubleshooting common lock screen issues

If your lock screen image looks blurry or cropped oddly, open Settings > Lock Screen, tap the image thumbnail, and adjust the zoom or crop settings. Some photos work better than others depending on their size and aspect ratio.

If you cannot see your lock screen at all because your phone is set to Never lock, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Lock Screen and choose a time interval. If you have Face ID or Touch ID enabled, your phone will lock and show the lock screen after that time passes.

If widgets are not updating, make sure the app that provides the widget has permission to run in the background. Go to Settings > [App Name] > Background App Refresh and toggle it on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a video as my lock screen?

You can use a live photo, which is a short video-like image that plays when you press and hold the lock screen. Regular video files cannot be set as a lock screen. Some built-in dynamic options like the kaleidoscope or emoji designs do animate, which is the closest option to a moving background.

What is the difference between a lock screen and a home screen background?

Your lock screen is what you see when your phone is locked. Your home screen background is what appears behind your app icons when you unlock the phone. You set them separately — lock screen through Settings > Lock Screen, and home screen background through Settings > Wallpaper.

Why does my lock screen look different on my iPhone than my friend's?

Lock screen options vary by iPhone model and iOS version. Newer iPhones have more dynamic and live lock screen options. If your friend has a newer model or a more recent iOS update, they may see options you do not have yet. Update your iOS through Settings > General > Software Update to access the latest features.

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

You can create multiple lock screens and switch between them manually by long-pressing and swiping. iOS does not automatically rotate lock screens on a schedule, but you can change yours whenever you want without opening Settings.