The fastest way to change your cover photo
Open the Photos app, find the photo you want to use, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select "Use as Wallpaper." Then choose whether you want it on your lock screen, home screen, or both. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.
If you want more control over how the photo appears — cropping it, adjusting the blur, or moving where it sits on the screen — use the full wallpaper editor instead. After you tap "Use as Wallpaper," you'll see options to zoom, move, and customize the look before you confirm.
Key Takeaways
- You can set a cover photo as your lock screen, home screen, or both by opening Photos, selecting the image, tapping the three dots, and choosing "Use as Wallpaper."
- The wallpaper editor lets you crop, zoom, and reposition your photo before saving it, so you can control exactly what shows on your screen.
- Live Photos and video clips can be set as wallpapers too, though they only animate on your lock screen when you press and hold it.
- If you want to remove a cover photo entirely, go to Settings > Wallpaper and delete it, which returns your screen to the default design.
Setting a photo from your library as your lock screen
The lock screen is what appears when your phone is asleep or you first wake it. To change it, open the Photos app and scroll to the image you want. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of the photo, then tap "Use as Wallpaper." A menu will appear asking where you want to set it — choose "Lock Screen" if you only want it there, or "Set" if you want to customize it first.
If you choose to customize, you'll enter the wallpaper editor. Here you can pinch to zoom in or out, drag the photo to reposition it, and adjust the blur or color filter if your iPhone offers those options. Once you're happy with how it looks, tap "Set" in the bottom right, then confirm "Lock Screen" or "Both" depending on whether you want the same photo on your home screen too.
Setting a photo as your home screen background
Your home screen is where your app icons live. To set a cover photo there, open Photos and find your image. Tap the three dots, select "Use as Wallpaper," and this time choose "Home Screen" from the menu that appears. You'll be taken to the wallpaper editor automatically.
In the editor, you can zoom and move the photo so the important part shows behind your app icons. Keep in mind that app icons will cover part of your image, so choose a photo with interesting details spread across the whole frame rather than one with a single focal point in the center. Once you're satisfied, tap "Set" and confirm "Home Screen."
Using the wallpaper editor to customize your photo
The wallpaper editor opens whenever you choose "Use as Wallpaper" and gives you several ways to adjust your photo before it becomes your cover. You can pinch with two fingers to zoom in or out, and drag the photo around to move it. On newer iPhones, you may also see options to add a color filter, adjust blur, or change the text color on your lock screen.
Spend a moment here to make sure the photo looks right. If you're setting it as a home screen background, zoom out enough that important details aren't hidden behind your app icons. If it's a lock screen, you might zoom in to focus on a specific part of the image. Once everything looks good, tap "Set" in the bottom right corner.
Setting a live photo or video as your wallpaper
Live Photos — images that capture a few seconds of motion — can be set as wallpapers on iPhones that support them (iPhone 6s and newer). Open Photos, find your Live Photo, tap the three dots, and select "Use as Wallpaper." The process is the same as a still photo, but when you set it as your lock screen, you'll be able to press and hold the lock screen to see the motion play.
Video clips from your library can also work as lock screen wallpapers on newer iPhones. The video will loop when you press and hold your lock screen. Note that videos and Live Photos cannot be set as home screen backgrounds — they only work on the lock screen.
Removing or changing a cover photo you've already set
If you want to remove a cover photo and go back to Apple's default wallpaper, open Settings and tap "Wallpaper." You'll see thumbnails of your current lock screen and home screen backgrounds. Tap the one you want to change, then tap "Edit" in the bottom right. A menu will appear with options to change it or remove it entirely.
To replace it with a different photo, tap "Choose a New Wallpaper" and pick from your Photos library, Apple's built-in designs, or other wallpaper collections. To return to the default, look for "Default" or "System" in the wallpaper options and select it. Your changes save when ready.
Troubleshooting common problems
If "Use as Wallpaper" doesn't appear when you tap the three dots, the photo may be in a shared album or a cloud-only file that hasn't downloaded to your phone yet. Try downloading the photo to your device first by opening it, tapping the read icon, and waiting for it to save locally. Then try again.
If your wallpaper looks blurry or pixelated, the original photo may be too small or low resolution. Try a different image, or zoom out in the wallpaper editor to see if adjusting the view helps. If your lock screen text is hard to read over your photo, use the wallpaper editor to add a color filter or adjust the blur — these options appear on newer iPhones and make text more visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set different photos for my lock screen and home screen?
Yes. When you choose "Use as Wallpaper," you can select "Lock Screen" or "Home Screen" separately, or choose "Both" to set the same photo on both. To set different photos, repeat the process with a second image and choose the screen you haven't filled yet.
Why does my wallpaper look different after I set it?
The wallpaper editor shows you a preview, but the actual appearance depends on your lock screen design, widgets, and app icons. On the lock screen, the time and notifications sit on top of your photo. On the home screen, your app icons cover part of it. This is normal and expected.
Can I use a screenshot as my wallpaper?
Yes. Screenshots are saved to your Photos library just like any other image. Open Photos, find your screenshot, tap the three dots, and select "Use as Wallpaper." The process is identical to using any other photo.
What if I want to go back to the original Apple wallpaper?
Open Settings, tap "Wallpaper," and select the screen you want to change. Tap "Edit," then choose "Default" or "System" from the wallpaper options. This returns that screen to Apple's standard design.
Do I need to delete the original photo after setting it as wallpaper?
No. Your iPhone makes a copy of the photo for the wallpaper, so the original stays in your Photos library. You can delete it if you want to free up space, but it won't affect your wallpaper.