For years, the Lock Screen on the iPhone and iPad was a minimalist affair. You could check the date, time, and your latest notifications but not much else. With more recent updates to iOS and iPadOS, Apple has added a variety of customization options to make the screen more appealing, useful, and personal. You can now tweak the Lock Screen by changing the background and adding widgets.
For instance, you’re able to spruce up the background with your own photos, get suggestions for pictures that fit the screen, and apply filters to the images. Other options include live weather backgrounds that match outdoor conditions, images of the Earth or Moon that change throughout the day, tiled emoji screens, and simple color backgrounds. You can even add widgets to the Lock Screen and modify them to make them more interactive. If you’d like to work with more than one type of wallpaper, create multiple Lock Screen images and switch from one to another to match your mood.
With the release of iOS 26, you can do even more. With the new Liquid Glass effect, screen elements take on a frosted glass appearance, which you can modify to your liking. You’re also now able to apply a 3D effect to your Lock screen wallpaper. Move your phone, and the image dynamically comes to life but with the subject always in view. Once you’ve installed the new operating system, here’s how to get started customizing your new Lock screen.
Edit Existing Wallpaper Background
To tweak the existing wallpaper on your iPhone’s Lock screen, go to Settings > Wallpaper or lock the phone and long-press on the screen. Swipe left and right to find the wallpaper you want to modify. You’ll see the Lock screen and Home screen displayed side by side for the current wallpaper style. Tap Customize on the Lock screen (the screen on the left) to change that one.
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Your Lock screen likely displays widgets for the date and time, as well as a space for additional widgets. Tap the widget for the date to change it to a different piece of information, such as the weather, calendar, fitness activity, or a reminder. Tap the clock widget to change the font and color for the text.
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With iOS 26 installed, and a compatible wallpaper image, you can increase the size of the clock. If it can be resized, you’ll see a drag handle in the lower right corner. Drag and drop the handle until you’ve resized the clock to your liking. When finished, tap Done.
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iOS 26 also lets you apply the Liquid Glass effect to the clock. To do this, make sure the clock is selected. At the bottom panel, change the look from Solid to Glass. You can then also adjust the font and thickness. When finished, tap the X to close the panel and then tap Done.
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Next, tap Add Widgets to insert a new widget on the screen. Swipe down the widget window and select any piece of info you want to add. Depending on the data chosen, you might be able to squeeze two or even three items into the widget space at the top.
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You should also be able to move the top widget panel to the bottom of the screen. To do this, just drag the widget dock down the screen and release it. The dock will nestle in at the bottom. When finished, tap Done. When you’re satisfied with your changes, close the widget window and tap Done to save your changes.
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Add New Wallpaper
To add a new wallpaper design for your Lock screen, go to Settings > Wallpaper and tap Add New Wallpaper. You can also lock the phone, long-press on the screen, and then tap the plus (+) icon. You’ll see several options for creating and modifying your wallpaper.
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The icons at the top of the screen point you to different types of content you can add. Tap the Photos icon to open your photo library, select a photo, and tap Add. You’ll be asked if you want to use the same photo as a wallpaper pair, meaning the same for your Lock screen and Home screen. If you do, tap Set as Wallpaper Pair. If not, tap Customize Home screen to set a different design for your Home screen.
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To add multiple photos, tap Photo Shuffle. You can now add a smart photo collection, such as ones for People, for Places, or for a specific album. Otherwise, manually choose the photos you want to include by tapping Select Photos Manually. Select each photo you want to use and then the checkmark to add them.
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At the preview screen, tap the ellipsis icon and choose the interval at which each photo will segue to the next one—Daily, Hourly, On Lock, or On Tap. Tap Add again and then choose whether you want to pair the wallpaper or customize the Home screen separately.
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From the other icons at the top, tap Emoji and choose up to six emoji that will serve as your wallpaper. Tap Add when done and set the image as a pair or opt to customize the Home screen independently. Choose Weather to display the current weather, Astronomy to show different views of the Earth and Moon, or Color to display a specific color.
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No matter which wallpaper you choose, you’re able to add and customize the main widgets on the screen. Tap the date or time to edit the widget or select Add Widgets to include new info.
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Set a Photo as Your Wallpaper
Here’s a quick way to set a photo as your wallpaper. Open the Photos app and select an image. Tap the Share icon and select the Use as Wallpaper option. You can then pinch to crop the image and swipe to try different filters. When finished, tap Add.
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With iOS 26 and certain photos, you can apply a spatial effect to transform a 2D image into 3D. Moving your phone around then makes it appear as if the foreground is shifting against the background, providing depth to the image. To do this, make sure you’re in edit mode for the wallpaper. Move to the Lock screen with the photo you want to use and tap Customize. If you’ve chosen a compatible image, a hexagonal icon appears on the screen—tap it to add the 3D effect. Tap Done, return to the lock screen, and move your phone around to see the effect.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
Manage Your Lock Screen Wallpaper
After you’ve set up multiple designs for your Lock screen wallpaper, you can view them all, change the default one, and delete ones you no longer want. Press down on the Lock screen and swipe left and right to move from one wallpaper design to another. If you no longer want to keep a certain wallpaper, swipe up on a design and tap the trash can icon to delete it from your phone. Tap a different design to set it as your new default.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
Replace Lock Screen Controls
Finally, you can swap out the flashlight and camera icons on the Lock Screen for other controls. To do this, head to the Customize screen for the Lock Screen and tap the minus (–) icon next to the flashlight or camera and tap the plus (+) button that appears. You can then add a certain function to the screen, such as Dark Mode, Calculator, or Magnifier. To set up an app, swipe to the Shortcuts section and tap Open App. Tap Choose, then tap the app from the list that you wish to use. After you’ve set up the two new Lock Screen icons, trigger the Lock Screen. Press down on each of the new icons to launch their associated features or apps.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
About Our Expert
Lance Whitney
Contributor
Experience
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I’ve also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
I’ve used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I’m well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I’m always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that’s become another key area for me.
My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it’s time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.
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