Prior to iOS 16 and iPadOS 17, Apple iPhone and iPad owners couldn't really customize their Lock Screens. Users were limited to changing the wallpaper, and that was it. Now, iDevice owners can also add widgets, change Lock Screen font, and upload/customize photos. If you just set up a new iPhone or iPad and are looking for ways to personalize it, you can learn all about customizing the Lock Screen in this guide.

An iPhone 15 Pro Max held in a hand showing the wallpaper selector.
How to add widgets to iOS Lock Screen

Adding, editing, and removing Lock Screen widgets takes no time at all

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What you can customize on your iDevice's Lock Screen

Let's start by listing the user interface elements you can actually tweak on the Lock Screen. Gone are the days of only picking between live wallpapers, animated wallpapers, static wallpapers, and wallpapers that change depending on your dark/light mode preference. Apple has rebuilt the Lock Screen from the ground up to support the following customization options:

  • Top widget area: Fits one widget, such as Weather, Calendar, or others offered by first and third-party apps.
  • Time:
    • Multiple typeface options to pick from
    • Multiple colors with color picker support
    • Multiple script choices

  • Bottom (iOS) or left (iPadOS) widget area: Fits four small widgets or two big ones (or a combination of both) on iOS; fits over a dozen on iPadOS. Many first and third-party apps are supported.
  • Depth effect: When enabled, certain wallpapers can layer certain parts over the time, adding a 3D effect.
  • Live Photos: Animate images when you wake up your iDevice.
  • Focus mode: Link a Lock Screen setup to a specific Focus mode.
  • Wallpaper: Obviously, you get to change the wallpaper, but we'll dive into the specifics later on.
  • Album art size: You can choose between compact and full-screen cover art sizes for playing media.

While iOS 18 has not been released as of the time of writing, this upcoming update will include even more Lock Screen customization options. The new Lock Screen will revolve around modules you can mix and match. You can add, move, and remove widgets, change the wallpaper, and pin other features into the camera and flashlight spots (e.g. calculator, timer, or other app shortcuts) by tapping one of the two buttons at the bottom of the screen.

iOS 18 won't overhaul Lock Screen customization, but it will provide the next step in the evolution of Apple device display personalization.

How to create a Lock Screen you love for iPhone or iPad

To personalize your Lock Screen, you first have to create a custom screen base. Follow these steps to begin:

  1. Start by tapping and holding on the Lock Screen. This will trigger the editing mode.
  2. Tap the plus (+) icon to create a new Lock Screen from scratch.
  3. At the very top, you will find a selection of wallpaper customization options. These include:
    • Photos: Choose a wallpaper from your photo library.
    • People: Pick photos of a person detected in your photo library.
    • Photo Shuffle: Shuffle through several photos as a slide show.
    • Live Photo: Choose a Live Photo from your library for an animated wallpaper.
    • Emoji: Select several emojis and create a patterned wallpaper accordingly.
    • Weather: Turn the local weather conditions and time of day into a realistic, real-time wallpaper.
    • Astronomy: A selection of Earth, Moon, and other shots.
    • Color: Pick a plain color and optionally apply filters and add gradients to it.

  4. Alternatively, you can scroll through a generated wallpaper list, which will also feature a collection of built-in wallpapers, including Pride, Unity, and Clownfish.
  5. Pick any wallpaper to proceed with the Lock Screen creation and customization process.
  6. Your phone will highlight the sections you can tweak, such as Widgets and Time.
  7. Click on any highlighted element and choose from the available options.
  8. Tap on Add.
  9. Once you're done, select Set as Wallpaper Pair if you also want the Home Screen to have the Lock Screen's wallpaper too.
  10. If you'd rather have a different Home Screen wallpaper, tap Customize Home Screen and repeat the process.
  11. You can choose between the Lock Screen wallpaper in both original and blurred-out forms. Alternatively, you can also choose a plain-color wallpaper or a gradient one.

If you select a photo for your background, iOS will let you customize it in one of several ways before you can continue:

  • Reposition your photo: Alter the focal point of your image. Pinch open to zoom in, pinch close to zoom out, drag with two fingers to move it.
  • Change the photo style: Alter color filters, swiping left or right to find one that compliments the image.
  • Create a multilayered effect: Add a depth effect. Tap the three dots button (...) on the bottom-right of the screen, then choose Depth Effect for your photo. This option is only available for certain images and supported iPhone models — you can find a full list here.
  • Create a motion effect with a Live Photo: Use a short and slow video clip for your Lock Screen. Select a supported Live Photo and tap the Play button (►)at the bottom-left of the screen.
  • Set the shuffle frequency: Change how often your Lock Screen automatically changes wallpapers. Tap the grid button, then tap the three dots button (...), and finally select a shuffle frequency option underneath Shuffle Frequency. This option is only available if you select Photo Shuffle.

Now you can create as many Lock Screen setups as you wish and switch between them freely by swiping horizontally when in edit mode. And if you tire of how one or more Lock Screens look, you can also alter them to fit your new liking. Lock Screen customization preserves aspects that you enjoy and find useful, but also improves on those that you don't. The process is fairly straightforward: after you enter editing mode, tap on Customize instead of Add, then start personalizing. You can change the color and font of the clock, add and swap out widgets, and change wallpapers. Just make sure to select Set as Wallpaper Pair or Customize Home Screen to finalize your selections.

After you create more than one Lock Screen setup, you get to link individual setups to your Focus modes. To do so:

  1. Tap and hold on to the Lock Screen until the Customize button pops up.
  2. Select Focus.
  3. Choose one of your Focus modes to link the Lock Screen setup to. Examples include Do Not Disturb, Sleep, and Work.
  4. Tap the X button to finalize your decision.

It might sound counterintuitive to add widgets to a mode designed to help you focus on certain tasks, but given the necessity of certain widgets, you might need them when your phone is set to Focus Mode. When your work requires you to stay connected to certain notifications, but you also need to cut out many others, tying a Lock Screen to a Focus Mode is the ideal solution.

How to delete a Lock Screen setup

If you tire of a certain Lock Screen setup and want to delete it, you can easily do so by following these steps:

  1. Enter edit mode by touching and holding on the Lock Screen until the Customize and + buttons appear.
  2. Swipe left and right to find the Lock Screen you don't want anymore.
  3. Swipe up, then tap the Delete button (the one that looks like a trash can).
  4. Confirm by selecting Delete This Wallpaper.

While you can't delete Lock Screens en masse, the process is still quick and easy.

The Lock Screen on your iPhone and iPad is highly customizable

The Lock Screen is more customizable than ever. You can choose the wallpaper type and style, change how the time appears, add optional widgets, and tie Lock Screens to Focus mode. If you're also looking for ways to customize the always-on display on your iPhone, we've also prepared a dedicated guide to help you out.