Change your iPhone background through Settings or by using a photo app

You can change your iPhone's home screen background, lock screen background, or both at the same time. The fastest route is to open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then Add New Wallpaper. From there you pick a photo from your library or choose from Apple's built-in collection, position it how you want, and tap Set. The whole process takes about two minutes.

If you want to use a photo you already have on your phone, you can also start from the Photos app instead — find the image, tap the share icon, select Use as Wallpaper, and follow the same positioning and confirmation steps. Both routes end at the same place and produce the same result.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then Add New Wallpaper to reach the background selection screen in one path.
  • You can set a different background for your lock screen, home screen, or both at once.
  • Position your chosen image before you confirm — the preview shows you exactly what it will look like.
  • Apple's built-in wallpaper collection is free and organized by category, or you can use any photo stored in your Photos library.

Using Settings to change your background

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Wallpaper. You will see thumbnails of your current lock screen and home screen backgrounds. Tap Add New Wallpaper to begin.

A menu appears with two options: Photos and Wallpaper. Tap Photos if you want to use an image from your phone's photo library. Tap Wallpaper if you want to browse Apple's built-in collection, organized by categories like Nature, Flowers, Astronomy, and Solid Colors. Select the image you want.

Once you pick an image, a preview screen appears. You can pinch and drag to position the image however you like. Below the preview, you will see options to set it as your lock screen only, home screen only, or both. Choose which screen or screens you want to change, then tap Set in the top right corner.

Using the Photos app to change your background

Open the Photos app and find the image you want to use. Tap the image to open it in full screen. Tap the share icon (a square with an arrow pointing up) at the bottom of the screen.

A menu of options appears. Scroll down and tap Use as Wallpaper. The same positioning and confirmation screen appears as in the Settings method. Position your image, choose which screen or screens to update, and tap Set.

What to do if your image doesn't look right

If your background image appears cropped, blurry, or positioned wrong after you set it, go back to Settings > Wallpaper and tap the thumbnail of the background you just changed. You will return to the positioning screen, where you can adjust the image again and tap Set to save the new position.

If you want to remove a custom background and return to Apple's default, open Settings > Wallpaper, tap the thumbnail of the background you want to change, and select one of Apple's built-in wallpapers instead. You cannot delete a background entirely — your phone always displays one on both screens.

Differences between lock screen and home screen backgrounds

Your lock screen is what appears when your phone is locked or you wake it up. Your home screen is what you see after you unlock your phone and view your app icons. You can set them to the same image, different images, or keep one and change only the other.

Some of Apple's built-in wallpapers are designed specifically for the lock screen and may include widgets or time displays. If you use a photo from your library, it will display the same way on both screens unless you set them separately. When you reach the confirmation screen, the buttons clearly show which screen each choice will affect.

Using live wallpapers and dynamic wallpapers

Apple offers Live Wallpapers, which move or change slightly when you interact with your phone, and Dynamic Wallpapers, which shift throughout the day. Both are found in the Wallpaper section of Settings under Add New Wallpaper. Select one, position it if needed, and tap Set the same way you would a static image.

Live and Dynamic Wallpapers use slightly more battery power than static images, though the difference is usually small. If you notice your battery draining faster, switching to a static background may help. You can always switch back if you prefer the visual effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo from the internet as my background?

Yes. Long-press the image in your web browser, tap Save Image, then open Photos, find the saved image, and tap the share icon to select Use as Wallpaper. The image will be saved to your Photos library and work the same way as any other photo.

Why does my background look different on my lock screen than in the preview?

The lock screen displays time and notifications on top of your background, which can make the image appear darker or obscured. This is normal. If the positioning looks wrong, return to Settings > Wallpaper, tap the background thumbnail, adjust the position, and tap Set again.

Can I set different backgrounds for different times of day?

No, iPhone does not have a built-in scheduling feature for backgrounds. You can manually change your background whenever you want by returning to Settings > Wallpaper, but it will not switch automatically. Dynamic Wallpapers change appearance throughout the day, but the image itself stays the same.

What if I want to use a screenshot as my background?

Screenshots are saved to your Photos library automatically. Open Photos, find your screenshot, tap the share icon, and select Use as Wallpaper. Position it and tap Set like any other photo.