How to Switch Lock Screen on iOS 16

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

This guide shows you how to change the lock screen on an iPhone running iOS 16. You’ll learn to create a new lock screen, switch between existing ones, and customize the look with wallpapers, widgets, and fonts. No special tools are needed—everything is done directly on your iPhone.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone running iOS 16 or later (check in Settings > General > About > iOS Version).
Your iPhone unlocked and at the Lock Screen.
Optional: A photo you want to use as wallpaper, saved to your Photos app.

Step-by-Step

Wake your iPhone and view the Lock Screen. Press the side button or tap the screen. If you have Face ID, just glance at the phone—do not swipe up yet.
Press and hold on the Lock Screen. Keep your finger down for about a second until you feel a slight haptic tap and the screen zooms out slightly. This opens the Lock Screen gallery.
Browse your existing lock screens. You’ll see thumbnails of your current lock screens in a horizontal row. Swipe left or right to view them. The one with the blue “+� icon at the far right lets you create a new one.
To switch to another existing lock screen: Tap on the thumbnail of the one you want to use. The screen will zoom back in and that lock screen becomes active. That’s it—you’ve switched.
To create a new lock screen: Tap the “+� button (usually at the far right of the row). You’ll see a menu with options like “Photo�, “Photos Shuffle�, “Emoji�, “Weather�, “Astronomy�, “Color�, and more.
Choose a wallpaper style. For example, tap “Photo� to pick an image from your library. Use the grid to select a photo, then tap “Add� (top right). For a dynamic option, choose “Weather� or “Astronomy� to get live backgrounds.
Customize the clock and widgets (optional). After selecting a wallpaper, you’ll see the editing screen. Tap the time to change the font, color, and style. Tap the area below the clock (or above it) to add widgets like Calendar, Weather, or Battery. Drag widgets to rearrange them.
Set the lock screen. Tap “Add� (top right) to save your creation. You’ll then be asked if you want to set it as your wallpaper pair. Choose “Set as Wallpaper Pair� to apply it to both the Lock Screen and Home Screen, or “Set as Lock Screen Only� if you prefer.
Switch between lock screens anytime. Repeat step 2 to open the gallery, tap the one you want, and it becomes active immediately.

Common Mistakes

Not pressing and holding long enough. A quick tap won’t open the gallery. Press and hold until you feel the haptic feedback.
Swiping up accidentally. If you swipe up, you unlock the phone and go to the Home Screen. Instead, press and hold without swiping.
Confusing “Add� with “Set as Wallpaper Pair�. Tapping “Add� saves the lock screen to your gallery but doesn’t apply it. You must then tap the thumbnail and choose “Set as Wallpaper Pair� to make it active.
Deleting a lock screen unintentionally. While in the gallery, swipe up on a thumbnail to delete it. If you do this by accident, you can’t undo it—you’ll need to recreate it.

Tips

Use Focus filters. You can link a lock screen to a Focus mode (e.g., Sleep, Work). When that Focus activates, the associated lock screen appears automatically.
Shuffle photos. Choose “Photos Shuffle� to rotate through a selection of photos throughout the day. You can select a frequency (e.g., on tap, hourly, daily).
Add depth effect. With portrait photos, iOS automatically adds a depth effect that makes the subject appear in front of the clock. Tap the “…� button (bottom right) to adjust or remove it.
Edit later. To change a lock screen after creation, open the gallery, tap the thumbnail, then tap “Customize�. You can change the wallpaper, widgets, and clock style anytime.

Troubleshooting

Press and hold doesn’t open the gallery. Make sure you’re on the Lock Screen (not the Home Screen). If it still doesn’t work, restart your iPhone by holding the side button and either volume button until the power slider appears, then slide to power off and turn back on.
New lock screen isn’t saving. If you tap “Add� and nothing happens, check that you have enough storage space (Settings > General > iPhone Storage). Also, try closing the Settings app and reopening it.
Wallpaper appears blurry or cropped. iOS automatically crops photos to fit the screen. Use a high-resolution image (at least 1170 x 2532 pixels for most iPhones). You can pinch to zoom or drag to reposition the image before tapping “Add�.
Widgets are not showing up. Some widgets require the corresponding app to be installed. For example, the Weather widget needs the Weather app (it’s built-in). If a widget is missing, check that the app is installed and that widgets are enabled in Settings > Privacy & Security > Widgets.
Can’t switch back to a previous lock screen. If you deleted it, you’ll need to recreate it. If it still exists in the gallery, just tap it. If you want to restore the default lock screen, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper and choose a built-in option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one lock screen?

Yes, iOS 16 allows you to create multiple lock screens and switch between them anytime. You can have as many as you want, though it’s best to keep a few for performance.

How do I delete a lock screen?

Open the Lock Screen gallery by pressing and holding on the current lock screen. Then swipe up on the thumbnail you want to delete and tap the trash icon.

Will my Home Screen change when I switch lock screens?

Only if you set the lock screen as a “Wallpaper Pair�. When you create a new lock screen, you can choose to set it as a pair, which also changes the Home Screen wallpaper. If you choose “Set as Lock Screen Only�, the Home Screen remains unchanged.

Can I use a live photo as my lock screen wallpaper?

Yes, but it only plays when you press and hold on the Lock Screen. In the photo picker, select a Live Photo (it will show a “LIVE� badge). After setting it, press and hold on the lock screen to see the animation.

Why is my lock screen not showing the time?

This can happen if you accidentally removed the clock widget. In the editing screen, tap the “+� at the top left to add a time widget, or tap the clock area to adjust its style. If the clock is missing entirely, try restarting your iPhone.

Can I set a different lock screen for each Focus mode?

Yes, you can link a lock screen to a Focus. Go to Settings > Focus, select a Focus, then tap “Lock Screen� and choose the one you want. When that Focus is active, your iPhone will automatically switch to that lock screen.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.