How to Change Wallpaper on iPhone (iOS 26 Guide)

## How to Set a New Wallpaper on iPhone

Setting a wallpaper on your iPhone has never been easier. With iOS 26 (Apple's new year-based naming), customization options have reached new heights. Here's how to get started:

Method 1: From Settings

1. Open the Settings app
2. Tap Wallpaper
3. Tap Add New Wallpaper
4. Choose from Photos, People, Nature, Weather, Astronomy, or browse collections
5. Customize with widgets, fonts, filters, and tints
6. Tap Add to set for lock screen, home screen, or both

Method 2: From Lock Screen

1. Long-press on your lock screen
2. Tap the + button to create a new wallpaper
3. Browse and select your image
4. Pinch to zoom and position
5. Tap Add and choose where to use it

Method 3: Live Activities Wallpapers (New in iOS 26)

iOS 26 introduces dynamic wallpapers that respond to Live Activities:

1. Go to Settings > Wallpaper
2. Select a Dynamic wallpaper
3. The wallpaper subtly animates based on notifications and activities
4. Perfect for sports scores, delivery tracking, and music

Using Depth Effect

The depth effect creates a stunning 3D look where your subject appears in front of the time. To enable it:

1. Select a photo with a clear subject
2. After selecting, tap the three-dot menu
3. Toggle Depth Effect on
4. Position the subject to overlap with the time

Pro tip: Depth effect works best with portraits and photos with clear separation between subject and background. iOS 26's improved AI makes this work with more photos than ever.

Scheduling Wallpapers

iOS 26 lets you schedule different wallpapers throughout the day:

1. Create multiple lock screen wallpapers
2. Long-press the lock screen
3. Tap Focus at the bottom
4. Link different wallpapers to different Focus modes
5. Your wallpaper will change automatically based on your schedule

New in iOS 26: Time-based scheduling now lets you set wallpapers to change at specific times, not just with Focus modes.

Interactive Widgets on Lock Screen

iOS 26 expanded interactive widgets:

• Toggle smart home devices directly from lock screen
• Control music playback without unlocking
• Quick actions for your most-used apps
• Widgets adapt their color to your wallpaper

Best Practices

• Resolution matters: Use wallpapers at least 1320 x 2868 pixels for iPhone 16 Pro Max
• Consider widgets: Leave space at the top for time and widgets
• Dark mode: Choose wallpapers that look good in both light and dark modes
• AMOLED benefits: Use true black wallpapers to save battery on all modern iPhones
• ProMotion displays: Higher resolution wallpapers look stunning on 120Hz screens

Download iPhone Wallpapers

Browse our collection of iPhone wallpapers optimized for iOS 26 and iPhone 16. All wallpapers are free to download in the highest quality.