iPhone users are probably well aware that the iPhone’s lock screen appears to be fairly conventional, if not dull. It displays the date, time and notifications, but nothing else special. Luckily, in the recently released iOS 16, Apple includes a number of options for customizing the lock screen, making it more captivating and functional. Apple doesn’t only let you add aesthetic elements to your iOS 16 lock screen, but also provides more information without requiring you to unlock your phone.
With the iOS 16, you can now customize the fonts, colors, wallpapers and widgets on your iPhone lock screen. Read the full article to get information and tutorials on how to make your lock screen looks more appealing.
How to Change iOS 16 Lock Screen Wallpaper
To begin personalizing your lock screen, you need to select an iOS 16 wallpaper that reflects your taste or personality. Here’s how to do it:
- On your lock screen, long-press on any empty area that doesn’t include notifications.
- Tap “Customize” button.
- Select “Add New.”
There’s also another way to do this:
- Open “Settings.”
- Select “Wallpaper.”
- Tap “Add New Wallpaper.”
You can choose a common wallpaper such as a pattern, photo or plain color, or create a collage of your favorite emojis for your background. On the other hand, you can also use these dynamic background options:
- Photo Shuffle. To view a stream of photos or images on your lock screen, select Photo Shuffle. The background image will change automatically on a regular basis. You can adjust the intervals between photos by tapping on “Shuffle Frequency” and select one of the following options: On Tap, On Wake, Hourly or Daily. Additionally, you can select the photos manually or use Featured Photos, which are automatically chosen from a variety of categories.
- Astronomy. It offers space-themed backgrounds like the Solar System, Moon and Earth. Your lock screen will display the solar system, the moon or a specific part of it (with the precise moon phase), or the earth as a dynamic globe. With the iOS 16’s earth wallpaper, you can also see an up-close view of your location on earth (with real-time cloud data).
- Weather. If you prefer a dynamic background that offers details on the local weather at the time, select Weather.
Despite their appealing looks, bear in mind that Astronomy and Weather backgrounds require location access which may affect your iPhone’s battery life.
How to Customize Widgets on iOS 16 Lock Screen
Once the background has been beautifully decorated, the next step is to choose the right widgets to display on the lock screen. You can tap the predefined widgets such as the date, time, weather, alarm and calendar to modify, delete or replace them with other widgets that are more relevant with your needs.
- Tap the time to change the text’s font and color.
- Simply tap the date to change it with another piece of information.
Follow the steps below if you want to add widgets on your iPhone’s lock screen:
- Press and hold the lock screen for a few seconds. Tap the “Customize” button when it appears.
- To view a variety of widgets that can be added to your lock screen, simply tap the area above or below the time.
- Add widgets you wish to include by tapping or dragging them.
- Tap “Done.”
If the lock screen doesn’t have enough space for a new widget, you can delete one to create space for the one you wish to add by tapping the “Remove” button. Here’s how to remove widgets on iPhone:
- Tap and hold the widget you wish to remove.
- Select “Remove Widget.”
- Tap “Remove” to finalize.
How to Customize Notification Settings on iPhone’s Lock Screen
In addition to customizing the wallpaper and the widgets, you can also adjust how the notifications appear on your lock screen. It can be done via the “Settings” rather than the lock screen customization section. Follow these steps if you want to customize the notifications display:
- Open “Settings.”
- Select “Notifications.”
- Choose how notifications should appear on the lock screen.
- Tap “Count” if you only want to see the number of notifications.
- Tap “Stack” if you want to view the notifications grouped into stacks.
- Tap “List” if you want to display the notifications as a list.
Pinching the notifications on the lock screen as they appear allows you to modify the lay out.
How to Switch between Lock Screens on iPhone
You may make several different personalized lock screens and change them as needed during the day. If you include a particular Focus, switching from one lock screen to another will also change your Focus. You can follow these steps to switch between lock screens:
- Press and hold the lock screen until you see the “Customize” button at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe to select the desired lock screen, then tap it.
How to Delete a Lock Screen on iPhone
If you feel one of your custom lock screens are no longer appealing, you might want to delete it and create a new one. Here’s how to delete a lock screen on your iPhone:
- Press and hold the lock screen until you see the “Customize” button at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe to select the lock screen you want to delete, swipe up, then tap the delete icon.
Conclusions
Apple’s iOS 16 provides more space for users to channel their creativity through a number of customization features. It allows you to make your iPhone more aesthetically pleasing and control what kind of information you want to see on the screen. Although it’s easy to customize your iOS 16 lock screen, there can be some subtleties you overlook. You must exercise caution since some features, such as dynamic wallpapers, will consume more power and drain your iPhone’s battery faster.
So, do you prefer the default lock screen or the custom one? How do you enjoy the new features in iOS 16? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.