✶ how-to guide, pinned for you
How to Set a Wallpaper on iPhone (iOS 18 & 17): Lock Screen, Home Screen & Photos
iOS gives you two main paths for setting a wallpaper: the Lock Screen Gallery (introduced in iOS 16 and refined in 18), and the older Share menu inside the Photos app. Both work, but they behave differently. The Gallery lets you build a custom lock screen with widgets, depth effects and colour filters. The Share menu is faster and gives you a straight choice between lock screen, home screen or both.
Before you start, make sure the image you want is saved in your Photos library. If the image is still a link or a file on your computer, transfer it to your iPhone first - AirDrop, iCloud, or the Files app all work. If you grabbed the image from the gallery, use the Mobile sizes download to get a file already sized for your iPhone model.
Step-by-step
- 1.
Open the Lock Screen Gallery
Lock your iPhone and wake the screen. Press and hold on the lock screen until the gallery view appears, showing your current wallpapers with a zoom-out animation. This works on iOS 16 and later.
- 2.
Add a new wallpaper
Swipe left through your existing lock screens until you see the blue + button. Tap it, then tap Photos or Photo Shuffle to browse your library. Photo Shuffle lets you pick a category (nature, people, pets) or specific images that rotate on a schedule.
- 3.
Position and customise
Pinch to scale the image and drag to reposition it. On supported models, tap the ••• menu to enable Depth Effect (the clock overlaps the subject) or add widgets below the time. Choose a colour filter if you want a toned look.
- 4.
Set for lock screen, home screen, or both
Tap Add in the top-right corner. iOS asks whether to Set as Wallpaper Pair (both screens) or Customise Home Screen. Customise Home Screen lets you pick a different image or apply a blur. Choose whichever fits your setup.
- 5.
Quick alternative: use the Share menu
Open the image in Photos, tap the Share button, scroll down, and tap Use as Wallpaper. This skips the Gallery and goes straight to the preview where you can pinch, position, and then choose Lock Screen, Home Screen, or Set Both.
Resolution reference
| Target | Resolution | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max | 1320x2868 | Latest iPhone Pro models |
| iPhone 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max | 1206x2622 | iPhone 15 Pro lock screen |
| iPhone 15 / 14 / 13 | 1179x2556 | Standard iPhone models |
| iPhone SE / older | 1170x2532 | Older iPhone models |
| iPad Pro 12.9" | 2048x2732 | iPad wallpaper |
Common questions
What is the difference between Lock Screen and Home Screen on iPhone?
The lock screen is what you see when the phone is locked (it shows the time and widgets). The home screen is behind your app icons. iOS lets you set different images for each or use the same image for both.
Can I set a wallpaper without cropping on iPhone?
Yes. When positioning the image, pinch to zoom out until it fits the frame. The phone will letterbox rather than crop if the aspect ratio doesn't match exactly. Using a file from the gallery's Mobile sizes preset guarantees a perfect fit.
Does Photo Shuffle use my own photos?
Yes. You can select specific albums, categories, or hand-picked images. The wallpaper rotates between your selections on a schedule you choose (on tap, on lock, hourly or daily).
If the image is already in the gallery, tap the Mobile sizes button to download a file that matches your iPhone's exact resolution - no guessing needed. For images from Pinterest or elsewhere, paste the URL into /upscale with the Mobile preset and you'll get the right size in seconds. To learn more about iPhone wallpaper resolutions, see our Pinterest Wallpaper Sizes guide.
More upscale guides
How to Turn a Pinterest Image Into a Phone Wallpaper (iPhone & Android)
Step-by-step guide to turning any Pinterest image into a perfectly sized phone wallpaper for iPhone, Galaxy, P…
Read the guide →Best Pinterest Wallpaper Sizes for iPhone, Galaxy & Pixel (2026)
The exact pixel resolutions to use for phone wallpapers in 2026 - iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and iPa…
Read the guide →How to Resize Pinterest Wallpapers for Desktop & Ultrawide Monitors
Resize Pinterest images for 1080p, 2K, ultrawide and 4K monitors. A step-by-step guide to desktop wallpaper si…
Read the guide →