Photos on your lock screen: three ways compared
Wallpaper, widget or Live Activity.
In short
A wallpaper stays the same, a widget is small. For a large photo that changes by itself, use a Live Activity on iPhone.
- Wallpaper: full screen, Photo Shuffle possible
- Widget: small, on the home screen
- Live Activity: wide banner, changes by itself
The three ways
- Wallpaper: full screen and permanent. With Photo Shuffle, iOS changes the picture from a selection.
- Widget: small and permanent. Photo widgets live on the home screen.
- Live Activity: a wide banner on the lock screen that changes by itself, for up to about eight hours at a time.
How it works with a Live Activity
- Install an app that supports Live Activities, for example Live Frame.
- Choose an album.
- Set a time window and start.
- Lock your iPhone: the photo appears on the lock screen.
[Screenshot: Live Activity with a photo on the lock screen]
FAQ
Why does the Live Activity disappear after a few hours?
iOS ends Live Activities after about eight hours.
Does this work on Android?
There, apps can change the lock screen image themselves.