Using Live Activities
What a Live Activity is, where it appears and why it ends after eight hours.
In short
A Live Activity is a live area on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island. An app can keep it updated for up to eight hours.
- Lock screen, Dynamic Island and StandBy
- Can be turned off per app in Settings
- Ends after about eight hours
What a Live Activity is
A Live Activity shows live information from an app at the bottom of the lock screen. On iPhones with a Dynamic Island it also appears there, and in StandBy it can fill the screen.
Typical examples are a delivery on its way, a match score or a timer. Apps like Live Frame use the same area to show a photo or a value.
How to turn it on
- Open Settings and choose the app.
- Turn on Live Activities.
- Start the activity in the app, for example by choosing an album or a time window.
- Lock your iPhone: the Live Activity appears on the lock screen.
Why it ends after eight hours
iOS ends a Live Activity after about eight hours. After that it can stay on the lock screen for a while longer before the system removes it. Apps that should run longer work with time windows that start again.
FAQ
Do I need a special iPhone?
Live Activities work on iPhones with iOS 16.1 or later. The Dynamic Island view needs an iPhone with a Dynamic Island.
Can I turn Live Activities off?
Yes. In Settings, per app, under Live Activities.