iOS 16: How To Customize iPhone Lock Screen

Michael Grothaus

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iOS 16: How To Customize iPhone Lock ScreenPin

The all-new iPhone Lock Screen is the best feature of iOS 16.

Wondering about the new iPhone lock screen in iOS 16? Read on!

iOS 16 is less than two months away from its public debut. The latest iPhone operating system is full of new features including the ability to unsend messages, edit sent messages, unsend emails, schedule emails for sending later, multi-stop routing in Maps, improved Live Text, and much much more.

There’s even a new feature that lets you store and access recently deleted messages inside the Messages app.

But the headline feature for iOS 16 is the all-new Lock Screen. Apple has totally revamped the iPhone lock screen in iOS 16 – and it’s about time. The iPhone lock screen has remained relatively unchanged for years and years.

Now in iOS 16, users can do several new things with the lock screen. This includes adding widgets to the lock screen, customizing the font and color of the time on the lock screen, and even set up multiple lock screens you can quickly change between – or have change automatically based on time or location.

Here’s what you need to know about customizing the iPhone lock screen to your liking in iOS 16…

iOS 16: How To Customize iPhone Lock ScreenPin

How To Customize iPhone Lock Screen In iOS 16

As you might imagine, customizing the iPhone lock screen in iOS 16 is pretty easy and intuitive. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Pick up your iPhone and unlock it, but remain on the lock screen (don’t swipe to the home screen). To remain on the lock screen after unlocking your iPhone, simply look at your iPhone if it’s a model with Face ID. If you have a Touch ID iPhone, rest your finger on the Home button but don’t press it. This will unlock your iPhone but remain on the home screen.
  2. Now, long press on the lock screen.
  3. The lock screen will shrink back and you’ll see a blue and white + button appear in the lower left corner. Tap the + button.
  4. In the Add New Wallpaper menu that appears, tap one of the buttons (People, Photos, etc) or simply swipe down to look through all the wallpaper offerings for the lock screen. Categories include Featured, Weather, and more.
  5. After you’ve chosen the wallpaper, tap the time on the lock screen. This will allow you to select a new font for the time.
  6. You can also tap a color or the color wheel to choose a color for the time.
  7. Now tap the + button below the time. This is how you will add widgets to your iOS 16 lock screen. 
  8. From the widget picker that appears, tap a widget you want to add to the lock screen and it will be added. You can also drag the widget to be precise with its placement. You can have a total of four small widest on your lock screen, or 2 medium widgets, or 1 medium widget and 2 small widgets.
  9. Finally, you can tap the date above the clock and add a widget above the time, too.
  10. Tape Done in the upper right corner to finish customizing the lock screen.

What The iPhone Lock Screen Means For The iPhone 14

While the new lock screen is coming to all the iPhones that are capable of running iOS 16, the feature also hints at an all-new iPhone 14 specific feature. 

That feature could be an always-on display that is included with the iPhone 14 series (though it may be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro series). An always-on display for the iPhone has been rumored for years and isn’t something new for Apple. Since the Apple Watch Series 5, Apple has included an always-on display with that device.

The fact that Apple is now allowing users to add widgets and customize the time on the lock screen in iOS 16 means that they could be priming the operating system to allow for the display of select data on the iPhone even when the screen is asleep.

Apple has also improved the Lock Screen in iOS 16.2!

And check out:

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Michael Grothaus avatar
Michael Grothaus
Michael Grothaus is an American author and journalist with a flair for exploring the intersection of technology, creativity, and digital culture. With a background in film, journalism, and creative writing, he brings a unique perspective to the world of mobile technology. His work has been featured in renowned publications like Fast Company, The Guardian, and Engadget. At KnowYourMobile, Michael leverages his extensive knowledge to guide readers through the complexities of mobile devices, helping them make informed choices in the fast-paced tech landscape.

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