How to Set Wallpaper in iOS 27

What’s changed for wallpapers in iOS 27

iOS 27 was released on September 14, 2026 for iPhone 11 and newer. Setting a wallpaper works the same way as in iOS 26, with a few additions:

• Extend fills the screen with photos that are too wide, too tall, or cropped too tightly. iOS 27 suggests it automatically when a photo doesn’t fit.
• Image Playground is now a wallpaper source, so you can generate a background from a text description.
• A compact clock layout keeps the time small so more of the wallpaper shows.

Extend and Image Playground use Apple Intelligence and require an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.

Set a wallpaper from Settings

1. Open Settings and tap Wallpaper.
2. Tap Add New Wallpaper, or tap Customize under your current wallpaper to edit it.
3. Choose a source: Photos, Photo Shuffle, Image Playground, Collections, or one of Apple’s featured styles.
4. Pinch to zoom and drag to position. Swipe to try photo styles and filters.
5. Tap Add, then choose Set as Wallpaper Pair — or Customize Home Screen to use something different there.

Set a wallpaper from the Lock Screen

1. Wake your iPhone and unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID, but stay on the Lock Screen.
2. Touch and hold the Lock Screen until the gallery appears.
3. Tap + to create a new wallpaper, or Customize to edit the current one.
4. Pick your photo or style, adjust it, and tap Add or Done.

Swipe between Lock Screens in the gallery to switch wallpapers any time — you can even link each one to a Focus.

Fix a badly cropped photo with Extend

Extend analyzes your photo and generates background detail around the edges that blends with the original, so you don’t have to crop out part of the picture.

1. In Settings → Wallpaper → Add New Wallpaper, choose a photo.
2. If the photo doesn’t fit, iOS 27 suggests Extend. Otherwise, tap the ••• button and choose Extend Wallpaper.
3. Tap Extend to confirm, check the edges, and tap Add.

Extend works best on natural backgrounds such as skies, water, walls, and landscapes. Look closely at faces and text near the edges before you save. You can also use Extend in the Photos app first.

Create a wallpaper with Image Playground

1. Go to Settings → Wallpaper → Add New Wallpaper and tap Image Playground.
2. Describe what you want — for example, “soft orange sunset over calm water, minimal”.
3. Or pick a photo from your library and apply a style like Retro Illustration or Animation.
4. Choose the best result, adjust its position, and tap Add.

Prompts that mention a clear subject, a color palette, and plenty of empty space at the top usually give the most readable results behind the clock.

Show more of your wallpaper

• Use the compact clock: touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize → Lock Screen, tap the clock, and pick the compact layout in the top-right of the Font & Color panel.
• Swipe away Now Playing: swipe left on the playback controls to hide them while your audio keeps playing.
• Adjust Liquid Glass: move the slider in Settings → Appearance → Liquid Glass toward clear to see more wallpaper through notifications. See the Liquid Glass guide.

Tips for a great result

• Choose high-resolution images with a clear focal point, ideally in the lower two-thirds of the frame.
• Check the clock and widgets against the background, and try the compact clock if the time covers your subject.
• Darker wallpapers save battery on OLED iPhones and are easier to read with the Always-On display.
• Need inspiration? Browse free iPhone wallpapers or curated wallpaper packs, sized for modern iPhones.

Frequently asked questions