Lock screen serves two contradictory purposes: It provides fast, convenient access to a ton of features like the camera, Siri, Control Center, and more, and it also prevents unauthorized access to the private contents of your iPhone or iPad.

You can absolutely swap your wallpaper to make it your own, but you can also disable many of the conveniences if you'd prefer your Lock screen to be on lockdown. Here's how to customize your lock screen!

How to change the wallpaper on your Lock screen

Your iPhone or iPad comes with Apple's default wallpaper on the Lock screen, but you can change it to another image from Apple's gallery, one of a few motion wallpapers, or even a Live Photo that animates when you 3D Touch it (if your iPhone or iPad supports it).

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Wallpaper.

  3. Tap on Choose a New Wallpaper.

  4. Tap on the location of the new wallpaper you want to choose:
    • Dynamic: Circles that float around the screen and respond to the motion of your device.
    • Stills: Apple's gallery of images.
    • Live: Apple's gallery of Live Photo images that animate when you 3D Touch them.
    • Libraries: All the images contained in your Photos app, including selfies, and your own Live Photos
  5. Tap on the image you want to use.
  6. If you're not happy with the default settings, adjust your options:
    • Move and Scale: If it's one of your photos, you can slide it around and pinch-to-zoom in and out to frame it exactly the way you want it.
    • Motion: Select if you want it still (no motion effect), perspective (moves slightly as you move your phone), or Live Photo (if available, animates on 3D Touch).
  7. Tap Set.

  8. Tap Set Lock Screen if you only want to change the Lock screen wallpaper, or choose Set Both to change the Home screen wallpaper as well.

How to set Auto-Lock time

You can turn the screen off on your iPhone or iPad at any time, but by default, it'll turn off automatically after two minutes to save on power. If that time limit doesn't suit you, it's easy to change.

Note: You can't change Auto-Lock time when in Power Saver Mode.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Display & Brightness.
  3. Tap on Auto Lock.
  4. Tap on the timing you prefer:
    • 30 Seconds
    • 1 Minute
    • 2 Minutes
    • 3 Minutes
    • 4 Minutes
    • 5 Minutes
    • Never

  5. Tap on the Display & Brightness button at the top left to go back.

How to turn off Control Center on the Lock screen

Control Center lets you easily access settings, media controls, and home accessories from your Lock screen. But, it also lets other people access all of that just as easily. If that's a concern, you can make it so Control Center can't be pulled up from the Lock screen.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap Touch ID & Passcode.
  3. Enter your passcode.

  4. tap the switch next to Control Center under Allow Access When Locked. You'll have to scroll down to find it.

    Tap Touch ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, tap the switch next to Control Center

How to turn off notifications on the Lock screen

Having your notifications pop up on the Lock screen is incredibly convenient ... unless it reveals private and confidential information you'd rather not have revealed. It could be the name of a contact or the content of a message. Whatever the case, you can turn them off in settings. Unfortunately, only one at a time ... sigh.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Notifications
  3. Tap on the notification you want to disable from the Lock screen.

  4. Switch Show on Lock Screen to Off

Repeat for any and every app whose alerts you want to keep off your Lock screen.

Note: Some apps might have additional privacy options. (e.g. for Messages, you can turn off previews.)

How to turn off Today View on the Lock screen

Today View lets you search for content, see information like news and weather, review your upcoming calendar events, see Siri suggestions, and much, much, more. If there's anything in there that's private and you don't want accessible from the Lock screen, you can turn it off.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Touch ID & Passcode.
  3. Enter your Passcode.

  4. Scroll to the bottom and switch Today View to Off.

If you later change your mind, you can repeat the same steps to turn Today View back on.

How to turn off Siri access from the Lock screen

Siri, Apple's virtual personal assistant, can answer questions and execute commands right from the Lock screen. Many require Touch ID or Passcode to authorize from the Lock screen, but if you'd prefer that Siri not be accessible at all, you can turn it off.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Siri & Search.

  3. Tap Suggestions on Lock Screen to Off.

If you later change your mind, you can repeat the same steps to turn Siri back on.

How to turn off Home Control from the Lock screen

HomeKit lets you control your home automation accessories, even from the Lock screen. If you consider that to be too much of a security risk, you can disable it.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Touch ID & Passcode.
  3. Enter your Passcode.

  4. Scroll to the bottom and switch Home Control to Off.

If you later change your mind, you can repeat the same steps and turn Home Control back on.

How to turn off Wallet and Apple Pay from the Lock screen

Wallet on your Lock screen means everything from your boarding pass to Starbucks card to movie tickets can pop up when the time and place is right. It also means your Apple Pay credit and debit cards are just a double-click of the Home screen away. If either of those things isn't to your liking, though, you can turn them off.

  1. Launch Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap on Touch ID & Passcode.
  3. Enter your Passcode.

  4. Scroll to the bottom and switch Wallet to Off.

If you later change your mind, you can repeat the same steps to turn Wallet and Apple Pay back on.

Note: You can also control this from Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay >, and how you set one will be reflected into the other.

How to turn off Return Missed Calls on the Lock Screen

  1. Launch Settings from your Home screen.
  2. Tap Touch ID & Passcode.
  3. Enter your passcode.

  4. Tap the switch next to Return Missed Calls under Allow Access When Locked.

    Tap Touch ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, tap the switch next to Return Missed Calls

Any Lock screen questions?

If you have any trouble setting up your Lock screen just the way you like it, or you need more help, drop your questions in the comments below!

Updated August 2018: Updated for iOS 12!

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