Apple has added a small but useful Lock Screen change in iOS 27: users can now clear the Now Playing widget by swiping it away, similar to dismissing a notification. This helps when music, podcasts, or video controls stay on the Lock Screen after playback has stopped.
When the media is playing, the Now Playing panel appears on the Lock Screen as usual. In iOS 27, you can swipe it away to remove it from view, giving your wallpaper and notifications more space.
Early beta users report that bringing the widget back is not always instant. According to current reports, the workaround is to pause playback, wait a few minutes, and then resume, while switching to video playback can also make it return.
Since iOS 27 is still in beta, Apple can refine this behavior before the public release.
