How to Customize Your iPhone Lock Screen in iOS 27

iOS 27 lets you change much more than the wallpaper on your iPhone Lock Screen. You can resize and restyle the clock, add useful widgets, replace the bottom controls, create spatial depth from supported photos, and connect a Lock Screen to a Focus mode.

Apple documents these options in its iOS 27 Lock Screen guide. The available effects depend on the selected wallpaper and iPhone model, so a control may disappear when the source photo does not contain enough depth information.

You can edit an existing Lock Screen or make several designs for work, travel, sleep, and personal use. Switching to a design linked with a Focus also activates that Focus, which makes the visual change useful rather than purely decorative.

Create and edit a custom Lock Screen

Start from the Lock Screen gallery, where iOS keeps every design associated with your iPhone. Changes remain local until you tap Done, so you can test fonts, filters, and widgets before saving.

Create a new Lock Screen

A new design can use a photo, Photo Shuffle, Weather, Astronomy, an emoji pattern, or another wallpaper collection available on your phone.

1. Press the Side button twice to show the Lock Screen without opening the Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold an empty area until the Lock Screen gallery appears, then authenticate if requested.
3. Tap the plus button and select a wallpaper category or photo.
4. Adjust the preview, tap Add, then choose Set as Wallpaper Pair or Customize Home Screen.

Change the clock, widgets, and controls

The editor treats the date, clock, widget row, and lower controls as separate areas. Tap the part you want to change instead of swiping through wallpaper styles.

1. Touch and hold the Lock Screen, choose the design, and tap Customize.
2. Tap Lock Screen to open its editor.
3. Tap the clock to change its font, appearance, and color, or drag its lower-right corner to adjust its height when available.
4. Tap Add Widgets to place supported information below the clock.
5. Tap the minus button on a lower control, then tap the plus button to choose a replacement such as Timer or Voice Memo.
6. Tap Done to save the design.

Link the Lock Screen to a Focus

A linked Focus can silence selected notifications and change other device behavior whenever this Lock Screen becomes active.

1. Open the Lock Screen gallery by touching and holding the locked display.
2. Swipe to the design you want to link.
3. Tap Focus at the bottom of the wallpaper.
4. Choose a Focus such as Do Not Disturb, Personal, Sleep, or Work, then close the picker.

For related troubleshooting and background, see our guide to reported iOS 27 problems and working fixes.

Tips

Small changes can improve readability and prevent widgets from competing with the photo.

• Pinch and drag a photo with two fingers to position the subject around the clock and widgets.
• Use a supported photo’s Depth Effect or spatial option only when it keeps the time easy to read.
• Create a separate Lock Screen before making major changes so the original remains available.
• Swipe up on a design in the gallery and tap the trash button when you no longer need it.

FAQs

Why can’t I add more Lock Screen widgets?

The widget area has limited space, and different widget sizes use different portions of it. Remove an existing widget or choose a smaller option before adding another.

Why is the depth or spatial effect unavailable?

The selected image, crop, device model, or widget layout may not support the effect. Try another photo, reduce the number of widgets, or reposition the subject.

Can the Lock Screen and Home Screen use different images?

Yes. After adding a Lock Screen, choose Customize Home Screen instead of accepting the wallpaper pair. You can select a different photo, color, gradient, or blur for the Home Screen.

How do I switch between saved Lock Screens?

Touch and hold the Lock Screen, swipe left or right through the gallery, then tap the design you want. If it is linked to a Focus, that Focus changes at the same time.