It is no secret that the look of your iPhone goes to alter within the fall, because of the introduction of the brand new Liquid Glass interface ushered in by iOS 26. And that new look will likely be evident immediately as you stare upon your iPhone’s lock display screen.
iOS 26 brings these translucent components and glassy typefaces to the lock display screen that you’re going to discover all through the working system replace. However Apple is introducing a couple of different lock display screen adjustments that ought to make your cellphone really feel extra dynamic even earlier than you unlock it.
It is definitely essentially the most intensive change to the lock display screen’s look for the reason that introduction of iOS 16 in 2022 that gave you the power to customise the display screen with widgets and different adjustments. I do not suppose the iOS 26 replace introduces an overhaul on that scale, however the adjustments are vital sufficient that I’ve spent a while exploring them within the iOS 26 developer beta.
You could like
Whether or not you have downloaded the iOS 26 developer beta your self otherwise you’re ready for the general public beta to reach subsequent month, here is what you may anticipate as soon as you have acquired iOS 26 put in in your cellphone and also you’re able to dive into the lock display screen adjustments.
Spatial Scene images on the lock display screen
(Picture credit score: Future)
At WWDC 2025, Apple confirmed off Spatial Scenes, a photographic impact pulled from its visionOS software program that provides depth to pictures. This 3D-like impact causes slight shifts in positioning as you shift perspective, giving the photograph a multi-layered look. And it is now a part of the iPhone courtesy of iOS 26.
Particularly, you may convert a picture in your photograph library to a spatial scene, after which use that 3D-like picture because the wallpaper to your lock display screen. Not each iPhone able to working iOS 26 may have entry to Spatial Scenes — you may want an iPhone 12 or later to drag off the look, which depends on superior pc imaginative and prescient strategies powered by your cellphone’s chipset.
I am undecided how nicely Apple’s demo of Spatial Scenes got here throughout through the WWDC keynote dwell stream, however seeing it in individual within the iOS 26 developer beta drives residence what an enchancment that is. I’ve taken a decade-old photograph of my daughter, transformed it right into a Spatial Scene and made that the lock display screen wallpaper on my iOS 26 take a look at machine. As I transfer my cellphone, I can see the background shift behind her, and he or she virtually appears to come out of the cellphone. It positively spruces up the look my residence display screen.
To set a Spatial Scene as your lock display screen wallpaper, you simply create a personalized lock display screen in the identical means you have been capable of since iOS 16 debuted. Simply press and maintain in your lock display screen after which faucet the plus button on the backside to create a brand new personalized lock display screen.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Scroll down the record of featured wallpapers till you see a heading for Spatial Scenes. Below that header, you may discover a choice of images that Apple’s pc imaginative and prescient know-how has recognized as very best for changing right into a extra 3D-like picture.
As soon as you choose a photograph, the Spatial Area conversion occurs mechanically. After it is achieved, you may pinch and zoom to crop the photograph and modify whether or not to increase the wallpaper or flip off the depth impact. From there, it is only a matter of creating the same old changes to font, coloration, widget and Management Middle shortcuts that you just’d carry out to complete customizing your lock display screen.
I ought to word that Spatial Scenes isn’t restricted to the iOS 26 lock display screen. You too can go into the iOS 26 Pictures app and convert your present 2D images into Spatial scenes.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Choose a photograph in your library and faucet the Spatial Scenes icon simply above the photograph on the precise facet of your display screen. The conversion to a Spatial Scene picture occurs mechanically.
Adaptive time show on the lock display screen
(Picture credit score: Future)
In the event you’ve been bothered by the sight of your rigorously curated images leaving an excessive amount of of a spot beneath the topic of the photograph and the clock on the cellphone’s lock display screen, iOS 26 introduces an answer within the type of an adaptive time show. Now, Apple says that the scale of the numerals within the clock will dynamic modify to raised match into the scene.
It is doubtless the vagaries of an early-stage developer beta, however I’ve discovered the changes solely kick in after I perform a little fidgeting with my lock display screen photograph. Nonetheless, after I’ve gotten the impact to work, it is actually fairly eye-catching with the clock stretching to raised accommodate my lock display screen picture.
Animated album artwork on the lock display screen
(Picture credit score: Future)
Playback controls on the lock display screen have featured album artwork for some time now, however iOS 26 is giving them a lift that ought to pair properly with the Liquid Glass interface that is now featured within the software program. Paintings for some songs is now animated, and it is speculated to work together with the playback controls and their newfound glassiness.
My guess is that this characteristic is basically geared towards newer albums both buy by means of Apple’s on-line retailer, or streamed by way of the Apple Music service because the album covers in my library — songs for Males of a Sure Age to mildly rock out too, mainly — stay fairly static, even after the iOS 26 improve. Nonetheless, a couple of of my daughter’s downloads have discovered their means into my library and the album artwork for Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” shimmers and vibrates as marketed.
Extra from Tom’s Information
At this time’s finest Apple iPhone 16 offers
