iOS 16: How to Make Your iPhone Switch Lock Screens Based on Time or Location

[MacRumors]

Apple has introduced several improvements to Focus modes in iOS 16, and one of them is the ability to link a custom Lock Screen to a particular Focus mode. With the wealth of personalization options that can now be applied to Lock Screens, this means you can customize them specifically to better reflect your focus.

One of the great things about iOS 16 is that it allows you to make Lock Screens more informative or functional, and then switch to your preferred one when you need to. For example, when you're at the office you might have a Lock Screen featuring work-focused widgets and a family photo. Or in the evening when you're winding down before bed, you might prefer a minimal Lock Screen with fewer widgets and a soothing sunset wallpaper.

The great thing is that by linking a Lock Screen to a Focus mode, you can make the switch to your custom Lock Screen happen automatically at a set time, or even a set location. As the image above shows, you can link Lock Screens to existing Focus modes by tapping the Focus button that appears in the Lock Screen gallery, which is accessed from your iPhone's currently active Lock Screen with a long press.

You can also select a Lock Screen in the course of creating a new Focus mode in Settings. Here's how it works in iOS 16.

Creating a Scheduled Focus With a Custom Lock Screen

In this example, we've already customized a Lock Screen that we want to become active when the work day is done, and now we're going to create a Focus mode to link it to by following the steps below.

1. On iPhone, go to Settings -> Focus, and tap the + icon in the top-right corner of the screen to create a new Focus.
2. Tap Custom in the next screen, proceed to give your Focus a name and related icon, then tap Next.
   
   
   
   Set any notification silence options for people and apps when your Focus is active, then under "Customize Screens," choose the Lock Screen option.
3. Create a New Lock Screen from the gallery, or Choose From Existing Lock Screens.
4. With your Lock Screen linked, tap Add Automation under "Turn on Automatically."
   
   
   
   In the New Automation screen, select Time.
   Toggle on Schedule and choose the time that you want your Focus to become active and on which days of the week.
   
   

With your new Focus mode now scheduled, your associated Lock Screen will also become active at the same time.

Article Link: iOS 16: How to Make Your iPhone Switch Lock Screens Based on Time or Location

 

[yellow8]

I love the new lock screen feature of iOS 16!

 

[adrianlondon]

It's a pity it's still not possible to have Focus modes associated with Calendar events.

 

[james948]

It's a pity it's still not possible to have Focus modes associated with Calendar events.

+ bit of a hack creating a focus mode just to change your lockscreen at a particular time.

 

[simon3163]

I want to be able to ‘select all’ contact in a focus so i don’t miss any calls.

Until you can do this, focus modes are a hack.. You should be able to change your Lock Screen and Home Screen without the need to set up a focus first.

 

[44267547]

It's a pity it's still not possible to have Focus modes associated with Calendar events.

That’s a really good point.

I’m wondering if Apple can tweak this with an update, possibly adding calendar events to be integrated. Seems like that’s totally doable.

 

[DinkThifferent]

Thanks for explaining a functionality that won’t be available to 95% of your readers for at least the next 3 months

 

[Shirasaki]

It's all good and dandy except:
I cannot do ANYTHING similar on iPad because for some %(^%(^* reason Apple think iPad needs to wait for another full %(*^*(# year to get it.
I use iPad so much nowadays whatever the iPad is missing out just hurts me.

 

[CaptainV]

I want to be able to ‘select all’ contact in a focus so i don’t miss any calls.

Until you can do this, focus modes are a hack.. You should be able to change your Lock Screen and Home Screen without the need to set up a focus first.

Now you can
Instead of selection "Allow notifications from" you can Select "Silence Notifications From". Basically creating a blacklist instead of a whitelist.

 

[Malcy16]

I love this idea.
Might have a set wallpaper for Saturday for my football teams gameday and then have a different wallpaper for Sundays where its raceday in F1

 

[LilNasX]

looks cool.

 

[calliex]

Thanks for explaining a functionality that won’t be available to 95% of your readers for at least the next 3 months

I agree. I will have to save these articles so I can have them in September.

 

[hagjohn]

I don't get the whole focus thing. Seems like a lot of complexity, especially for regular users. I just use the ring/silent button on the side of the phone. Simple and easy.

 

[adrianlondon]

I don't get the whole focus thing. Seems like a lot of complexity, especially for regular users. I just use the ring/silent button on the side of the phone. Simple and easy.

I like Focus modes; I can just allow certain apps or people to get through without having to silence the phone.

In iOS 16 we can also filter Mail and Calendar accounts - you can have a "home" Focus that, for example, doesn't show your work emails or events when using Mail or Calendar.

 

[one more]

A public release is expected in the fall, likely around October.

October, why?

 

[simon3163]

Now you can
Instead of selection "Allow notifications from" you can Select "Silence Notifications From". Basically creating a blacklist instead of a whitelist.
View attachment 2017063

Tremendous!

 

[MacLawyer]

I hope MR re-runs all these nice how-tos again for us (or at least points us back to this series) when IOS 16 gets out of beta. Not all of us are beta testers.

 

[mgworek]

I agree. I will have to save these articles so I can have them in September.

They always repost these when it gets released.

 

[ajfahey]

These features aren’t revolutionary. They are barely even evolutionary

 

[imola.zhp]

I really find articles like this helpful, but here is my issue...

I'm not a beta tester and when iOS 16 is released to the public, non-beta, will MR repost these types of articles?

I'd love to have my Lock Screen change based on location (home vs work), I just don't know that I'll remember it is possible after iOS 16 drops.

 

[adrianlondon]

Don't worry. From my memory of iOS 14 widgets, Macrumors posted all about them when the development beta came out, then all about them again when the public beta came out, and then all about them again when the public release came.

And in between that, they published widget articles each time some third party app, however rubbish, released something with the word "widget" in it.

So you'll be fine

 

[_Spinn_]

I can't wait to try this out!

 

[Dahveed 1954]

A public release is expected in the fall, likely around October.

October, why?

Because that will most likely be the time that most of the bugs have been discovered, reported and corrected. The new OSes are being Seed Tested now.

 

[one more]

Because that will most likely be the time that most of the bugs have been discovered, reported and corrected. The new OSes are being Seed Tested now.

Understood, but why October, since all the systems from iOS 6 onwards were released to the public in September?

 

[Dahveed 1954]

Apple doesn't give explanations for its product and business decisions. It never has and likely never will.