iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

[MacRumors]

With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever.

Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta.

Widgets Top or Bottom

In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock Screen is literally locked in place right below the clock. In iOS 26, however, Customize mode lets you drag them down to the bottom of the screen, so that they hover just above the two quick actions (assuming you have any). The new optional positioning makes tapping a widget during one-handed use a lot easier.

Make the Time Bigger

In iOS 26, Apple has made it so that the clock on the Lock Screen can be expanded to fill more of the display, making it easier to read. This can be done in Customize mode thanks to a new drag handle on the bottom-right corner of the selection frame around the time. You can make the digits take up half of the screen, though if you have any widgets, they will slide down to the bottom of the display. In addition, if you have a depth effect applied to a photo and pinch to crop, the time will automatically adjust to accommodate the subject.

Quicker Photo Access

The Lock Screen in iOS 26 has a different Photos selection button in Customize mode that appears as a miniature version of the currently displayed photo. If you tap it, you now have an option to Show Photo in Library, making it easier to find the picture, or you can take the existing route and tap Choose Photo to pick another image.

Spatial Scenes

The iPhone 15 Pro and newer models can take Spatial Photos, and while the 3D photos have a realistic depth to them, they're best viewed on Apple's Vision Pro. In iOS 26, however, the Photos app has inherited the Vision Pro's ability to convert 2D images into a 3D Spatial Scene. The feature is hard to appreciate with a still image, but the results are impressive as the image animates when you move your device. Spatial Scenes use machine learning rather than Apple Intelligence, which means the feature is available on iPhone 12 and newer devices.

Music Album Animations

iOS 26 introduces full-screen animated album art on the iPhone Lock Screen for select Apple Music tracks. By tapping the album art in the Lock Screen music player, the artwork expands and animates, creating a more immersive listening experience. While animated album art has been available within the Apple Music app for some time, this marks its first appearance on the Lock Screen. Not all songs support it yet, but the number is steadily increasing. Apple is also opening the Animated Album Art feature to third‑party developers, so expect it to work with apps like Spotify and YouTube Music soon.

Article Link: iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

 

[JMO1]

Did anyone try liquid glass internally. In all of these images I can barely see the content because of the low contrast. Seems like it would cause even more eye strain

 

[surfzen21]

I like that we can move the widgets to the bottom.

But, what I would really like is to have two rows of widgets. Top and bottom or two on top or two on bottom.

 

[dfgddikf]

But still no option to disable the slide-to-open-camera?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

But still no option to disable the slide-to-open-camera?

That's what I keep asking for. I never want my camera to be opened when the phone is locked, ever..no exceptions.

Meanwhile, my home screen:

 

[AdamHarbour]

Who needs AI just look at that big clock ! 👏 🍎

 

[baryon]

Wow, they brought back the ability to change the background picture without having to create a whole new home screen and have to re-style the entire lock screen, the home screen, the small/large/dark/light/auto color icons, the clock font and color, and the lock screen widgets? Incredible. It's almost like it's 2009 again!

 

[pdaholic]

Did anyone try liquid glass internally. In all of these images I can barely see the content because of the low contrast. Seems like it would cause even more eye strain

I’ve been playing around with the lock Screen on ipados26, and with certain photos, the clock essentially disappears. I suppose that was what Apple was going for…

 

[krull1015]

But still no option to disable the slide-to-open-camera?

That would be nice especially since newer iPhones have a dedicated camera button.

 

[svish]

Want try out spatial scenes once I update my device. Allowing widgets to be at the bottom is also a welcome change. Overall happy to see that more customization is possible.

 

[krull1015]

Did anyone try liquid glass internally. In all of these images I can barely see the content because of the low contrast. Seems like it would cause even more eye strain

I think it’s worse outside in full sunlight ☀️☀️

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

i'd much rather have bigger widgets than this ridiculously stretched clock. mure more useful

 

[winxmac]

Wow, they brought back the ability to change the background picture without having to create a whole new home screen and have to re-style the entire lock screen, the home screen, the small/large/dark/light/auto color icons, the clock font and color, and the lock screen widgets? Incredible. It's almost like it's 2009 again!

This is what I hated with iOS 16. I hate that I can no longer go to Wallpaper in Settings to choose a wallpaper. To me, the only good thing from iOS 16 regarding the lock screen is that it brought thicker/bolder font by default.

 

[mansplains]

I really like the full screen album art on lock screen. I wish you could disable it for other media, I don’t care for a YT thumbnail taking up the lock screen in the same way.

 

[fatTribble]

I’ve been playing around with the lock Screen on ipados26, and with certain photos, the clock essentially disappears. I suppose that was what Apple was going for…

I’ve always wanted to be able to disable the clock. I sometimes think a clean background picture would look better.

 

[Sippincider]

But still no option to disable the slide-to-open-camera?

This. The biggest missing feature is for the “lock” screen to actually be locked. No widgets and esp. no camera. LOCKED.

 

[ChittagongBoy]

Is there a manual EQ in the music app ?

 

[Hank001]

Why isn't there an analogue clock?

 

[pdaholic]

I’ve always wanted to be able to disable the clock. I sometimes think a clean background picture would look better.

Well now you will have a blurry clock that you can’t read that still messes up your wallpaper 🤗

 

[kamyk35]

With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever.

Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta.

Widgets Top or Bottom

In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock Screen is literally locked in place right below the clock. In iOS 26, however, Customize mode lets you drag them down to the bottom of the screen, so that they hover just above the two quick actions (assuming you have any). The new optional positioning makes tapping a widget during one-handed use a lot easier.

Make the Time Bigger

In iOS 26, Apple has made it so that the clock on the Lock Screen can be expanded to fill more of the display, making it easier to read. This can be done in Customize mode thanks to a new drag handle on the bottom-right corner of the selection frame around the time. You can make the digits take up half of the screen, though if you have any widgets, they will slide down to the bottom of the display. In addition, if you have a depth effect applied to a photo and pinch to crop, the time will automatically adjust to accommodate the subject.

Quicker Photo Access

The Lock Screen in iOS 26 has a different Photos selection button in Customize mode that appears as a miniature version of the currently displayed photo. If you tap it, you now have an option to Show Photo in Library, making it easier to find the picture, or you can take the existing route and tap Choose Photo to pick another image.

Spatial Scenes

The iPhone 15 Pro and newer models can take Spatial Photos, and while the 3D photos have a realistic depth to them, they're best viewed on Apple's Vision Pro. In iOS 26, however, the Photos app has inherited the Vision Pro's ability to convert 2D images into a 3D Spatial Scene. The feature is hard to appreciate with a still image, but the results are impressive as the image animates when you move your device. Spatial Scenes use machine learning rather than Apple Intelligence, which means the feature is available on iPhone 12 and newer devices.

Music Album Animations

iOS 26 introduces full-screen animated album art on the iPhone Lock Screen for select Apple Music tracks. By tapping the album art in the Lock Screen music player, the artwork expands and animates, creating a more immersive listening experience. While animated album art has been available within the Apple Music app for some time, this marks its first appearance on the Lock Screen. Not all songs support it yet, but the number is steadily increasing. Apple is also opening the Animated Album Art feature to third‑party developers, so expect it to work with apps like Spotify and YouTube Music soon.

Article Link: iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

I like it, despite all the fake negative narratives.....IOS 26 rocks

 

[Vulkan]

In iOS 26, Apple has made it so that the clock on the Lock Screen can be expanded to fill more of the display, making it easier to read. This can be done in Customize mode thanks to a new drag handle on the bottom-right corner of the selection frame around the time. You can make the digits take up half of the screen, though if you have any widgets, they will slide down to the bottom of the display. In addition, if you have a depth effect applied to a photo and pinch to crop, the time will automatically adjust to accommodate the subject.

Despite my efforts I still can't get this to work. I tap the clock area in Customize and I don't get an option to stretch it.

Update: I had to change the font of the clock to the first one to the left, then I got the earlet to pull it down.

 

[freedomlinux]

Well now you will have a blurry clock that you can’t read that still messes up your wallpaper 🤗

I can't decide between clock-partly-obscured-by-dog, clock-partly-obscured-by-car, or clock-partly-obscured-by-kangaroo!

if you have a depth effect applied to a photo and pinch to crop, the time will automatically adjust to accommodate the subject.

Kinda? Almost?

 

[john-c]

This. The biggest missing feature is for the “lock” screen to actually be locked. No widgets and esp. no camera. LOCKED.

I whole-heartedly agree. They are all too prone to accidental touches.

 

[Skandalous]

Does anyone know if it's only San Francisco font that stretches vertically, or are other Home Screen fonts stretchable too?

 

[boswald]

Man, iOS 26 is shaping up to be an amazing release. I can’t wait!