iPad Air iPadOS26: HUGE Frustration With What Should Be Simple!! AARGH!!!!

[Newbert]

Can someone explain to me, in the simplest of terms because I'm apparently a frustrated moron, how to have different wallpapers on the LOCK and HOME Screens on my new iPad Air running iPadOS26? I have been playing with this for HOURS (Literally) and have gotten nowhere.

One wallpaper comes with the iPad (and is on the LOCK and HOME screens currently), and is usually easily findable. The other wallpaper I downloaded from somewhere. (I can't recall where exactly, but I've had it on both screens at once, so it should be on my iPad somewhere, right?).

But I can't seem to find this 2nd image unless I stumble onto it. And then I lose the original wallpaper image. FWIW - The downloaded wallpaper collection is of the planets and the image I want to use on my LOCK screen is "Mars". IOW, I always end up with the same wallpaper on both screens, no matter what I have tried. 😖

So my questions are:

1. Where are all the places on my iPad where this "Mars" image might be hiding?
2. Once I hopefully find Mars, exactly how do I put it on the LOCK screen (as its wallpaper) ONLY? (Note: I have tried tapping on "Photo" (which de-activates "Pair"), but when tapping "done", it's on both screens again anyway.

Sorry if my question is confusing, but I'm highly frustrated at the moment for something which should be S-I-M-P-L-E.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Apple_Robert]

You need to find the Mars picture on your phone and move it to Photos. Once it is in Photos, you should be able to correctly change the Home Screen picture

Settings > Wallpaper > Go to the screen you want to change and tap on "customize". Look at the bottom of that screen setting and tap on Photo, and pick the photo you want and click on "done."

 

[lindros2]

Go to lock screen. Hold down finger. Choose wallpaper. Set it.
Exit out.
Go to main screen. Hold down finger. Select wallpaper or color. Do not choose “pair”.
Done.

 

[Newbert]

Well, that was easy! (DUH......)

Thanks, guys!

 

[lindros2]

Well, that was easy! (DUH......)

Thanks, guys!

It's not just you.
Took me a couple tries when I originally went through it.
I believe iOS (phone) is a little easier here - i have six different groups of home/lock - whereas on iPad I just have one which I keep screwing up.

 

[TumbleDryer]

Classic contemporary apple software. What should be very simple is spread over various screens, hidden menus and just plain stupid UI decisions.

Apple keep banging on about having things consistent over all devices so they add 'appearance' setting to MacOS then remove it from iOS and its now part of the hidden setting when you hold your finger on the lock screen. Simply saying 'pair' isn't enough information as to what its actually 'pairing' and just looking into this I can't even actually find this 'pair' button. I know it's there because I have used it so Im assuming it only appear when creating a new wallpaper but what do you do if you now want to 'unpair' it?

Horrible horrible UI.

 

[lindros2]

I can't even actually find this 'pair' button. I know it's there because I have used it so Im assuming it only appear when creating a new wallpaper but what do you do if you now want to 'unpair' it?

Horrible horrible UI.

i would have posted the whole screen but... privacy.
Steve Jobs is turning in his grave.

 

[TumbleDryer]

i would have posted the whole screen but... privacy.

Boobs! 😃