Five Wallpaper Apps to Check Out for iOS 16's New Lock Screen Depth Effect

One of the biggest new features in iOS 16 is a completely redesigned iPhone Lock Screen. The new Lock Screen is entirely customizable, letting you change the colors and fonts, add widgets and new wallpapers, and more to make your ‌iPhone‌ uniquely yours.

iOS 16 Wallpaper Spectrum Feature
Of course, even before iOS 16, you could customize your Lock Screen with a wallpaper of your choice. iOS 16 takes the Lock Screen wallpaper experience even further by introducing a new effect to images. With iOS 16, users can choose a new multilayered effect for wallpapers so that the subject of the photos is set in front of the time, creating a depth effect.

iOS 16 will automatically suggest wallpaper photos for you based on your own personal Photos library, but some users may want even more choices. To help, we've rounded up five apps to check out that offer wallpapers that work with iOS 16's new Lock Screen depth effect.

Note: All apps are free to download and use, but most offer in-app purchases for an ad-free experience and to unlock premium wallpapers.

In addition to new depth effect wallpapers, users can customize the font and color of the time and date on the Lock Screen. Additionally, users can now add widgets to their Lock Screen, offering timely information without needing to unlock their phone. A growing number of third-party apps have introduced iOS 16 Lock Screen widget support, and you can check some of the early additions in our guide.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4: Here Are 5 New Features to Expect on Your iPhone

Tuesday September 16, 2025 11:17 am PDT by
iOS 26 was finally released on Monday, but the software train never stops, and the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 will likely be released soon. iOS 18.1 was an anomaly, as the first developer beta of that version was released in late July last year, to allow for early testing of Apple Intelligence features. The first betas of iOS 15.1, iOS 16.1, and iOS 17.1 were all released in the second ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Apple's Rumored MacBook Pro Redesign: 6 New Features Anticipated

Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:26 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small ...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26 Glass Feature

iOS 26: The Top 100 New Features and Changes

Tuesday September 16, 2025 12:26 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26 on September 15, and it's now available for all iPhone users with a compatible device. There are a lot of changes and features to learn about, so if you want a quick, easy-to-read list that outlines what's new, we've got you covered. Design Liquid Glass design that reflects light and refracts what's underneath. It's system wide, with dynamic tab bars and toolbars...
ios 26 liquid glass dark mode

iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design Makes App Icons Look Crooked, Report Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 4:55 am PDT by
iOS 26's new Liquid Glass interface has been criticized for making some content illegible in certain circumstances, and now the UI design is reportedly causing another unusual visual problem for some users. Liquid Glass adds subtle glowing effects to the corners of app icons, creating a dynamic glass-like appearance with depth and parallax effects. However, as noted by Gizmodo, this design...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...

Top Rated Comments

Pro_the_legend Avatar
39 months ago
I miss the device exclusive wallpapers…
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nikhsub1 Avatar
39 months ago
These type of apps I avoid like the plague. Call me crazy.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AbSoluTc Avatar
39 months ago
Unless MR can validate and guarantee these apps for it's user base, they should not be recommending them. These types of apps are riddled with ads, spam, in app purchases and other junk. I stay very far away.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
39 months ago
You had me at Cats.

?????

P.S. Don't judge me people!!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jcshas Avatar
39 months ago

I miss the device exclusive wallpapers…
Me too. I wish Apple would not have eliminated my entire wallpaper gallery when I upgraded to iOS 16.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeoStructural Avatar
39 months ago
I need that cat wallpaper right now!!! ?

I would take the cat too.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)