When Apple released iOS 16, it introduced some major changes to the Lock Screen experience, including the ability for users to make their iPhone wallpaper shuffle between a pre-selected set of photos with a simple tap of the screen.

lock screen photo shuffle
Using the Photo Shuffle option, you can include different categories of photos to tap through, including people, pets, nature, and cities. Or if you want, you can manually select the photos that you want to include in the shuffle individually.

The first series of steps below show you how to set up a Lock Screen wallpaper photo shuffle based on preselected categories. The second set of steps explains how to manually select the photos you want to include. Keep reading to learn how it's done.

How to Make a Lock Screen Photo Shuffle With Categories

  1. Wake your ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock it, then press and hold on the Lock Screen until the wallpaper gallery appears.
  2. Tap the circular blue + button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  3. Tap Photo Shuffle in the top row of the "Add New Wallpaper" menu.
  4. Check/uncheck the types of photos from your library that you want to include/exclude in the shuffle. (You can tap X People... to select individual persons to include.)
  5. Tap Shuffle Frequency -> On Tap.
  6. Tap Use Featured Photos.

shuffle featured

The next screen allows you to change the font style of the clock display and add optional widgets. Simply tap the frames around the different elements to make changes/additions to your photo shuffle Lock Screen.

shuffle
Tap the screen to preview the photos in your shuffle. You can also pinch the screen to zoom the image. If you see one that you'd rather not include, tap the ellipsis icon (three encircled dots) in the bottom-right corner of the screen and select Don't Feature Photo.

If there's a set of photos that you decide you don't want included (pets, for example) tap the Shuffle Categories button in the bottom-left corner and uncheck the ones you want to leave out. You can also swipe left and right to preview filters that can be applied to your photos.

shuffle
When you're happy with your new shuffle Lock Screen, tap Add in the top-right corner, then select either Set as Wallpaper Pair or Customize Home Screen. If you chose the former option, simply tap the Lock Screen you just created to make it go live. If you chose the latter option, you'll be taken to a set of tools that let you change your Home Screen wallpaper's color and gradient independently, or even select a different image for it entirely. When you're finished customizing, tap Done in the top-right corner.

How to Make a Lock Screen Photo Shuffle Manually

  1. Wake your ‌‌iPhone‌‌ and use ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ to unlock it.
  2. Press and hold on the Lock Screen until the wallpaper gallery appears.
  3. Tap the circular blue + button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  4. Tap Photo Shuffle in the top row of the "Add New Wallpaper" menu.
  5. Tap Select Photos Manually at the bottom of the screen.
    shuffle

  6. Use the options at the top to select photo types or specific albums, or type a search term into the search field to narrow down the selection.
  7. Tap the photos that you want to include in the shuffle so that a blue check mark appears in the corner of each image.
  8. When you're finished choosing photos, tap Add in the top-right corner.shuffle

The next screen allows you to change the font style of the clock display and add optional widgets. Simply tap the frames around the different elements to make changes/additions to your photo shuffle Lock Screen.

shuffle
Tap the screen to preview the photos in your shuffle. You can also pinch the screen to zoom the image. If you decide that you don't want to include a particular photo after all, tap the Photos icon in the bottom-left corner, then tap Select. Tap the image you want to remove, then tap the trash icon in the bottom-left corner. Tap Done to finish.

shuffle
When you're happy with your new shuffle Lock Screen, tap Add in the top-right corner, then select either Set as Wallpaper Pair or Customize Home Screen. If you chose the former option, simply tap the Lock Screen you just created to make it go live. If you chose the latter option, you'll be taken to a set of tools that let you change your ‌Home Screen‌ wallpaper's color and gradient independently, or even select a different image for it entirely. When you're finished customizing, tap Done in the top-right corner.

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...