Live Photo wallpapers bring a touch of animation and personal flair to your iPhone’s lock screen. Instead of a static image, you can have a short, moving moment greet you every time you check your phone. But how do you actually play these live photo wallpapers and get them working? This guide will walk you through the simple steps to set up and activate your live photo wallpapers, ensuring your lock screen is anything but boring.
First, let’s clarify what a Live Photo wallpaper is. It’s essentially a Live Photo – a feature on iPhones that captures a few seconds of motion and sound along with a still image – set as your lock screen background. When activated, it animates briefly, adding a dynamic element to your device.
Here’s how to set a Live Photo as your wallpaper and get it to play:
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Navigate to Wallpaper Settings: Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap on Wallpaper.
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Choose a New Wallpaper: Tap on Choose a New Wallpaper. This will take you to your wallpaper selection screen.
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Select Your Live Photo: In the wallpaper selection screen, you have a few options.
- Tap on Live: This section should display Apple’s pre-installed Live wallpapers.
- Tap on Live Photos: Alternatively, scroll down and tap on the Live Photos album. This album contains all the Live Photos you’ve taken with your iPhone camera. You may need to wait a moment for your photos to load if you have a large library.
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Pick Your Favorite Live Photo: Browse through your Live Photos and select the one you want to use as your wallpaper.
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Set it as Lock Screen Wallpaper: After selecting a Live Photo, you’ll see a preview. At the bottom of the screen, tap Set. You’ll then be presented with three choices:
- Set Lock Screen: This will set the Live Photo only as your lock screen wallpaper.
- Set Home Screen: This will set the still frame of the Live Photo as your home screen wallpaper (it won’t be live on the home screen).
- Set Both: This option sets the Live Photo as your lock screen wallpaper and the still frame as your home screen wallpaper. Choose Set Lock Screen or Set Both to use the live photo animation.
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Activate Your Live Photo Wallpaper: Now, for the crucial step to play your live photo wallpaper. Go to your lock screen. Simply touch and hold your finger on the lock screen. Press and hold firmly on the image, and your Live Photo wallpaper will animate and play! If you just tap, it will not play; you must press and hold.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Not Animating? Ensure you are pressing and holding on the lock screen, not just tapping. Also, double-check that you selected “Live Photo” and not “Still” when setting the wallpaper.
- Still Not Working? Restart your iPhone. Sometimes a simple restart can resolve minor software glitches that might prevent the Live Photo wallpaper from working correctly.
- Black Bar or Offset Issue? Some users have reported a black bar or offset display with certain Live Photos, as pictured above. This can sometimes be related to the specific Live Photo’s dimensions or a software quirk. Try a different Live Photo to see if the issue persists. Ensure your iPhone’s software is up to date, as Apple often releases updates that fix bugs.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully set and play Live Photo wallpapers on your iPhone, adding a personal and dynamic touch to your lock screen experience. Experiment with different Live Photos to find the perfect animated background for your device!
