What Happened To Live Wallpapers On iPhone? Why Apple Got Rid Of The Feature
What Happened To Live Wallpapers On iPhone? Why Apple Got Rid Of The Feature
https://www.bgr.com/2132229/why-apple-removed-live-wallpapers-iphone/
Publish Date: 2026-03-31 17:47:00
Source Domain: www.bgr.com
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When Apple first introduced live wallpapers years ago, the feature became a hit with many users. The functionality was long missing from iPhones, and its introduction felt like a much-needed addition. Live wallpapers brought static images to life with a long press. But if you’ve tried setting live wallpapers on newer iPhones or iOS versions, you might have noticed the feature is missing. That’s because Apple removed live wallpapers from iPhones.
Although the removal didn’t make sense to many users, it appears to have been done to streamline lock screen customizations. Since the Apple Watch already utilized the same long-press gesture for customizations that the iPhone used for live wallpapers, Apple phased out the latter for a unified experience. So while it may feel like Apple quietly got rid of a great feature, there’s a lot more to the story, and it plays a critical role in the overall user experience.
Apple prioritized lock screen customizations
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Apple’s decision to move away from live wallpapers in iOS 16 didn’t happen in isolation. It was a…
