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iOS 17: How to delete a wallpaper on your iPhone

Over the years, Apple has made significant changes to how to customize wallpapers on iPhones. Currently, you can create wallpapers in pairs for both the home screen and lock screen of your iPhone. You can also add widgets to wallpapers and automatically activate a Focus mode when specific lock screens are in use.

Unfortunately, these features are somewhat difficult to use, and the process of deleting a wallpaper is confusing. This guide will help alleviate that confusion and make doing so a breeze

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • An iPhone with iOS 16 or iOS 17

Ever since iOS 16 was released, Apple has included a highly customizable feature that allows you to personalize the look of your home and lock screens. This feature, not loved by all, offers a variety of built-in backgrounds, and you can import images as well. Once you’ve created your desired wallpaper combinations, they can be accessed under the Wallpaper feature in the iPhone Settings app. However, this isn’t where you go to delete those wallpaper combinations.

How to delete a wallpaper on your iPhone.
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How to delete a wallpaper on your iPhone

To delete a wallpaper on your iPhone, you'll need to use the phone's long-press feature and follow additional instructions.

Step 1: To get started, lock your phone. The easiest way to do so is by pressing on the side button (on newer iPhones) or the top button (on older models).

A screenshot showing how to lock the screen on a late model iPhone.
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Step 2: With your iPhone locked, long press on the home screen.

Step 3: From this screen, go back and forth and see the installed wallpapers. Choose the one you wish to delete.

A screenshot showing how to swipe between wallpapers on iPhone.
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Step 4: Swipe up, then tap the delete icon. Confirm by tapping Delete This Wallpaper.

Screenshot showing how to delete a wallpaper on an iPhone.
Digital Trends

Deleting a wallpaper on your iPhone requires following a few simple steps that starts with locking your phone. Once you do this, you'll be done in just a few minutes.

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Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
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