Android phones have long had wallpapers that move all the time. An iPhone works differently, and that causes most of the confusion around this topic. You can have a moving wallpaper, but it is a short clip with rules, not a video on a loop.
This guide covers how to set one, how to get a video onto your Lock Screen, and what to check when the wallpaper refuses to move.
What a Live Wallpaper Is on iPhone
On a current iPhone, a live wallpaper is a Live Photo: a still image plus a few seconds of motion and sound captured around it. As a wallpaper, it plays briefly as the Lock Screen wakes, then settles on a still frame.
Three rules follow from that:
- It does not loop. It plays once and stops.
- It is Lock Screen only. The Home Screen shows a still image.
- It needs iOS 17 or later. Apple removed the feature in iOS 16 and brought it back in a different form in iOS 17.
How to Set a Live Photo as Your Wallpaper
1. Touch and hold your Lock Screen until the wallpaper gallery appears.
2. Tap the **plus** button.
3. Tap **Live Photo** in the row at the top.
4. Choose a photo.
5. Adjust the crop, then tap **Add**.
6. Choose whether to use it as a pair with the Home Screen.
You can reach the same place through **Settings**, then **Wallpaper**, then **Add New Wallpaper**. Apple moves labels around between iOS versions, so the wording on your phone may differ slightly.
Lock your phone and wake it to check the result. If you are not sure the clip played, wake it a second time while watching closely, because the motion is short.
How to Turn a Video Into a Live Wallpaper
iOS will not take a normal video as a wallpaper. It has to become a Live Photo first.
Apple's Photos app only does this in the other direction. It can save a Live Photo as a video, but it cannot turn a video into a Live Photo. So you will need a third party converter from the App Store. The process is usually the same:
1. Trim your video down to the best few seconds.
2. Open it in a video to Live Photo converter.
3. Save the result to your library.
4. Follow the steps above.
Before you pay for a converter, read what the free version actually allows, because many of these apps sit behind a subscription. Check that the output is a real Live Photo too. In Photos, a Live Photo shows a LIVE badge.
What Makes a Clip Work Well
A wallpaper plays for a moment behind your clock, so a clip that is great in your camera roll can look messy here.
- Use gentle motion. Water, smoke, clouds, or a person turning their head all read well. Fast cuts do not.
- Hold the phone still. Handheld shake is obvious at this size.
- Leave space for the clock. Keep the subject out of the top third, or at least below the time.
- Choose a good resting frame. Most of the time you will be looking at the still image, so it needs to work alone.
- Shoot vertically. A landscape clip gets cropped heavily. If yours looks too tight, our zoomed in wallpaper fix and wallpaper size guide explain why.
Why Your Live Wallpaper Is Not Moving
Work through these in order:
1. **Turn off Low Power Mode.** Go to Settings, then Battery. Most troubleshooting guides list this first, although reports differ on whether it always blocks the motion.
2. **Turn off Reduce Motion.** It is in Settings, then Accessibility, then Motion.
3. **Check the motion setting in the editor.** Touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize, and look for the Live Photo control in the bottom corner. If motion is off, turn it on.
4. **Look for Motion Not Available.** This means iOS will not animate that specific Live Photo. Older Live Photos have been reported to show it, and Apple does not list exact rules. Try another photo rather than changing more settings.
5. **Add it again.** Delete the wallpaper, restart the phone, and set it up fresh.
If only the depth effect is causing trouble, that is a separate issue. See why the clock will not go behind your wallpaper.
What About Battery?
A wallpaper that plays briefly and then stops costs very little power. Brightness and screen time matter far more. We go through the details in do live wallpapers drain your battery.
If You Do Not Want to Make Your Own
Making a good clip takes some effort, and a ready made one is often quicker. Walpium is our wallpaper app for iPhone, with live wallpapers alongside 4K still images in categories such as aesthetic, dark, nature, abstract and anime. It is free to use, with premium options for exclusive content.
The limits are Apple's, and they apply to Walpium too. A live wallpaper from any app still follows the rules above: Lock Screen only, a brief play, no continuous loop. Be wary of any iPhone app that promises a constantly moving Home Screen, because iOS does not allow it.
The Bottom Line
To make a live wallpaper on iPhone, set a Live Photo through the Lock Screen gallery on iOS 17 or later. For a video, convert it to a Live Photo first.
Expect a short play on the Lock Screen, not a loop. If it does not move, check Low Power Mode, Reduce Motion and the motion setting, then try a different photo.