I’m struggling with deleting a wallpaper on my iPhone running iOS 17. I accidentally set a wallpaper I don’t like and I can’t seem to find the option to remove it. Can someone guide me through the steps to delete it?
Remove wallpaper on iOS 17? It’s like Apple loves making simple tasks complicated with each update. Here’s a quick ‘guide’:
- Unlock your phone and go to the home screen.
- Press and hold on the lock screen wallpaper until the customization screen pops up. iOS loves hiding features with long presses now, brilliant move… not.
- Tap the Customize button at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the first option at the top for Lock Screen.
- Swipe left or right to find the wallpaper you want to delete.
- Tap the trash can icon on the bottom right to delete the current wallpaper.
Because apparently, directly from the settings would have been too easy, right?
Don’t forget to save your changes. This ‘streamlined’ user experience is what you get with iOS. Expect a regular dose of confusion. But hey, at least Apple considers it “intuitive.”
If you want things to be simple, maybe a flip phone is more your speed. Android has its quirks too, but they usually don’t overcomplicate wallpaper changes. This tiny ‘feature’ is just another example of why some people are fed up with iOS.
And yes, you’re welcome.
@techchizkid, you’ve got a point about the long press thing—Apple sure loves to keep us on our toes! Just to add my two cents, there might be a slightly easier method that avoids some of the confusion. Here’s an alternative way to manage your wallpapers:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and select Wallpaper.
- You’ll see your current wallpapers for both the Lock Screen and Home Screen.
- Tap on the Current Wallpaper Preview to customize it.
- This takes you to the same customization screen you mentioned but coming from settings gives some people a better context—call it counter-intuitive, but sometimes it’s easier to find when you go through settings.
- Here, you can swipe through your current wallpapers and when you find the one you don’t like, press and hold on the preview.
- You’ll see the option to delete it similar to what you described, but you’re not coming from the home screen, which for some might feel more straightforward.
And oh, unlike what @techchizkid said, you don’t really need to save any changes—you can just delete the wallpaper and it’ll revert to the default or another wallpaper you’ve set up.
To throw in my small gripe: Apple has a funny way of deciding what’s “intuitive.” I kinda miss the days when everything was more straightforward. But hey, they sure know how to make sleek gadgets!
Lastly, if you’re ever feeling constrained by iOS quirks, consider exploring some wallpaper apps from the App Store. There are a ton of them that simplify the process by offering both customization and setting options directly within the app interface.
Jokes aside, they might save you a bit of toggling back and forth between screens. Good luck!
You know, both @codecrafter and @techchizkid bring up some pretty valid points about the odd choices Apple makes with UI/UX. Just when you think you’ve figured out the most straightforward way to do something, they throw a curveball at you. It’s like a never-ending puzzle, right?
Let me drop my two cents in—kinda straddling the line between their suggestions.
First off, if you’re finding the customization screen tricky, you can always use an app like ‘’ to set and manage wallpapers. Sometimes, these third-party apps are designed with more straightforward navigation and have fewer hidden features. It’s ridiculous that you need an extra app to simplify what should be a basic feature, but here we are.
But if you’re determined to figure this out natively on iOS 17, here’s another way to tackle it:
- Open the Settings app. I know, techchizkid already kinda referenced it, but bear with me—it’s a calmer route.
- Scroll down and tap on Wallpaper.
- You should see thumbnails of your current Lock Screen and Home Screen wallpapers. Tap on the one labeled Lock Screen.
- Here’s where you get a bit more intuitive access. iOS 17 allows you to press and hold the wallpaper preview directly in settings (since apparently, simple edits need hidden menus to give you the Apple vibe).
- After holding for a moment, you’ll see an option to Delete Wallpaper.
Here’s a slight bone to pick: Both the long-press and the direct settings methods have their pros and cons. The home-screen press-and-hold is a bit quicker if you’re already on your screen, while the settings route is straightforward but requires a few extra clicks.
Also, there’s another little random workaround if you still can’t stand the UI changes:
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Change the Wallpaper to Something Neutral Before Deleting:
- Go to Photos, find an image you don’t mind temporarily.
- Tap on the Share button, then select Use as Wallpaper.
- Apply it for both the Lock Screen and Home Screen.
- Now, head back to Settings > Wallpaper, and you’ll have an easier time removing it because you’ve “reset” to something you manually selected.
Now, let’s harp a little on why this even needs to be a discussion. It genuinely feels like Apple is making these “discoverable” features for the sake of sophistication. While I get that certain power-user features should be tucked away, deleting a wallpaper should not be a scavenger hunt.
On to another contentious topic! Sometimes, Apple doesn’t entirely remove the previous wallpaper when you delete it—it might revert to a default image you had before your last change. So after deleting, you might notice your old wallpaper pop up. If this happens, just go with the temporary neutral option I mentioned above and try deleting again.
Also, if you’re considering a change of OS because of these small annoyances, Android does typically handle customization in a more user-friendly way. But switching platforms isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you’re entrenched in the Apple ecosystem with, say, an Apple Watch, AirPods, and preferably an Apple-fan subscription.
Lastly, considering wallpapers, for some real zen, look into the Focus mode settings. You can link different wallpapers to specific Focus modes (like Work, Sleep, Personal). It is somewhat useful; you can have different wallpapers cycle through without manually switching them. It’s like your phone’s attempting to multi-task, albeit with quirks.
To wrap this up, each step has what seems like an equal share of pros and cons. Use a method that feels more natural to you, even if it means going through settings every single time. This way, you’ll become so accustomed that muscle memory will take over!
Good luck navigating the quirks of iOS 17 – it’s an adventure for sure. 