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How to Set a Live Wallpaper on iPhone (Live Photo): Step-by-Step Lock Screen Guide

on 2 months ago

📱 Ultimate Guide to iPhone Live Wallpapers: Step-by-Step to Bring Your Screen to Life

Have you ever captured a memorable moment with Live Photo on your iPhone?
When you swipe through your pictures and see those few seconds of motion, it’s pure magic.

Even better — you can set these Live Photos as Live Wallpapers,
so your lock screen comes alive every time you wake your phone.

In this guide we’ll cover:

  • What Live Wallpapers can do and their limitations
  • A detailed step-by-step on how to set a Live Photo as a Live Wallpaper
  • How to fix “Motion Not Available” issues
  • Pro tips for capturing and using Live Wallpapers

Whether you’re new to iOS or a long-time user, you can follow these steps to get it done.

📌 Compatible Devices and System Requirements

Before you start, make sure:

  • You have an iPhone that supports Live Photo (iPhone 6s or later)
  • Your iOS version is 11 or higher (latest version recommended for best experience)
  • Live Wallpapers only animate on the Lock Screen,
    the Home Screen will display a still image

💡 Note: Live Photo is an Apple camera mode that records 3 seconds of motion and sound before and after you tap the shutter.

🛠 Before You Begin

  1. Open the Camera app
  2. Ensure the Live Photo icon (three concentric circles) at the top of the screen is yellow (ON)
  3. Choose a scene with some movement, such as:
    • Flowing water
    • Swaying leaves
    • A pet running
  4. After shooting, check that the LIVE badge appears on the photo thumbnail

📋 Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Select a Live Photo

  1. Open the Photos app
  2. Find and open the Live Photo you want to set as your wallpaper
  3. Tap the Share button (square with an upward arrow) in the lower left

Open Live Photo

Step 2: Access Wallpaper Settings

  1. In the menu, scroll down and tap Use as Wallpaper

Choose Use as Wallpaper

Step 3: Enable Live Photo Effect

  1. In the wallpaper preview screen
  2. Ensure the Live Photo toggle at the bottom is ON (yellow icon means it’s enabled)

Enable Live Photo

Step 4: Apply Wallpaper

  1. Tap Add in the upper right corner
  2. Choose:
    • Set Lock Screen
    • Set Home Screen
    • Set Both

Remember: The animation will only show on the Lock Screen.

Set Wallpaper

❗ Troubleshooting: Motion Not Available

Sometimes you might see this warning:

Motion Not Available
Motion is not available for this Live Photo.

Motion Not Available

Possible Causes

  1. Live Photo mode was OFF when shooting
  2. The photo has been edited into a still image
  3. Low Power Mode is enabled (this disables certain animations)
  4. iOS version is too old, or there’s a temporary system glitch

Solutions

  • Make sure Live Photo mode is turned on when shooting
  • Use the original unedited Live Photo
  • Turn off Low Power Mode
  • Restart your iPhone or update to the latest iOS

💡 Pro Tips

  • Scene choice: Motion effects look best in scenes with visible movement,
    such as falling petals, a running pet, or ocean waves
  • Camera stability: Keep the camera steady before and during the shot to avoid blur
  • Composition: Leave space in the frame so the clock and widgets don’t cover key visuals
  • Sound matters: Live Photo records audio — consider your environment
  • Enhancement tools: Use LivePhoto.video to enhance or convert your Live Photos

🎯 Conclusion

With just four steps, you can make your iPhone lock screen come alive:

  1. Choose the right Live Photo
  2. Go into wallpaper settings
  3. Enable Live Photo mode
  4. Apply it to your Lock Screen

If you see “Motion Not Available”, use the troubleshooting checklist to bring it back.

Now go through your gallery and turn your favorite moments into a lock screen.
Every time you unlock your phone, you'll relive those precious seconds.