The iPhone’s lock screen is very important to ensure the security of the device. It’s the first thing you interact with when using your iPhone, and it acts as a barrier to protect your personal information from potential intruders.
While it’s designed to hide most of your iPhone’s apps and functions, you can still access some features from the iOS lock screen. Below, the article will cover some useful things that you can do from the iPhone’s lock screen.
It is true that the iPhone is not the most customizable smartphone, especially when compared to Android devices. However, Apple has made significant progress in this area, most notably with iOS 16, which comes with a number of features, including the ability to customize the lock screen.
However, one of the coolest things you can do from your iPhone’s lock screen is change the wallpaper. To achieve this, all you need to do is wake up your iPhone and unlock it with a passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID. Next, long-press the lock screen to open the customization menu at the bottom of the screen. Tap the plus (+) icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to select your wallpaper.
You’ll have several options, including Featured, Icons , and Suggested Photos . After selecting the lock screen wallpaper, you will also have the option to add widgets. Click the ADD WINDUCTS button to select your widgets.
Select the widget you want to add and drag it to the ideal position. Once you’re done, tap the More button in the upper-right corner of your screen and select Set as Wallpaper Pair or Customize Home Screen .
Focus is a handy feature introduced by Apple with iOS 15 that allows you to mute specific notifications for a period of time to avoid distractions. One of the best ways to maximize the Focus feature on your iPhone is to associate specific modes with the lock screen. This reflects your custom settings for that mode when you wake your device, and also allows you to switch between modes from the lock screen.
To get started, you need to edit your iPhone’s Focus settings to take advantage of this feature. Once done, wake and unlock your device and press and hold the lock screen to access the Focus modes. Next, tap the Group icon at the bottom of your lock screen. A pop-up will appear with the Focus modes and you can choose which mode is associated with that lock screen. Press X to close the window.
If you have multiple lock screens, you can follow the same steps to associate different Focus modes with each one. This way, you can select and use specific Focus modes by switching to their respective lock screens – without having to go to the Home screen.
Smartphone notifications can often be a waste of time, distracting you from important work. Fortunately, you can quickly view your notifications without unlocking or accessing your iPhone’s home screen and immerse yourself in a thoughtless scrolling session.
However, you must first adjust your settings to show notification previews – snippets of information that appear on the lock screen, showing the content of the notification without opening it. You can preview notifications from most iPhone apps, including WhatsApp, Gmail, Slack, iMessage, etc.
To show a preview on your lock screen: go to Settings > Notifications > Show preview and select Always to always show preview on Lock screen or When unlocked to show only Show a preview when iPhone is unlocked.
The next thing you can do from your iPhone’s lock screen is access the Control Center. Depending on your settings, you can do it when iPhone is locked or unlocked. This gives you quick access to several common functions, including WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, audio controls, and more. You can also customize the Control Center on your iPhone to add or remove specific features.
All you need to do to access Control Center from the lock screen is wake your iPhone and swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen (or swipe up from the bottom on iPhone with the Home button).
For security reasons, you may want to disable access to Control Center while your iPhone is locked to prevent unauthorized access. To do this, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode , enter your passcode, and turn off the Notification Center option under Allow Access When Locked .
The ability to quickly access the camera from the lock screen is extremely popular among iPhone users, as it allows you to take photos without having to unlock your device. All you need to do is wake up your device, then press and hold the Camera icon in the bottom right corner of the screen or swipe left on the lock screen.
Likewise, you can also access the flashlight from the lock screen when you need a quick light source. Raise your iPhone or tap the screen to wake it up, then press and hold the flashlight icon in the bottom left corner.
The next handy feature accessible directly from the lock screen is Siri. You can use Siri to perform various tasks with your voice. Just say “Hey, Siri” from your Lock Screen and prompt Siri to send a text message, call a friend, add a task to the Reminders app, or create a note in your Notes app, etc. ..
However, consider disabling this feature from the Lock Screen while your device is locked to prevent unauthorized access to it. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode , enter your passcode, and turn off the Siri option under Allow Access When Locked .