Best Live Wallpaper Apps for iPhone
Looking for animated lock screens? Here are the best live wallpaper apps for iPhone, how iOS handles motion backgrounds, and which app fits your setup.
Live wallpapers add subtle motion to your lock screen, and on modern iPhones they animate when you tap the display. The catch is that iOS has changed how it treats motion backgrounds over the years, and not every app handles it cleanly. This round-up covers the apps that do live wallpapers well, plus the honest trade-offs of each.
We make one of these apps, so take that as disclosure. Where a competitor handles something better, we say so.
What makes a good live wallpaper app
- Smooth playback with no stutter when you press and hold the lock screen.
- Proper looping so the animation cycles seamlessly rather than jumping.
- iPhone-sized framing that respects the clock and Depth Effect rather than getting cropped awkwardly.
- A maker, not just a gallery if you want to turn your own videos into live wallpapers.
- Battery sensibility — motion backgrounds use a little more power, so good apps keep loops efficient.
If you are unsure whether live wallpapers still work on your model, our explainer on whether live wallpapers are still supported covers the iOS history.
The apps
Wallpaper Hub — best for making and setting live wallpapers
Wallpaper Hub’s live wallpaper feature is built around iPhone framing: loops are sized for the lock screen and play smoothly when you tap to wake. Because it is an all-in-one, you can also generate a background with the AI generator, refine it in the editor, and set it as a live wallpaper without switching apps. It is free with Premium ($5.99/week or $49.99/year) and around 4.6 stars. The honest caveat: a dedicated live-only app may offer a few more niche motion presets.
intoLive — best dedicated live wallpaper maker
intoLive is the specialist’s pick. It is built specifically to convert videos, GIFs, and photo bursts into live wallpapers, with fine control over trim points, speed, and loop behavior. If your single goal is turning your own clips into motion backgrounds, it is excellent and does that one job better than most generalists.
Zedge — biggest catalog, live included
Zedge’s enormous cross-platform library includes animated options alongside its static wallpapers and ringtones. The breadth is the appeal, but the free experience is ad-supported and live-specific quality varies. See Wallpaper Hub vs Zedge.
Vellum — beautiful, but static only
Vellum deserves a mention precisely because it does not do live wallpapers. Its curation of static backgrounds is superb and the UI is polished, so if you discover you actually prefer crisp still images, it is the better choice. Just know it has no motion, AI, or editor. Details in Wallpaper Hub vs Vellum.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Make your own | Catalog | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper Hub | All-in-one + live | Yes | Curated 4K | Free + Premium |
| intoLive | Dedicated live maker | Yes | N/A | Free + paid |
| Zedge | Largest catalog | Limited | Huge | Free, ad-supported |
| Vellum | Static curation | No | Curated | Free + paid |
How to choose
- Want to convert your own videos into live wallpapers? intoLive is the focused specialist.
- Want live wallpapers plus AI, editing, and a curated library in one app? Wallpaper Hub.
- Want the widest selection and don’t mind ads? Zedge.
- Realize you prefer crisp static images? Vellum.
A practical note: live wallpapers use slightly more battery than static ones because the screen animates on wake. It is usually negligible, but our piece on whether live wallpapers drain battery explains the real-world impact.
FAQ
Do live wallpapers work on every iPhone? Support has shifted across iOS versions. Most modern iPhones can play animated lock screens that move on tap, but check our support explainer for the details.
Can I make a live wallpaper from my own video? Yes. intoLive specializes in this, and Wallpaper Hub’s live wallpaper tool supports it alongside its other features.
Do live wallpapers hurt battery life? Only marginally. The animation runs briefly when you wake the screen, not continuously.
If you want live wallpapers in the same place as AI generation and an editor, Get Wallpaper Hub on the App Store.