Not directly. iOS has no “set video as wallpaper” option. The workaround is to turn the video into a Live Photo, a short clip paired with a still, then set it as your lock screen on iOS 17 or later. It plays for a moment each time you wake your iPhone.
Can you set a video as wallpaper on iPhone?
No. Open Settings › Wallpaper and you can choose a photo, a Photo Shuffle set, a Live Photo, or one of Apple’s built-in categories. A video isn’t on that list.
What you can do is convert your video into a Live Photo. Apple does let you use a Live Photo as a Lock Screen wallpaper on iOS 17 and later, so a short Live Photo made from your video is the closest thing to a video wallpaper.
How do you use a video as your lock screen wallpaper?
- Trim the video to 1–3 seconds. Pick the moment you want and trim the clip to 1–3 seconds. Long clips often won’t animate as a wallpaper.
- Save it as a Live Photo. Use an app such as AliveShot to turn the clip into a Live Photo and save it to the Photos app.
- Open the wallpaper settings. On iOS 17 or later, open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap Add New Wallpaper.
- Choose your Live Photo. Tap Photos, then Live Photo, and select the one you just saved.
- Keep the play button on. Adjust the crop if you like, and make sure the play button is on so it plays when you wake your iPhone. Then tap Add.
- Set it as your wallpaper. Tap Set as Wallpaper Pair to use it on the Lock Screen and Home Screen, or tap Customize Home Screen to pick a different Home Screen wallpaper.
Don’t have the Live Photo yet? Our guide to turning a video into a Live Photocovers every method, and the free browser tool lets you trim and preview the clip first.
What are the limits of a video wallpaper?
- It’s a few seconds, not a loop. A Live Photo is a short clip. It plays when you wake your iPhone, then settles on the still cover frame.
- Only the Lock Screen moves. The Home Screen shows the still frame.
- Short clips work best. Trim to 1–3 seconds. See how long a Live Photo can be.
- iOS can refuse a clip. If you see “Motion not available”, the fixes are here.
What other moving wallpapers does iPhone have?
If you don’t need your own footage, these are built in or already in your library:
| Option | What it does | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| Live Photo | Your own short clip plays when you wake the iPhone | iOS 17 or later |
| Weather & Astronomy | Apple wallpapers that reflect current conditions or show views of Earth, the Moon and the solar system | Introduced in iOS 16 |
| Spatial Scene | Adds a 3D effect to a photo on the Lock Screen | iPhone 12 or later, iOS 26 |
| Photo Shuffle | Rotates through photos On Tap, On Lock, Hourly or Daily. It changes the picture rather than animating it | Photos or an album |
Apps in the App Store may advertise “video wallpapers”. Check what they actually save: if the result is a Live Photo, you get the same thing as the steps above.
Frequently asked questions
Can I set a video as my Home Screen wallpaper?
No. Apple’s wallpaper settings offer photos, Photo Shuffle, Live Photos and built-in categories such as Weather & Astronomy, Emoji and Color. Video isn’t one of them, and the Live Photo motion is a Lock Screen feature.
How long can the video be?
Keep it to 1–3 seconds. A camera Live Photo is about 3 seconds long, and longer clips often get “Motion not available” when you try to use them as a wallpaper. Details in How long can a Live Photo be?
Can I use a TikTok or a GIF as my wallpaper?
Yes, the same way: convert it to a Live Photo first. See TikTok to Live Photo and GIF to Live Photo.
Does this work on iOS 16?
Apple’s instructions for a Live Photo Lock Screen wallpaper say iOS 17 or later. On older versions you can still use the Live Photo as a normal still wallpaper, but it won’t animate.
Do I need an app to do this?
You need something that can create the Live Photo, because the Photos app can’t turn a video into one. You can trim and preview the clip first with our free browser tool, then save it as a Live Photo with the AliveShot app.
By the AliveShot team · Last updated