Changing your screensaver on your phone is a great way to customize and personalize your device. Your screensaver shows up when your phone is idle or locked, so choosing one that you enjoy looking at can make using your phone a more enjoyable experience. Changing your screensaver is usually very simple and straightforward. The exact steps may vary slightly depending on whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, but the general process is quite similar.
What is a screensaver?
A screensaver is an image, slideshow, or animation that appears on your phone’s screen when the device is idle or locked. The original purpose of screensavers was to prevent screen burn-in on old CRT and early LCD monitors and televisions. However, today’s modern LCD and OLED screens are not susceptible to burn-in, so screensavers are used primarily for entertainment and visual personalization.
When your phone is idle after a certain period of time, the screensaver will automatically start up. The screensaver remains on until you unlock your phone. Typical screensaver content includes landscape images, nature photos, abstract art, animated graphics, and more. Screensavers for smartphones may also display useful information like the time, date, and battery percentage.
Why change your screensaver?
Here are some common reasons you may want to change your screensaver:
- Customization – Choose a screensaver that reflects your personality and style.
- New background – If you’re tired of your current screensaver, changing it up can give you something fresh to look at.
- Battery info – Some animated screensavers can show battery percentage and time.
- Fun – You can pick a screensaver that makes you smile every time you see it.
- Favorites – Use screenshots of your favorite photos as your background.
- Memories – Screensavers can display vacation photos and important life moments.
- Themes – Find a screensaver that matches a theme like nature, movies, art, etc.
- Occasions – Mark holidays and events with festive, seasonal screensavers.
Switching up your screensaver from time to time is an easy way to change the look and feel of your phone. It can lift your mood, reflect the season, highlight your interests, and give you a fresh glimpse of your world each time you unlock your device.
How to change your iPhone screensaver
Changing the screensaver on an iPhone is very simple. Follow these steps:
- Go to your iPhone’s Settings.
- Scroll down and tap “Wallpaper”.
- Tap “Choose a New Wallpaper”.
- Select if you want a screensaver or home screen wallpaper.
- Pick from the list of built-in wallpapers or tap an album to select a photo.
- Pinch and zoom on the image to set the positioning.
- Tap “Set” to assign the wallpaper as your new screensaver.
Your new wallpaper should now be set as your iPhone’s screensaver. When your phone is locked or goes idle, you’ll see your new wallpaper background.
Here are some additional tips for customizing your iPhone screensaver:
- You can use any photo from your Camera Roll as a screensaver. Just select “Camera Roll” or “Albums” instead of the built-in options.
- To set a Live Photo as your wallpaper, turn on the Live switch when selecting the image.
- Drag the image around to get the desired part of the photo as your wallpaper.
- The Perspective Zoom toggle will let you set a depth effect on photos.
- Tap on the image preview to see it fullscreen before setting it.
Take the time to explore all the built-in wallpaper options in the Wallpaper settings. There are abstract patterns, colorful gradients, scenic images, and more to choose from. You can even have the wallpaper automatically change to showcase a new photo each day.
How to change your Android screensaver
Customizing your Android screensaver is also quite easy. Here are the steps:
- Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
- Tap “Display” or “Wallpaper & display”.
- Tap “Wallpaper” or “Advanced”>”Wallpaper”.
- Choose “Home screen”, “Lock screen” or both.
- Select a preloaded background or tap “Photos” to pick an image.
- Pick the image you want. Crop it or make any other edits.
- Tap “Set wallpaper” to assign it as your new background.
Your new wallpaper should now be active on your chosen screens. The screensaver will appear when your phone is locked or in sleep mode.
Some additional Android screensaver tips:
- You can use live wallpapers that have animations and visual effects.
- Some apps like Google Photos let you directly set a photo as your wallpaper.
- Check for a “Wallpapers” app on your phone for more advanced editing.
- Swipe through your photo gallery to preview images before selecting.
- Tap “My Photos” to choose images from your Google Photos library.
Take a look through all the dynamic live wallpaper options on your Android. You can find interactive backgrounds with rippling water, floating particles, color streaks, and more. There are also live wallpapers based on your favorite games and entertainment franchises.
Best practices for choosing a screensaver
When selecting a new screensaver for your phone, keep these tips in mind:
- Resolution – Choose images with a high resolution that matches your display.
- Orientation – Use portrait images for portrait mode and landscape for landscape.
- Visibility – Make sure details are clear and text/logos are readable.
- Size – Wallpapers cropped too small may tile and repeat.
- Brightness – Very bright or dark images could strain your eyes.
- Theme – Pick a wallpaper that suits your style and personality.
- Meaning – Use wallpapers that are memorable and meaningful.
- Freshness – Change it up periodically to keep things looking new.
Think about when your screensaver will be on display. If it will be shown publicly, make sure it is appropriate. Choose visually appealing wallpapers that will brighten your mood and refresh your mental state when you glimpse them.
Troubleshooting tips
If you are having issues setting or viewing your chosen screensaver, try the following troubleshooting tips:
- Restart your phone after changing the wallpaper.
- Check that the image is saved in your photo gallery.
- Make sure your phone software is up-to-date.
- Toggle your screen rotation to test if orientation is the issue.
- For custom images, reduce the file size and simplify details.
- Clear your phone’s caches and history to free up resources.
- Make sure your phone is not in battery saver mode.
- Temporarily use a default built-in wallpaper to test.
- Check that your phone screen is working properly in other apps.
If problems persist, search online for your specific phone and wallpaper issues. There may be known bugs that have solutions. You can also try contacting your device manufacturer for additional support.
Conclusion
Personalizing your smartphone with an attractive, interesting screensaver is a fun way to add your own unique touch. Both iPhone and Android make it very simple to customize your lock screen and backgrounds. Take a few minutes to browse through the collections of dynamic and static wallpapers to find one that really speaks to you. The right screensaver can turn the experience of using your phone into a delightful visual treat each time you interact with your device.
