iOS 26 appears set to take that concept further by introducing animated artwork that fills the entire Lock Screen, making album covers and other visuals more dynamic and engaging.

Animated album art was already visible in the Apple Music app for many popular songs, and now it has come to the Lock Screen for the first time. Not all songs have animated artwork, but the ...

Of course, users will have to wait until the public release of iOS 26 for third-party apps in the App Store to be able to use this new API and show full-bleed animated art on the lock screen.

Lock Screen images can also now appear more animated with an AI-powered 3D effect, which Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi described as “bringing favorite memories to life.” As ...

With iOS 26, Apple Music users can tap the album art on the Lock Screen to expand it. If the track includes animated artwork, the image starts moving in real time.

Live wallpapers are animated images that come to life when you press and hold your iPhone’s lock screen. Unlike static backgrounds, these wallpapers add movement and personality to your device.