How to make a blurred wallpaper from a photo on iPhone

Pick a photo for the screen you want

Decide where you want the softer background. For the Home Screen, use the iPhone setting. For the Lock Screen, choose a photo that already has the appearance you want.

Imagine using a wide photo of hills at dusk. Look for an area you want to keep in the upright frame, such as the band of sky above the ridge. If the part you like gets lost in the preview, choose a different photo before spending time on its appearance.

Apply the built-in Home Screen blur

Apple puts Blur in the Home Screen customization view. You can choose a photo for the Lock Screen first and then customize the background behind your apps.

1. Open Settings, go to Wallpaper and choose the option to add a wallpaper.
2. Choose a photo from Photos, check its framing and tap Add.
3. Open Customize Home Screen and choose the photo background you want to soften.
4. Turn on Blur and finish the Home Screen customization.

Prepare an image with Blurr Blurr

In Blurr Blurr, import a photo from your library and choose one of the listed blur styles. A named style lets you change the appearance of the image before choosing it as wallpaper. The style guide can help if you want to compare several options.

If you have a finished blurred image in Photos, open Wallpaper settings and choose it from there. Select the wallpaper pair option to use it on both screens, or customize the Home Screen separately.

Check the result on the phone

Check the actual screen with its clock, widgets or app icons. In the hills example, see whether the band of sky is still visible and the ridge sits where you expected. If the framing feels off, return to the wallpaper preview and adjust the image.

If the Home Screen looks softer than intended, check whether the Home Screen Blur control is also enabled. Looking at the chosen image in Photos can help you tell where the softness comes from.

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