Wallpaper Turns Black On iPhone In iOS 16? (Fixed?)
Last updated on January 27th, 2023 at 01:59 am
Posted in Errors and Issues by Patricia on October 30, 2022Wallpaper turns black on iPhone after iOS 16 update? Both Lock Screen and Home Screen backgrounds unexpectedly go black even after the iOS 16.1 release? Apps continue to show up normally but the predefined wallpaper is missing?
Wallpaper Turns Black In iOS 16?
This error has been reported by Mattie (iPhone XR) in the comments section of our iOS 16.1 review page:
“The background of the home and Lock Screen have turned black. Icons are still visible.”
and confirmed by Dawn (iPhone 12):
“Same thing is happening to me. Black screen. Sometimes I get it back but then turns black again.”
We couldn’t replicate the issue but have found similar complaints on Reddit ever since the early iOS 16 beta test stages:
“I can’t change my wallpaper anymore and its black all the time.”
How To Fix Black Wallpaper Error
A temporary fix requires you to reboot your iPhone. Wallpaper displays normally after the restart but the issue might reoccur sooner or later.
Tip: We recommend you to apply the force restart combo for quicker results.
(Update, January 20)
2. Update To iOS 16.3
According to the release notes, Apple has fixed the black Lock Screen bug in iOS 16.3:
Important: iOS 16.3 has been released! Please update and comment if the black Lock Screen wallpaper still shows up!
Workaround For Black Wallpaper Issue
According to numerous reports we received from our readers, it appears that this problem is only occurring when one or more photos are used as background.
1. First, try to change the picture and see if it makes any difference. If the image is too old and stored in iCloud, the bug could prevent iOS 16 from properly accessing it and render it as wallpaper.
Tip: What also works is to resend the old photo is possible from your old iPhone via AirDrop, or another computer using email attachments.
2. If that doesn’t work, change the wallpaper style completely and avoid using photos, until Apple releases a software update that fixes this bug. You can go for: Collections, Color, Weather or more listed here.
Update For iOS 16 Black Wallpaper Issue
Thanks to the impressive feedback we got in the comments section we could pinpoint the problem even further. Apparently, old photos used as wallpaper are triggering the black background.
You can fix this, if you resend the old photo to your iPhone and save it in the Photos app. You can do it either via AirDrop from and older device, or from any other computer as mail attachment!
Once the photo is saved in Recents assign it again as Lock Screen and Home Screen wallpaper! Does it work?
iOS 16 Black Wallpaper Video Fix
The above fixes are showcased in this YouTube video:
Are you still experiencing this black background problem in iOS 16? Confirm it in the comments please. Do mention your iPhone model and the type of wallpaper that your device is using when the issue occurs.
Fact: We’ve reported this problem to Apple. Feedback number is FB11736569. We’ll keep you updated if we receive any reply or if a fix is in progress for the upcoming software update.
Let’s hope that Apple will fix this error in the upcoming software update!
Related: For more iOS 16.1 issues and available workarounds please check our extended review.
Yep, having the same wallpaper bug. iOS 16.1
Are you using photos as wallpaper?
Yes custom photo from my photos actually taken with my last iPhone.
Same here . Iphone 12
Yes – using older photos which I’d like to keep but screen keeps going black!
Resend image from another device if available and create a new Lock Screen with the fresh received pic.
I’ve followed advice of re-downloading a photo. Lock Screen is fine but on other screens photo is completely fuzzed out.
Apps are ok
iPhone 14 and this problem started after I updated to iOS 16.3. Happens about once every 2 days. Very annoying. It wasn’t a problem before iOS 16.3, with just iOS 16
Does 16.4 or 16.4.1 help?
I started facing this issue after a week post upgrading to 16.1
Me too…
iOS 16.1.1 is available with bug fixes. Does it help?
Yes, having the same problem. I’m using a photo, I have rebooted several times. It does come back but only for a few minutes. I have iPhone XR
Me too – not so old photo taken with my previous iPhone – and I can’t get even a recent photo to ‘stick’. Annoying!
I have the issue with my iPhone 12 running iOS 16.3. I fixed the issues by doing firstly a hard reboot, and then when the background picture appears, to hold my finger on it until the “customise” option comes up, and then click “done”. Since doing that, my background picture has not gone away again. Good luck!
Yes I have this issue, wallpaper turns black.
iPhone 13 Pro Max
IOS 16.1
The wallpaper and lock screen goes black.
Each is a family photo.
Reboot brings them back for a little while.
What is interesting is they have been set for many years and generations of iPhones. And I cannot find these two pictures in my camera roll. I even connected to my PC and imported all pictures from my iPhone to PC and they are not there. Not sure where the iPhone is storing them.
Hmm. That’s a good find. They must be stored somewhere on iCloud and that could be the trigger of the issue. Try to change wallpaper to a different type, not photos? Does it still go black?
Same issue here , it gets tiring to reboot reboot reboot….started out just occasionally now it’s multiple times a day!
iPhone 13, 16.1 update added a few days ago. Woke up to black Lock Screen and main screen today. Did a restart, main screen wallpaper came back. Lock Screen still black.
Are you using a photo as wallpaper?
Same issue losing wallpaper but only on the Lock Screen. Home Screen wallpaper is fine and it’s the same image. Reboot returns the Lock Screen Wallpaper but issue recurs after a while.
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iOS 16.1
Try to switch from photo wallpaper to another type. Does it still happen?
Same here. Started with update to 16.1 from 16.
Thanks for reporting. What type of wallpaper are you using?
Iphone Xs Just updated yesterday to 16.1 and am having the same issue. Reboot only works temporarily. I use a photo as my background from photos I’ve taken. I do not have shuffle on nor battery saving mode. Very frustrated!
Thanks for reporting. It seems that photo wallpapers are the trigger. Can you change wallpaper type and see if you’re getting the same?
I am having the same issue. No matter what I do I have black screens for both lock screen and wallpaper.
What type of wallpaper are you using?
Having same issue on iPhone 13 mini since iOS 16.1 update. Had a photo wallpaper. It returns after reboot but not for long.
Ok. It seems that photo wallpapers are affected. Can you try to change to a different type of wallpaper and see if it helps?
Same here on iPhone 12 ever since iOS 16.1. Home Screen wallpaper goes black and sometimes so does Lock Screen. Forced reboot usually fixes it for a while but sometimes a second reboot is needed. And, sometimes wallpaper comes back after reboot and disappears in minutes; other times reboot fixes for a day or two.
What type of wallpaper are you using as background?
I have iPhone 13 pro and updated to IOS 16.1. Look screen was fine but Home Screen was black. Shut off phone and restarted Home Screen came back momentarily then back to black. Had my cat’s photo as wallpaper.
Thanks for the feedback. So it seems that users affected by this are using photos as wallpaper. Can you change your wallpaper please to something else and let us know if it makes a difference?
Same for me. Upgraded to iOS 16.1 last week then a few days later, from 29th Oct the wallpaper has been black on my XR. Managed to get it to reboot yesterday but it won’t work today, goes back to black. I was using a personal picture, not a library wallpaper.
Thanks for the feedback. Is there any chance that you might have deleted that photo in the meantime from the CameraRoll?
Since updating my iPhone 11 Pro keeps giving black screens, I turn off and back on and it’s ok then goes black again , the update was a ios16.1
What wallpaper are you using? Does it make a difference if you change the wallpaper?
My wife was having this same issue with her iPhone 11 Pro Max. Issue started when she went from 16 to 16.1. I was able to go into Wallpaper and added a new Wallpaper (picture from Photos) and it then worked properly. This also resolved the issue that she was having with Dark Mode showing up when her preferred Light Mode Appearance was checked. Lots of frustration for her with upgrading her phone to iOS 16, but hopefully this takes care of those 2 issues.
Update to above. It went back to black screen and black wallpaper. Went back in and changed picture and set as current wallpaper and it went back to working again. Had previously done a system reboot. Apple Techs need to fix this bug.
What happens if you choose a different type of wallpaper? Not photo.
Just seeing this. Ended up choosing another photo and it has been working ever since. I just changed it back to the original photo and am going to see if it continues to work….if not, will choose one of Apple’s new wallpapers until Apple has chance to resolve this issue with an update. Thank you for reporting this to Apple.
You’re welcome. Waiting for a follow up. Let us know if it comes back after the workaround.
Going back to the original picture that was Wallpaper #1 on her phone did not work properly so that’s where the software glitch seems to be. I ended up resending the original picture to my wife’s phone because she liked it so much and added it as a new wallpaper. That workaround has been working ever since. She was devastated by the original problem…..we like to keep updated but always cringe a little thinking about what those new updates might bring! ;-D
Thanks for the follow up Brian. Glad that you managed to fix it. Let us know if it re-occurs. We just had it happen on one of our devices that’s using the default iOS 16 wallpaper.
Mine will not take anything….its just black even with an Apple stock photo….so annoying.
Thanks for reporting. That’s extreme.
Same issue for me. Started when I updated to 16.1. iPhone 13 pro. Using a photo I took, that has been my background for 4+ years. Reappears when I restart it but then quickly disappears on both Lock Screen and Home Screen. Still shows as my wallpaper in settings however
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, so it appears that we’ve narrowed it down to photo wallpapers. Black screen issue should be fixed if you switch to a non-photo wallpaper. We’ve submitted a detailed report to Apple about this.
Same issue. XR phone. Restart puts my wallpaper back for about 30 seconds, then turns black starting from top of screen until it’s all black with just the apps showing up on a solid black background.
Thanks for confirming. It’s been reported. You can use a non-photo wallpaper in the meantime to avoid this issue.
My screen did not turn black but pink in the bottom part! Anyone else?
Thanks for reporting. Are you able to screenshot it? I mean does the pink screen appear in the print-screen?
More details here:
https://www.iphonetricks.org/iphone-14-pink-screen-issue-software-hardware/
Same for me (Iphone XR) – wallpaper is black. After rebooting, my wallpaper comes back for maybe 30 seconds. then back to black.
Change to a different type of wallpaper. Not photo.
Same here on update. Been using same pics for years. Ever since new update screen is black.
Thanks for the feedback. So, older pics seem to be the trigger.
Having the same issue, and almost exactly same situation as Tom Mas, except an iPhone 11 Pro. Old photo as wallpaper, and temporarily returns after reboot, then disappears again. I’m afraid to try a new wallpaper, in case I can’t get the pic back again!
Meant to add that the lower half of the photo did reappear once on the wallpaper, then was all black again after restarting again.
Ok. Thanks for the feedback. Let’s hope Apple fixes it soon.
I am experiencing the same issue. I have an iPhone 16 Pro – iOS version 16.1. Both my Lock screen and my Home screen wallpapers were set as a 1 photo that I had taken on my phone. I have turned my phone off/on regularly as well as completed a hard reset and when the phone turned back on the image was restored. However, it went back to a black Lock screen and Home screen shortly after.
Thanks for the feedback. It’s been reported. But the more reports the more chances of it being prioritized.
I have same issue on new Iphone14 Pro Max. Both wallpaper and Lock Screen go black.
Using photos from earlier phone for both screens . Reboot brings both back for a few minutes, then back to black.
Thanks for the feedback. That’s useful.
I’m having the same problem after iOS 16.1 update. iPhone XS. I use 1 photos for both wallpaper and lock screen. A reboot always fixes it, but not for long.
Thanks for confirming.
Same issue with my new Iphone 14 pro max on iOS 16.1. I changed my wallpaper to Apple’s default ones, and it only appears when I hold down to edit. Once released, both wallpapers turn black again.
Thanks for the details. That must be annoying indeed.
iPhone X
I have it to. If I put it in dark mode then it reverts back to my picture that’s my only patch over! Really annoying. But can’t be that it can’t access my picture seeing as it’s there
OK. Thanks for sharing.
Same for me iphone13 max, started today. I had selected 4 photos to change on rotation, worked fine for bit, now going dark, clock fades, also changes it’s font style by itself. Resets and switching off doesn’t work.
Thanks for informing us.
Thought it was my phone acting up. My photos are stored in the cloud and this issue needs to be fixed.
Yes it does, especially with one our test phones starting experiencing the black screen while using the classic iOS 16 wallpaper, never used a photo…
It’s very annoying…thanks for posting this to help! iPhone 11 Pro.
Yeah. It will be fixed tomorrow with the release of iOS 16.3!
Same issue with iPhone XR. Had dear photos as lock and Home Screen, now only black. Restarted, and it came back for about a half second, then black. Now is always black.
Thanks for the info.
Yes I have this issue, wallpaper turns black.On my Apple
IPhone 11.
It just happened on one of our test devices, that’s using the standard iOS 16 wallpaper. iOS 16.1.1 will definitely have to be released.
Keep randomly losing my custom wallpaper on my iPhone 14 Pro Max after doing the iOS 16.1 update. Using same photo for both screens and they both go black at various random times even when doing something on the phone. Please find the fix soon.
Started to experience the problem on one of our devices too and it’s using the stock iOS 16 wallpaper.
Same issue
iPhone 12 pro
iOS 16.1
Problem started Monday 31-Oct-2022
iPhone 14 Pro, ios 16.1 – Finally decided to create new lock screen using the exact same picture from photos, and this has worked. Lock screen lasted all day yesterday and is still working, where before it would disappear after reboot within about 30 minutes.
Thanks for confirming. That’s a good workaround if it’s easy for you to find the picture in Photos.
Sane here. Ios 16.1 iphone 11. Restart gets the photo back but it disappears again back to s black wallpaper after about 30 secs. Hoping if enough of us report it Apple will fix.
Got a new iPhone 14pro 2days ago. Everything seemed to transfer from the old phone to the new one without any trouble and was running ios 16.0.2 The next day there was an available update for ios 16.1 The background wallpaper and Lock Screen images are the same and have had for many years and multiple phones. The wallpaper goes black several times a day. Turning the phone off then back on seems to help for a few hours. I hope there’s an update soon to fix this but I’m just going to leave it and see if it comes back on its own…
Sorry to hear this. A fix should be released soon. Keep us updated.
I am having the same problem as well. It started this morning. I tried restarting my iPhone twice, and within a few minutes, the black screen returned.
I have a 12 mini and had this issue as well. Black screen on my apps screen (not lock page). A reset of the phone worked temporarily. I re set my photos in the Settings – Wallpaper section on the phone and havnt had the issue again.
Lock and wallpaper turn black. IPhone 13 promax. Photos are from cloud storage taken a few years back.
Thanks for the feedback.
lock and wallpaper turn black. started today….IPhone 11
Same issue for 14 pro after updating to IOS 16.1.
iPhone 13 Pro using photo.
Yes, both my lock screen and my phone wallpaper photos disappeared and went black. I thought my phone was being hacked or something. Thanks for pointing out that it was the 16 upgrade. Bummer
You’re welcome. Let’s hope that a fix will be released soon.
Yes my phone is having the same issue and I’ve rebooted so many times only to have the background go black again within minutes 😩
Thanks for confirming. Let’s hope that they fix comes out soon.
Same here (iPhone 13 Pro).
Wallpaper = since ever one photo of my library – an old one. Turns black a couple of times per day, but also returns sometimes magically.
LockScreen = another, new photo from 2021, up to now never turned black so far.
Is there a way you can resend the old photo to your iPhone or save it in Photos again from mail?
Same issue. iPhone 14 pro max
Yes, having the same issue on an iPhone 11.
I’m having the same problem after installing 16.1 on my iPhone 13 Pro Max. I was using a photo of my 2 dogs. I don’t want to change the background. I love it. Grrr
Do you still have the photo on some other device? Resend it to your iPhone and save it in Photos. Create a new Lock Screen and use the photo.
Having the same issue but only on the Home Screen background. The Lock Screen photo is still showing. I have a iPhone 11.
You’re using different photos for Home and Lock Screen correct?
Same issue for me. 12 pro Max
I also noticed that when I go to settings, it does not allow me to pick two wallpapers anymore. There used to be one for the lock screen, and one for the home screen.
I don’t see that option anymore.
What if you try to create a new Lock Screen?
I have the same issue after upgrading to iOS 16.1. I have iPhone 14 Pro and with iOS 16.0.3 everything was fine. I hope it will be fixed soon :(
Having the same issue of wallpaper going black on my iPhone 13 Pro Max. If I shut the phone down and turn it back in it’s normal, but then after I open up certain APIs it goes black again
I’m the same (iphone 13 pro max). It just started happening today. I reboot and it comes back, then I use an app and it’s black again. My lock screen is fine, just my wallpaper.
I have iPhone 14 Pro Max. Updated to 16.3 and it’s still doing it. It only does it overnite for me. I have even had to do the force restart twice a few times to get it back occasionally. I’ve had these photos as my screensaver & wallpaper for over 5 years and I’m not changing them. I don’t think it’s right that I have to change my photos because of their technical errors.