How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (2024)

Contents

How to Add Wallpapers in iPadOS 17
How to Create Your Own Wallpapers

After I started writing this post, which was originally going to be a summary of the last two weeks of tutorials, I decided to make some changes to my home screens. As I kept going back and forth to another app and to my home screen, I realized that I'm often wasting time swiping between home screens or opening and closing folders on my home screens. So I now have a much better organized main home screen, with widgets (yes, I'm starting to like them) and only apps on it that I use all the time. I have a second home screen with less frequently used apps and another one just for entertainment apps, which I rarely use on my iPad Air 5. I also reworked my dock and it now has only apps on it that I need to use both when I'm on my home screen and when I'm using other apps.

I'm not good usually with change, but I was surprised to find that I adjusted quickly to the new home screens and am using my time much more efficiently now. Here is how I changed my main home screen. The top image is the original screen filled with folders and apps and the bottom image is the new and easier to use screen.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (1)

How to Add Wallpapers in iPadOS 17

In the first tutorial for this theme, I mentioned that I wasn't going to explain how to change wallpapers because Apple made it complicated in iPadOS 17. Having separate lock screen and home screen wallpapers was very easy to do in previous versions of the iPadOS, but not so in the latest version. I tried several different ways to have separate wallpapers on my Air 5 and failed over and over again. I finally found Apple's instructions for wallpapers in iPadOS 17 on the internet, but there are no explicit instructions for setting separate wallpapers for the lock screen and the home screen. I then tried to find a YouTube video that explained the process and I finally succeeded in finding one video.

After watching the video a couple of times and taking notes, I figured out the exact steps you have to take to create separate lock screen and home screen wallpapers. It's absurdly complicated for what should be, and what was in the past, a simple task. You have to start with setting a lock screen wallpaper and then after both screens are set with that wallpaper, change the wallpaper for the home screen.

I've broken down the process of creating separate home screens into six steps. I've added screen shots for each step to help you see how to add pairs of wallpapers (one for the lock screen and one for the home screen).

1. Open up the Settings app and choose Wallpaper. Swipe to the right until you get to the last screen. You will see a plus sign (+) on the left side of the screen. That is the side for changing the lock screen wallpaper and it's where you have to begin.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (2)

2. Press the plus sign (+) on the left side of the screen. Choose the wallpaper you want for the lock screen. You can choose one of Apple's designs or you can choose one from your collection in the Photos app.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (3)

3. Select the wallpaper you want for your lock screen. Then click the "Add" button in the top right corner of the screen.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (4)

4. Next, choose "Customize Home Screen." This step is very important. If you make the wrong choice, it may be difficult to unpair the two screens.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (5)

5. Choose the image you want for your home screen. If you want a photo from the Photos app, click the camera icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. Once you've selected your home screen wallpaper, click the "Done" button in the top right corner of the screen.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (6)

6. Another screen comes up. To ensure that your wallpapers for your lock screen and home screen are different, just click the "Done" button in the top right corner of this screen. Again, this is very important. If you accidentally select the Pair option at the bottom of the screen, your home screen and lock screen wallpaper will be the same.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (7)

If you followed the above steps, you should now see a screen that shows different wallpapers for the lock screen and the home screen. You can set up several different pairs of wallpapers and select the pair you want to use by clicking the "Set as Current" button at the top of the screen.

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (8)

How to Create Your Own Wallpapers

I don't have the same taste in wallpapers as Apple's developers so I like to create my own. Sometimes I use photos I've taken and other times I just create one in an art app. I'm not artistic but using Procreate I can occasionally surprise myself with something that almost looks like art work. Three ways you can create your own wallpapers are:

  • Take a photo and add it to the Photos app.
  • Scan a photo taken with a non-digital camera into your iPad. You can do this with a printer that has a scan function. Or you can take a photo of the original camera one using the iPad's camera.
  • Create an image using an art app like Procreate.

I sometimes want a solid colored wallpaper, but I don't like the ones Apple provides. I use Procreate and a large paint brush to cover a blank canvas with the color I like. I then crop the image to exclude any border areas I didn't cover with the brush. An easier way to do it might be to just use Procreate's fill option, but I like to experiment with different brushes and brushstrokes when creating the image. After the color and strokes are just right, I use the share option to save the image to my photo library.

When I first decided to use my own wallpapers, I created an album in the Photos app for them. Now when I want to change my iPad's wallpaper, I just select one of the photos in my Wallpapers album.

There are more things you can do with wallpapers in iPadOS 17, but I'm leaving that for a future theme on using the iPad Focus feature.

YouTube Videos on iPad Home Screens & Apps

For the past two weeks, I've explained different ways you can organize your home screens and apps, and how you decide to do it for your home screen depends on many factors, including personal preferences, ways you use your iPad, and which iPad you own.

I found some YouTube videos that give good ideas for home screens and apps and I'm providing the links to them, the names of the creators, and a link to their YouTube channel.

iPad Tips for Seniors: Creating a Beautiful Home Screen
Creator: Rich Bowlin
Rich Bowlin's YouTube Channel

How to Customise App Icons on iPadOS 17
Creator: Kayla Le Roux
Kayla Le Roux's Channel
Kayla Le Roux's Website

If you found this article interesting or useful, please share the link to it with a friend: How to Create Wallpapers for Your Home Screen.

If you want to view a previous tutorial, click a link below.
iPad Homescreen
iPad Dock
iPad App Library
Spotlight and Siri
iPad App Folders
iPad Widgets
Customize iPad Apps

Back to Top

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers (2024)

FAQs

How to Customize the iPad's Home Screen with Wallpapers? ›

Personalize a new Lock Screen

to create a new Lock Screen, or to make changes to a Lock Screen, swipe to the screen you want to change, tap Customize, then tap Lock Screen. If you're creating a new Lock Screen, tap one of the wallpaper options to select it as your Lock Screen.

How do I customize my iPad Home Screen? ›

Apple iPad - Customize Your Home Screen
  1. From the App Library, touch and hold an app. To access the App Library, swipe left from a Home screen.
  2. Drag and drop the app to the preferred Home screen. For the app to be successfully added, there must be sufficient space within the selected Home screen.

How to customize iPad Lock Screen iOS 16? ›

Personalize a new Lock Screen

to create a new Lock Screen, or to make changes to a Lock Screen, swipe to the screen you want to change, tap Customize, then tap Lock Screen. If you're creating a new Lock Screen, tap one of the wallpaper options to select it as your Lock Screen.

How do I customize my Home Screen wallpaper? ›

How to change the wallpaper on an Android device
  1. Open up your phone's Gallery app.
  2. Find the photo you want to use and open it.
  3. Tap the three dots in the top-right and select "Set as wallpaper."
  4. You'll be given the choice between using this photo as wallpaper for your home screen, lock screen, or both.
Apr 6, 2020

How do I change the background on my iPad Home Screen? ›

Go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper. The wallpaper gallery appears. Do any of the following: Tap a button at the top of the wallpaper gallery—for example, Photos, Photo Shuffle, Live Photo, and so on—to design your wallpaper with a photo, an emoji pattern, a picture of your local weather, and more.

How to add cute widgets on iPad? ›

Go to the Home Screen page where you want to add the widget, then touch and hold the Home Screen background until the apps begin to jiggle. at the top of the screen to open the widget gallery. Scroll or search to find the widget you want, tap it, then swipe left and right through the size options.

Does an iPad have a screensaver? ›

iPad isn't like a desktop or laptop computer - where the screen switches to a “screensaver” when the computer is idle. iPad will Sleep when idle, shutting down the screen to save power - defeating the entire purpose of a screen saver.

How do I edit my Lock Screen? ›

Head back to Wallpaper & style > Lock screen, and you'll see a selection of wallpapers to pick from. Tap More wallpapers to see the full range of provided backdrops or to pick one from your phone's gallery. Pick a wallpaper from Android's built-in selection, or choose a photo of your own.

How do I Customise the home screen? ›

Customise your home screen

Drag it to another part of the screen. Add a favourite app: From the bottom of your screen, swipe up. Touch and hold an app. Move the app into an empty spot with your favourites.

What app allows you to customize your home screen? ›

WidgetClub provides all-in-one home screen theme including widgets, icons, and wallpapers, so you can easily change your icons and widgets without the hassle of collecting materials!

How do I edit the home screen on my iPad? ›

Touch and hold any app or widget on the Home Screen, then tap Edit Home Screen. The items begin to jiggle. Drag the app to the right edge of the screen. You might need to wait a second for the new page to appear.

How do I put custom wallpapers on my iPad? ›

Change the iPad Screen in Settings
  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap Wallpaper.
  3. Select Choose a New Wallpaper.
  4. Tap Dynamic to use animated bubbles and select the color of bubbles you prefer by tapping one of the options.
Nov 5, 2022

How to customise your iPad? ›

  1. Change or turn off sounds.
  2. Create a custom Lock Screen.
  3. Change the wallpaper.
  4. Adjust the screen brightness and color balance.
  5. Customize the text size and zoom setting.
  6. Change the name of your iPad.
  7. Change the date and time.
  8. Change the language and region.

How do I customize my Home Screen layout? ›

Customize your Home screen

Drag it to another part of the screen. Add a favorite app: From the bottom of your screen, swipe up. Touch and hold an app. Move the app into an empty spot with your favorites.

How do I change the appearance of my iPad? ›

Go to Settings > Display & Brightness, then select Dark to turn on Dark Mode or select Light to turn it off.

How do I change the homepage on my iPad? ›

Customize your start page

Open the Safari app on your iPad. at the top-right corner of the screen. Scroll to the bottom of the page, then tap Edit. Choose options for your start page.

How do I change the screen view on my iPad? ›

  1. Make sure that Rotation Lock is off: Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center. Then tap the Rotation Lock button. to make sure it's off.
  2. Turn your iPad sideways.
May 22, 2024

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Terence Hammes MD

Last Updated:

Views: 5963

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terence Hammes MD

Birthday: 1992-04-11

Address: Suite 408 9446 Mercy Mews, West Roxie, CT 04904

Phone: +50312511349175

Job: Product Consulting Liaison

Hobby: Jogging, Motor sports, Nordic skating, Jigsaw puzzles, Bird watching, Nordic skating, Sculpting

Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.