Wallpaper Turns Black On iPhone In iOS 16?

iPhone Tricks > Errors and Issues

Posted in Errors and Issues by Patricia on October 30, 2022

Black wallpaper issue iOS 16

Wallpaper 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.

Are you also 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: Apple has totally revamped the way wallpapers work in iOS 16. You can set up multiple Lock Screens with various wallpaper options. The feature might still require some fine tuning.

Help us identify a pattern for this error and we will report the details to Apple for a fix in the upcoming software update!

Related: For more iOS 16.1 issues and available workarounds please check our extended review.