How to create a holographic lock screen with Spatial Scenes in iOS 26

iOS 26 introduces Spatial Scenes, a new personalization feature that turns your lock screen into a dynamic, “holographic” wallpaper. The system uses on‑device machine learning to build a depth map that separates the subject from the background, letting foreground and background move independently as you tilt or move your iPhone.

Spatial Scenes work on the lock screen only (you can pair wallpapers if you want the same image on the Home Screen). The effect is supported on iPhone 12 models and newer; it relies on modern chips and image processing, so older devices won’t show the 3D motion.

Best photos for Spatial Scenes

• Choose images with a clear subject in the foreground and a distinct background (portraits, pets, buildings, and wide landscapes often work best).
• Avoid heavily filtered or cluttered photos — busy backgrounds and strong edits can confuse depth detection.
• Place the main subject away from the top of the frame so it doesn’t overlap the clock or widgets.
• If your photos are stored in iCloud with “Optimize iPhone Storage” enabled, download the full‑resolution image before creating the Spatial Scene.

How to set up a Spatial Scene

1. Wake your iPhone and press and hold the lock screen to open the wallpaper gallery.
2. Tap Customize on an existing wallpaper or use the + button to add a new one and choose Photos.
3. Select an image with clear depth; if the photo supports Spatial Scenes you’ll see a small hexagon icon in the preview’s lower right.
4. Tap the hexagon to let iOS process the image and generate a depth map.
5. Use pinch and drag to zoom or reposition the subject so it won’t interfere with the clock or widgets, then tap Add or Done.
6. Choose whether to apply the wallpaper as a pair (lock + home) or lock screen only. Your holographic effect will now be visible on the lock screen.

Tips & troubleshooting

• Disable Low Power Mode if the motion effect seems static — power saving can limit the animation.
• Check Accessibility settings like Reduce Motion; enabling Reduce Motion can suppress the effect.
• If the hexagon icon doesn’t appear, try a different photo with more pronounced foreground/background separation.
• Restart your iPhone or redownload the original photo if the processing fails.
• Remember the lock screen’s clock and widgets remain legible — iOS automatically adjusts layering for readability.

Who can use Spatial Scenes?

Spatial Scenes require an iPhone 12 or newer due to the processing and sensor capabilities involved. If you have an eligible device and updated to iOS 26, you should be able to try Spatial Scenes right away from the lock screen customization menu.

Spatial Scenes are a neat evolution of earlier parallax wallpapers: the effect is more refined, responsive and powered by machine learning to give your lock screen a sense of depth without compromising usability.

For the original walkthrough and examples, see the full guide: Engadget — How to make your lock screen holographic in iOS 26.

Discussion: Will you switch to a holographic lock screen — and what photo would you try first (a portrait, pet, landscape, or something else)?