Wallpaper Guides

Practical guides for setting and choosing phone wallpapers — how to apply them on iPhone and Android, the right size and 9:16 aspect ratio, dark wallpapers and battery life, and more.

• How to Set a Wallpaper on iPhone

  Saving a wallpaper to your iPhone takes about thirty seconds. Here is the exact flow, plus a couple of tips so the image fits perfectly without being zoomed in.

• How to Set a Wallpaper on Android

  Android makes wallpapers easy, though the exact menu names vary by brand. Here is the general flow that works on Samsung, Pixel and most other phones.

• Phone Wallpaper Size & the 9:16 Aspect Ratio

  A wallpaper looks its best when its shape matches the screen. Here is what "9:16" means and why it is the most reliable choice for modern phones.

• Do Dark Wallpapers Save Battery? OLED Explained

  You have probably heard that dark wallpapers save battery. It is true — but only on certain screens, and only some of the time. Here is the honest version.

• Choosing Wallpapers for Lock Screen vs Home Screen

  The lock screen and the home screen have different jobs, so the wallpaper that suits each one is different too. A few simple rules make both look polished.

• How to Write Great AI Wallpaper Prompts (with Examples)

  The wallpapers on PicLoy are made by describing a scene to an AI image model in plain language. Here is how those descriptions — prompts — are built, and five examples you can adapt to make your own.

• Wallpaper Resolution by Device (Exact Pixel Sizes)

  Every screen has a fixed pixel grid. Match it and your wallpaper stays razor-sharp with no cropping; miss it and the phone upscales or trims the image. Here are the exact sizes for popular devices.

• How to Keep Text Readable Over a Wallpaper

  A gorgeous wallpaper is no good if you can't read the clock over it. The whole game is contrast in the top third of the screen, where the system text lives. Here is how to win it.

• How to Match Colors to Your Wallpaper

  Every wallpaper here lists its exact palette — the three to five hex codes that define its look. Those codes are a small superpower: use them to coordinate your widgets, icons and themes so nothing on your screen looks random.