iOS 26 Guide: How to Enable 3D Spatial Wallpapers on Your iPhone

With each new iteration, iOS continues to expand iPhone customization options. While iOS 26 introduces numerous features, one of the most impressive was available from the very first 26.0 release: 3D spatial wallpapers. This guide explains how to use this feature to bring your home screen to life.

How to Apply the 3D Spatial Effect to Your iPhone Wallpaper in iOS 26
Your iPhone’s wallpaper remains one of the most personal ways to customize your device. In iOS 26, Apple has introduced a dynamic new 3D effect for wallpapers, officially described in the release notes as follows:

Spatial scenes let you add a new 3D effect to your photo wallpapers, bringing them to life when you move your iPhone.

This same effect is also integrated into the Photos app and the popular Photos Home Screen widget in iOS 26. However, in practice, the 3D spatial effect truly shines when applied to your iPhone’s wallpaper.

When creating a new wallpaper in iOS 26, you will see a row of suggested wallpapers under the heading “Spatial Scenes.” If any of these catch your eye, simply tap to select it, and the spatial effect will be applied automatically.

Alternatively, you can manually select almost any picture from your Apple Photos library and convert it into a 3D-enabled wallpaper.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Go to Settings ⇾ Wallpaper and tap the “Add New Wallpaper” button.
Tap “Photos” in the top-left corner.
Choose the photo you wish to use.
Tap the geometric photo icon located near the lower-right part of the screen (see reference image).
After the spatial scene generates, test the effect by moving your iPhone from side to side.
Hit “Add” to save your new wallpaper.