The best wallpaper app gives you images you love that fit your screen well, without drowning you in ads or low-quality copies. Choose by style: original art, real photography, live wallpapers or generated patterns. Ten apps follow in no particular order, plus the built-in tricks worth trying first.
A new wallpaper is the quickest way to make an old phone feel fresh. The catch is that many wallpaper apps are crowded with ads and recycled images, so it's worth picking one with a clear style and a source you trust.
The ten apps below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from artist-made collections to photo libraries and live wallpapers. Each description comes from the app's own App Store or Google Play listing, re-checked this week. If your lock screen widgets misbehave after a change, my fix for Spotify not showing on the Lock Screen covers a common one.
Wallpaper apps at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the app's own store listing or site describes free use or a free download, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read. Many free apps carry ads or sell optional upgrades.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstruct | Artist collection | Bold abstract art | Yes |
| Backdrops | Original collection | Hand-crafted originals | Yes |
| Everpix | Curated collection | Live wallpapers | Yes |
| Muzei | Art live wallpaper | A new artwork each day | Yes |
| Papers.co | Large collection | A huge, updated catalogue | Yes |
| Tapet | Pattern generator | Unique generated patterns | Yes |
| Unsplash | Photo library | Real photography | Yes |
| Wallcraft | Large collection | Parallax-sized wallpapers | Yes |
| Walli | Artist community | 3D and depth effects | Yes |
| Zedge | Personalisation app | Wallpapers and ringtones | Yes |
Ten wallpaper apps
Abstruct
Best for: Fans of bold abstract art who want exclusive 4K wallpapers from one award-winning wallpaper artist.
Backdrops
Best for: People who want original wallpapers made by a design team rather than photos scraped from around the web.
Everpix
Best for: iPhone owners who want handpicked backgrounds and live wallpapers they won't see on everyone else's phone.
Muzei
Best for: Art lovers on Android who want a famous painting on the home screen that refreshes itself every day.
Papers.co
Best for: Browsers who want a big catalogue of hand-collected wallpapers that's updated every day, sorted for easy scrolling.
Tapet
Best for: People who want a wallpaper nobody else has, with patterns generated fresh rather than picked from a gallery.
Unsplash
Best for: Photography lovers who want real high-resolution photos for their wallpaper, from a huge community library.
Wallcraft
Best for: iPhone users who want wallpapers sized for parallax, plus live wallpapers in 4K and HD.
Walli
Best for: Phone owners who want artist-made wallpapers, including 3D and depth effects designed for newer phones.
Zedge
Best for: Anyone who wants wallpapers, ringtones, alarm tones and notification sounds together in one long-running personalisation app.
Try the built-in wallpaper tools first
Apple Support says you can choose a suggested wallpaper or your own photos, use Photo Shuffle to rotate your own pictures, and customise the Lock Screen with widgets and a 3D effect.
What that means for you: your own photos can already rotate on your Lock Screen without an extra app. A wallpaper app earns its place when you want art or photography you couldn't make yourself, or live wallpapers that move.
Art, photos, live or generated?
Art collections come from designers and illustrators, often with a recognisable style. Photo libraries offer real photography, from landscapes to city streets. Live wallpapers move or change through the day. Generators create patterns on the spot, so nobody else has the same background.
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If you change wallpaper often, a big collection keeps things interesting. If you want something special, an artist collection or generator gives you a look that stands apart from everyone else's.
Getting a wallpaper to fit your screen
- Pick images at your screen's resolution or higher.
- Check where the clock and widgets will sit.
- Choose calmer images for the home screen so icons stay readable.
- Use bolder images for the Lock Screen.
- Turn off motion effects if a wallpaper looks cropped.
- Save the ones you love to a dedicated album.
Keeping your screens readable
Busy, high-contrast images look great on their own but can make app names and widgets hard to read. A slightly darker or simpler wallpaper on the home screen, with your boldest image saved for the Lock Screen, gives you the best of both.
Wallpapers, privacy and permissions
A wallpaper app should need very little from your phone. Access to save images is reasonable; access to your contacts, location or microphone isn't. If an app asks for more than it needs, that's a good reason to choose another.
Some wallpaper apps also offer ringtones, AI image tools or themes, and those extras can come with more ads and more data collection. If you only want wallpapers, a focused app is usually calmer to use.
And if you download a wallpaper you love, save a copy to your photos. Apps change their collections, and it's frustrating when the one you were using disappears.
Don't forget that your wallpaper sits behind your icons all day. If you're squinting at app names, it isn't your eyesight; it's the background. Swap it for something calmer and you'll notice the difference straight away.
Do you make a wallpaper app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a wallpaper app
Try your own photos and the built-in options first, then add one app with a style you love rather than several cluttered ones. Fewer, better apps mean fewer ads and less storage used.
If you use wallpapers for your business, such as on demo phones or in screenshots, check the licence for each image. And to show handy information alongside your new background, my guide to adding a widget to your home screen walks through it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best wallpaper app?
One with a style you love, images that fit your screen and not too many ads. Try built-in options first.
Can I use my own photos as wallpaper?
Yes. Both iPhone and Android let you use your own photos, and iPhone can rotate them with Photo Shuffle.
Are wallpaper apps safe?
Most are. Stick to well-reviewed apps and watch for ones that ask for permissions they don't need.
Do live wallpapers drain the battery?
They can use a little more battery than still images, especially if they animate constantly.
Are wallpaper apps free?
Most apps here are free downloads, with optional upgrades or premium collections.
Why does my wallpaper look blurry or cropped?
The image may be too small for your screen, or motion effects may be zooming it in.
