How to Change the Photo on Your iPhone Photo Widget (and Show the Pictures You Actually Want)
Learn how to choose which photos appear in the iPhone Photos widget: pick an album in iOS 17 or later, fix a widget that won't update, and pin one specific photo to your Home Screen.
You added the Photos widget to your Home Screen, but it keeps showing pictures you never picked. You want to change it to your favorite photo, but there's no obvious button for that.
This guide walks through how to control what the stock iPhone Photos widget shows, and what to do when it still won't cooperate.
The short answer: you change photos by album
The stock Photos widget doesn't let you pick a single photo directly. Instead, you tell it which album to show. On iOS 17 or later, create an album with only the photos you want, then assign that album to the widget.
If you never assign an album, the widget shows "Featured Photos" and Memories that your iPhone picks automatically. That default is usually why random pictures show up.
Step 1: Create an album with only the photos you want
Preparing the album first makes the widget setup quick.
- 1Open the Photos app and go to your albums (on iOS 18 and later, scroll down to Collections)
- 2Tap "+" → "New Album" and give it a name, such as "Widget"
- 3Add the photos you want the widget to show
Step 2: Assign the album to the Photos widget
If the widget is already on your Home Screen, you only need to change its settings.
- 1Touch and hold the Photos widget on your Home Screen
- 2Tap "Edit Widget"
- 3Under content, choose the album you created in Step 1
- 4Tap outside the widget to finish
Widget not changing or showing a blank square?
If you assigned an album but nothing changes, check the following.
- iOS version: album selection requires iOS 17 or later. Check it in Settings → General → About.
- Featured content: if "Show Featured Content" is turned off in Settings → Photos, the widget may stay blank.
- Album contents: an empty album, or deleted photos, means there's nothing to show.
- Timing: after changing settings, the widget can take a little while to refresh.
Want to pin one specific photo?
The stock widget rotates through the album you assign. Putting a single photo in the album effectively pins it, but you can't show a different photo in each widget or change the frame color.
If you want to choose photos one by one and style your widgets, a dedicated photo widget app is the faster route.
For your bias: BiasBoard
BiasBoard is a photo widget app for showing your bias, photocards, and fan photos on your Home Screen. Pick a photo, add the widget, and the photo you chose is what appears.
Widgets come in Small, Medium, and Large. You can set the frame to your bias's member color and use a cut-out wallpaper effect so the widget blends into your background. Carousel (switching photos on the widget) and daily auto-rotation are both available with Premium (one-time purchase).
No sign-in is required and your photos stay on your device. The free plan lets you try one widget (iOS 17 or later).
Summary
To change the photo on the iPhone Photos widget, create an album with the photos you want and assign it via "Edit Widget". If it doesn't show up, check your iOS version and the "Show Featured Content" setting.
If you want to place specific photos in specific widgets, a photo widget app like BiasBoard is the better fit.
BiasBoard
Display your bias photos
on your iPhone home screen.
Just pick a photo. Set up idol, K-pop, and fan photos as home screen widgets in seconds. No sign-in required. Free download.