iPhone lock screen buttons: How (and why) to change them

In iOS 18, users can finally change out their iPhone Lock Screen buttons from the standard Flashlight and Camera to whatever they want. There’s a giant selection of buttons you can swap in their place.

In fact, any button you can put in iOS 18’s new customizable Control Center is a button you can put on your iPhone’s Lock Screen. Plus, you can add different shortcut buttons to different Lock Screens, making them context-dependent (and tied to a Focus Mode if you like).

Here’s how to swap out the iPhone Lock Screen buttons to put whatever you want at your beck and call.

How to change the iPhone Lock Screen buttons

First of all, this feature requires iOS 18 — available now in a public beta. Apple will release iOS 18 this September, and the update will work with any device currently running iOS 17. Also, it’s important to note that you won’t lose the ability to quickly access your iPhone camera, even if you remove that button from your Lock Screen. You can always swipe left on the Lock Screen to take a quick photo or video.

The flexibility of iOS 18 gives you plenty of possibilities for how you might want to configure your iPhone Lock Screen buttons. For instance, you might opt for the following types of scenarios:

• In your Sleep Focus, you could add shortcuts for your Alarm and Flashlight.
• When in Travel Focus, you might appreciate shortcuts for Airplane Mode, Wallet or Translate.
• For my Driving Focus, I swapped in Apple Music and Podcasts.
• In your Personal Focus, you could add the iPhone’s Apple TV Remote or the Home app to control your smart lights, etc.
• Or, if you frequently toggle on and off a couple of Accessibility features, you could put any of those buttons front and center.

Basically, the sky’s the limit.

Customize as much as you like

To change your Lock Screen buttons, you’ll first need to unlock your iPhone. Then, swipe back down from the top to show the Lock Screen again. Tap and hold on the screen and tap Customize, then select Lock Screen.

Choose from many controls you can add to your iPhone’s Lock Screen

Tap the – icon above either Flashlight or Camera button to remove it. Then, just tap on the empty space to put something else there. The panel of options will slide up from the bottom of your iPhone screen — scroll through the list or search to find one. Tap on any button to select it. Tap Done in the upper right corner to finalize your changes. (After Apple releases iOS 18 this fall, third-party apps installed on your iPhone might be available as Lock Screen buttons.)

Want to continue customizing? You can swipe over to another Lock Screen you already set up and customize its buttons.

More iOS 18 features:

Now that you’ve learned how to change the Lock Screen buttons on your iPhone, check out more new iOS 18 features: