iPhone wallpaper turns black or disappears after iOS 16.1.1 update

A new update is added at the end of this story…….

The original (released on November 11, 2022) is as follows.

Since its release in mid-September, iOS 16 has been a great enhancement to the iPhone operating system. Apple released iOS 16.1.1 on November 9, 2022 with various minor bug fixes and security updates.

However, some iPhone users are currently reporting issues with wallpaper turning black or disappearing (1, 2, 3, 4).

Affected iPhone users say their wallpaper automatically changes to a black background when switching to the lock screen or home screen.

When I restart my iPhone, it shows the correct wallpaper, but the next time the phone goes to sleep, it shows a black background.

Additionally, multiple users have reported that this issue started with iOS 16.1 and continues with the new iOS 16.1.1 (1,2).

I just updated my iPhone 12 to iOS 16. Backgrounds and wallpapers always automatically turn black. To restore your lock screen photo and home screen background (or wallpaper), you need to turn off your phone. Is this a setting I configured incorrectly or is there a fix to stop this?
sauce

I’m having a frustrating issue with my iPhone 13 Pro Max running 16.1. Randomly, the wallpaper disappears and a black screen appears. I have to reboot to get the wallpaper back temporarily, but it disappears again. Will Apple release a fix for this?
sauce

Some reports also have workarounds that may alleviate the problem. First, apply the wallpaper that you have used in the past.

Another user claims that the problem is caused by a failed migration of background settings between iOS versions. Sure, you can restore the original wallpaper image by following these steps:

1. Create a full backup of your iPhone using iTunes
2. Download, install and run iExplorer on your sandbox instance
3. Copy the main plist and manifest files to a folder inside the sandbox.
4. Tell iExplorer to open that folder as your iTunes backup location.

5. In iExplorer[ホーム]>[スプリングボード]and note down the paths of “LockBackground.cpbitmap” and “OriginalLockBackground.cpbitmap”. It could be “86” or “7c”, etc. — I had these two files.There are more or less files, but at least one
6. Go back to your iTunes backup and copy only the two alphanumeric folders to the same folder in your sandbox.

7. Tell iExplorer to export the .cpbitmap files and copy them from the sandbox to your desktop.
8. Open your browser at https://cpbitmap.github.io/ or https://www.dcode.fr/cpbitmap-format.
9. Upload and convert to PNG, JPG, or TIFF
10. Use iTunes, Dropbox or email to yourself to send the photo back to your phone and set it as your background
sauce

Wallpapers in iOS 16 are considered a “pair” of the lock screen and home screen, according to a user who contacted Apple Support.

Therefore, to customize the home screen image, it must first be paired with the lock screen image.

Users can contact Apple Support about this issue by clicking here.

Let us know in the comments below if the aforementioned workaround helped you fix the black wallpaper issue.

3:05 PM (IST): Here are some possible reasons why the wallpaper is black or missing on your iPhone:

3:33 PM (IST): We have found a workaround for the black iPhone wallpaper issue for some users. You can check it below.

6:35 PM (IST): There are some workarounds that may help resolve this issue. First, try re-downloading the photo you’re trying to use as your wallpaper.

Then follow these steps to force restart your iPhone.

1. Quickly press and release the volume up button.
2. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
3. Press and hold the side button.
4. Release the side button when the Apple logo appears.
sauce

Finally, remove the glitchy lock screen and add a new lock screen with the same wallpaper.

3:22 PM (IST): According to users, simple steps like reapplying the same image as your wallpaper work as a temporary workaround.

PSA for iPhone Users: If your wallpaper suddenly turns black, you may need to change or reload your wallpaper image. I was frustrated and ready to replace my iPhone, but found online that others were experiencing this as well.
sauce

6:04 PM IST: I found a report on a community forum that may explain the reason behind the black wallpaper issue on iPhones.

It seems to have something to do with the interaction of AOD, focus and wallpaper.

5:00 PM (IST): Users reported that disabling the “Focus Status” option fixed the issue. You can find that option from the path “Settings/Focus”.

4:50 PM (IST): Apple has released a stable update for iOS 16.1.2 to everyone, so users affected by this bug (and others) can try the update and see if it’s resolved.

Hi. I’ll help you. If you’re having issues with your iPhone wallpaper, please update to iOS 16.1.2 first and see if that helps: https://s.apple.com/dE4w1r7M9c
sauce

5:30 PM (IST): According to one of our stakeholders, after updating to iOS 16.1.2, the issue of missing or black wallpaper has been resolved (at least for them).

iOS 16.1.2 has been released. Worth a try. I recovered my old wallpaper following the instructions posted here by others and am now running 16.1.2 without issue. (sauce)

5:31 PM IST: Some users reported that the 16.1.2 update fixed the issue, while others are still working on it.

That said, another user suggests that the iOS 16.2 update will fix the issue. This update is already accessible to ‘Public Beta’ testers and will be rolled out to all users in the next few days (December 12th).

5:48 PM (IST): Since these wallpapers are black by default, users are advised to check and customize all segments of the “Focus” setting.

Check your focus settings.

Go through each theme (Do Not Disturb, Driving, Private, Sleep, Work) and look for the Customize Screen option.

Defaults to a dark lock screen when focus is enabled. However, you can change each theme individually to display your favorite wallpaper.
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After customizing the wallpaper for each of these modes, users do not need to disable the feature to fix wallpaper issues.

3:24 PM (IST): According to users, iOS 16.2 does not seem to fix this issue. This is because focus settings may be causing the problem rather than the bug.

4:39 PM (IST): One of the affected people shares how they were able to fix the black wallpaper issue. You can check it below.

Note: Check out our dedicated Apple section to learn more about other bugs and issues.

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