How to put a Bible verse on your iPhone Lock Screen

There are two ways. A widget shows a new verse every day: press and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize, tap Lock Screen, then the box under the clock, and choose a Bible-verse widget. A wallpaper shows one verse all the time: save an image of the verse and set it in Settings › Wallpaper. A widget updates itself; a wallpaper never changes.

Widget or wallpaper?

• A widget shows a different verse every day and updates by itself. It sits under the clock on the Lock Screen, on the Home Screen, or in StandBy at night.
• A wallpaper shows one verse, always the same, behind everything. It's simple, but it never changes until you change it.

If you want to see a new verse each morning without opening an app, use a widget.

Add a verse widget to the Lock Screen

1. Press and hold anywhere on the Lock Screen (unlock with Face ID first) until the wallpapers appear.
2. Tap Customize, then Lock Screen.
3. Tap the box under the clock (or the small line above it).
4. Find your Bible-verse app in the list — in Plain Scripture the widget is called Daily Verse — and tap the size you want.
5. Close the widget panel (×), then tap Done.

The wide box under the clock has room for about three short lines — enough for verses like this one:

Add a verse widget to the Home Screen

1. Press and hold an empty part of the Home Screen until the apps jiggle.
2. Tap Edit in the top corner, then Add Widget (on iOS 17, tap the + in the top-left corner).
3. Search for your Bible app and pick a size: small, medium or large.
4. Tap Add Widget, place it, and tap Done.

Show a verse in StandBy at night

1. Lock your iPhone, put it on charge and turn it on its side.
2. Swipe sideways until you see the two widget stacks.
3. Touch and hold a widget stack, unlock with Face ID, tap + and add the verse widget.

On iPhones with an Always-On display, StandBy turns dim red in a dark room, so a verse at 2 a.m. won't light up the room.

If the verse doesn't change

• Open the app once; iOS then refreshes its widgets.
• Turn off Low Power Mode, which slows background updates.
• Remove the widget and add it again if it still shows yesterday's verse.

Make a verse your wallpaper

1. Save an image of the verse to Photos — for example one of our Bible verse wallpapers, made with room for the clock.
2. Go to Settings › Wallpaper › Add New Wallpaper › Photos and choose it.
3. Move the image so the verse sits below the clock, then tap Add.