You’ve probably spent twenty minutes digging through your iPad Settings menu looking for a "screensaver" tab. It’s frustrating. You want that cool, drifting clock or the floating aerial photos you see on an Apple TV. But here is the cold, hard truth that most tech blogs won't tell you straight away: The iPad does not have a screensaver. Apple’s mobile operating system, iPadOS, is built on the same DNA as the iPhone. On a Mac, a screensaver protects your display from "burn-in" and looks pretty while the computer is idle. On an iPad, Apple assumes that if you aren't using the device, it should be off to save battery. The screen just goes black. That's it.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a letdown. You have this gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display sitting on a desk, and it just looks like a slab of dark glass.
But don't give up yet. If you want to know how to change screensaver on ipad or at least get as close to it as possible, there are three distinct "workarounds" that actually work. We’re going to talk about Digital Frame mode, the Always-On display quirks, and why "Guided Access" is the secret weapon for people who want their iPad to stay awake and look beautiful.
The Lock Screen vs. The Screensaver Myth
We have to clear up the terminology first because Google is full of bad advice here. A lot of people think that changing their wallpaper is the same as changing a screensaver. It isn't.
When you wake up your iPad, you see the Lock Screen. You can put a photo of your dog there. You can add widgets. But after two minutes (or whatever your Auto-Lock is set to), that screen disappears. A true screensaver would kick in when the iPad is idle. Since that doesn't happen natively, your first step in learning how to change screensaver on ipad aesthetics is actually mastering the iOS 17 and iPadOS 18 wallpaper system.
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To change your Lock Screen—which is what people usually mean when they ask about screensavers—you just long-press on the Lock Screen itself.
A "Customize" button pops up. From here, you can tap the blue plus icon to see the real gems. Apple has added "Astronomy" wallpapers that show a 3D render of Earth or Mars that rotates based on your actual location. They also have "Weather" backgrounds that show live rain or clouds. It’s dynamic. It moves. It feels like a screensaver, even if it eventually goes to sleep.
Making Your iPad a Permanent Photo Frame
If you really want the iPad to act like a screensaver—meaning you want it to stay on and cycle through photos while it sits in a dock—you need to use the "Photo Shuffle" feature.
Go to Settings. Tap Wallpaper. Add New Wallpaper.
Instead of picking one photo, tap "Photo Shuffle" at the top. You can let the iPad use its own AI to pick "People," "Nature," or "Pets," or you can manually select a bunch of your favorite vacation shots. Set the "Shuffle Frequency" to "On Tap" or "On Wake."
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But here is the catch: The iPad will still turn off.
To prevent this, you have to go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and set it to "Never." Be careful with this. If you leave your iPad on "Never" while it isn't plugged in, the battery will be dead by lunchtime. I only recommend doing this if your iPad is constantly connected to a USB-C charger on your desk or nightstand. Now, you’ve basically forced the iPad into having a manual screensaver.
Why Apple Won't Give Us Aerials
There’s a lot of chatter on forums like MacRumors about why the iPad hasn't inherited the Apple TV’s "Aerial" screensavers. The reason is power management. The iPad’s processor, even the M4 chips, are designed to sip power. Running a 4K video loop 24/7 is a thermal and battery nightmare for a tablet. However, there are rumors that iPadOS 19 might introduce a "Home Mode" that mimics the StandBy mode found on iPhones.
The "StandBy" Mode Workaround
Speaking of StandBy mode—the feature where an iPhone turns into a bedside clock when charging horizontally—it’s strangely missing from the iPad.
You’d think a bigger screen would be perfect for a giant clock and calendar. Since Apple hasn't officially ported this over yet, the best way to get a "screensaver" feel is to use a third-party app and "Guided Access."
Guided Access is a tool meant for schools and businesses to lock an iPad into a single app. But it's perfect for us.
- Download an app like MD Clock or FlipClock.
- Open the app and pick a design you love.
- Triple-click the top button (or Home button) to start Guided Access.
- Now, the iPad won't sleep, and it won't let you leave the app.
It’s a DIY screensaver. It’s great for when you’re cooking and want a giant timer/clock visible, or when you’re working and want a "Lo-Fi" aesthetic background.
Using Focus Filters to Change the Vibe
Sometimes you don't want a new screensaver; you just want the iPad to look different depending on where you are. This is a pro-level way to handle the how to change screensaver on ipad dilemma.
You can link specific Lock Screens to Focus Modes.
Imagine this. You get to the office. Your iPad detects the location or the work Wi-Fi. It automatically switches from a picture of your kids to a clean, minimalist "Work" wallpaper with a calendar widget. Then, at 5:00 PM, it switches back.
To set this up:
- Go to Settings > Focus.
- Choose "Work."
- Under "Customize Screens," tap the Lock Screen icon.
- Choose the "screensaver" style you want for that specific time of day.
It makes the device feel alive. It’s not a moving screensaver in the traditional sense, but it’s a dynamic change that keeps the interface fresh.
Safety Warning: OLED Burn-In
If you have a newer iPad Pro with an OLED display (the 2024 M4 models), you need to be extremely careful with "fake" screensavers.
OLED screens work differently than the older LCD/LED ones. If you leave a static image—like a clock that doesn't move or a high-contrast wallpaper—on the screen for 10 hours straight at high brightness, you risk "burn-in." This is a permanent ghost image on the display.
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If you are going to force your iPad to stay on as a photo frame, make sure:
- The brightness is turned down.
- The images are "Shuffling" so pixels aren't stuck on one color.
- You use a "Pure Black" background when possible, as this actually turns the OLED pixels off.
Actionable Steps for Your iPad
You can't toggle a switch labeled "Screensaver," but you can transform the device right now.
If you want the most "screensaver-like" experience today, go into your Photos app, create an album called "Screensaver," and put 50 high-resolution landscapes in it. Then, go to your Lock Screen settings, choose Photo Shuffle, and point it at that specific album. Set your Auto-Lock to 5 minutes. It’s the perfect balance between having something beautiful to look at and not destroying your battery life.
Stop looking for a hidden menu that doesn't exist. Use the tools Apple gave you to customize the Lock Screen, and you'll find it's actually more powerful than a 90s-style flying toaster screensaver anyway.