Where is wallpaper stored on iPhone?

[MacInWin]

This question has been asked before, but I am unable to find an answer. Where are Wallpaper files stored on the iPhone? I had a wallpaper, thought I would try some of the new ones in iOS13, didn't like any of them, wanted to go back to the original wallpaper and it's not showing anywhere that I can see it. I tried iMazing to look through the files, nada. I have a backup (actually, several) so if I can find where it is stored, I can get it from the backup. I have separate Lock screen and Home Screen wallpapers, it's the Home screen wallpaper I want.

I'm on iOS 13.1.1, but if anyone has any hint from any version that will be a starting place.

And, yes, I can get to the file system through iMazing, so the information will be useful.

 

[ferrarr]

This is an older thread from Apple Support, but one of the replies has a link to get it through an iTunes backup. I don’t know if you have one of those available, Where is Wallpaper photo stored on the ip… - Apple Community.

 

[ferrarr]

This is an older thread from Apple Support, but one of the replies has a link to get it through an iTunes backup. I don’t know if you have one of those available, Where is Wallpaper photo stored on the ip… - Apple Community.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

Oops never mind, I just clicked on the link and it’s no longer available. Sorry about that.

 

[MacInWin]

Yeah, I had seen that one but as you say, it leads to a dead link.

 

[Rod]

Was it a "custom" wallpaper or one of the bog standard ones provided by the OS?
If its the standard provided desktop images youre looking for they are here;

 

[MacInWin]

Rod, that's for macOS, I'm looking for iOS wallpaper.

 

[Rod]

Ohhhh! Sorry, I missed that completely.

 

[IWT]

@Jake

Don't know if this will help. A few years ago, I transferred a photo from iPhoto (as it was then) to my iPhone via iTunes. That placed it in the photos app of the iPhone from which I selected it as my Wallpaper.

Time passed, new iPhones, the Wallpaper always transferred to the new iPhone. Then I got fed up with it and went with one of the offerings in Settings > Wallpaper. I have changed it over time, as you do.

Just now, I went into photos on my iPhone X and the original was still there.

However, none of the Wallpapers offered in previous versions of iOS is to be found in the current iOS. If your original choice was from Wallpapers (rather than from an imported source), that will be carried forward to your next iPhone, but if you "delete" it in favour of another Wallpaper and it's not still available on your current iOS, then I think it is gone as far as the iPhone is concerned.

You might be able to recover it via an iMazing BU. If you can, then I suggest you place it in the photos app of your iPhone where it will remain forever.

Ian

 

[Rod]

Yes after my previous error I had a good look at the system files on my iPhone via imazing in the hope that it’s added access would reveal where wallpapers are stored but had no success. Really they should be in there somewhere but may be “hidden” in some way.

 

[MacInWin]

I had tried that with iMazing, too, Rod. And like you, didn't find it. Searching the web was fruitless, so I came here to see if anybody has a clue. Other than the now-missing iTunes article at Apple that Bob linked, there isn't much out there on the topic.

 

[ferrarr]

Don’t forget, if you do a web search, you can find all iOS Wallpapers online. As well as other images designed for any phones.

 

[MacInWin]

Yep, and that's part of the problem. When I search for "where are iPhone Wallpapers stored" I get pages and pages of sites with wallpapers, and buried in there was ONE reference, to the dead Apple link, for the real question. It was a custom wallpaper made from an image I no longer have. I need to recover it from a backup. All I need to know is WHERE it was stored.

 

[Rod]

I know it’s hard to believe that all knowledge is not on the internet somewhere but it is possible that Apple may have “hidden” these files so well that nobody except the Apple technicians in D&D actually know how to access them and they’ve all signed NDA’s.

 

[MacInWin]

Rod, just about anything Apple tries to hide will come out, particularly as the wallpaper is a graphic image and would stand out for any searcher who looked at it. The "hidden" aspect is which system folder holds them. There are tons of them, and I could go through each, one at a time, but sort of expected someone to already know. It's the kind of thing people do. Not me, yet, but you know, people.

 

[Rod]

My wife has always had custom wallpapers. Of course she’s a photography fan. She crops and edits a photo then uses notation to add text with an “Annie’s phone. If you find this phone Please contact........”. I’ve done much the same. I use Screen Shot to save a stock standard wallpaper and add contact info an save that so that it’s in my camera roll for the next phone.

 

[MacInWin]

Rod, that is what I want to do. I have a custom wallpaper that lists my wife's phone to call in case of an emergency and they look at MY phone. But I need to edit that file. And that is exactly what I am looking for. I've looked for the original image on both my iPhone and Mac but didn't find it, so thought I would look for the wallpaper file to get it to edit it. I could always take a screenshot of the wallpaper and start over, I suppose.

 

[Rod]

Rod, just about anything Apple tries to hide will come out, particularly as the wallpaper is a graphic image and would stand out for any searcher who looked at it. The "hidden" aspect is which system folder holds them. There are tons of them, and I could go through each, one at a time, but sort of expected someone to already know. It's the kind of thing people do. Not me, yet, but you know, people.

Yes that is the expectation. I’ve always thought my inability to find something was due to my inability to use the right search parameters, but I could be wrong.

 

[Rod]

Um, maybe I'm misunderstanding but a screen shot will have the home screen complications (Time Date etc) wont it?
Couldn't you simply create a completely new one with the same (or edited) info? Or are you very fond of the image you have?

 

[MacInWin]

I am very fond of the original image. It's a particularly lovely picture of my wife. I had carefully composed the wallpaper to have the complications above her head and the text below. Now I need to change the text. I cannot find the original picture, the wallpaper or anything even similar. The screenshot will have the complications but I can Photoshop them out. I just wanted to start with the clean image and not have to do that.

If nobody knows, no reason to beat this dead horse.

 

[Rod]

I can understand why you might wish to keep that. There are some priceless memories in photos and when you get something just right it's frustrating to have to reinvent the wheel. Is it possible that the original image might be with someone else or somewhere else, like your wife's device or a family member?