Alex Ruben
How To Customize Your Name Display on the iPhone Lock Screen
Trying to make your iPhone look a bit more your style? Yeah, putting your name or a little contact info on your lock screen isn’t a bad idea—especially if you’re worried about losing your phone. Here’s the real deal—two methods that actually work, and don’t involve some complicated jailbreak nonsense or paid apps. Trust me, I’ve tried them out on a few setups, and they kinda do the job.
Both ways are pretty straightforward, work on iPhones running iOS 16 or newer, and are totally free. The first one is more subtle, and the second lets you customize even more with a widget. Let’s dive in.
Method 1: Using Focus Mode — Why it works & when to use it
Focus Mode isn’t just for muting notifications. You can actually fake having your name showing at the bottom of the lock screen with it. It’s kinda sneaky but effective. Usually, if your phone isn’t showing your name, it’s because Apple keeps the lock screen pretty tight, so this method nudges it just enough. Works well when you want a quiet, clean look without extra apps cluttering up your Home Screen.
- Open Settings.
- Tap on Focus.
- Hit the + icon up top—this creates a new focus profile.
- Select Custom (usually near the bottom).
- Name it whatever, like “My Name” or “Personal Info,” then hit Next.
- Pick an icon if you want—this is more for visual flair.
- Now, in the Label or Title field, type in your name or string of info you want visible at lock screen’s bottom.
- Tap Done.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner (or swipe up on some old models) to access Control Center.
- Tap Focus and toggle the custom focus mode you just made—you’ll see your name pop up when you lock the phone.
This method won’t scream “look at my name,” but it subtly shows, which is kind of the point. It’s helpful if you want it quick and easy, and you can turn it off anytime. Just disable the focus in Control Center.
Method 2: Using Widgetsmith — Why & when it’s worth it
This is the fun one if you want a bit more control. Widgetsmith is a free app that lets you craft a custom text widget, which you can put right onto your lock screen. That means, your name, maybe your phone number, or some clever phrase — whatever makes it yours. It’s a little more involved but totally customizable.
- Go grab Widgetsmith from the App Store.
- Open it up after installing.
- Tap on the lock screen icon—found at the top or in the tabs, depends on the version.
- Hit Add Rectangular Widget.
- Choose Custom Text from the options—so it’s just your info, no fancy backgrounds.
- Tap on the Text section to type your name (or whatever info). You can even add line breaks if needed.
- Switch to the Theme tab to change the font style and color. Pick something readable, make sure the text color contrast with your wallpaper.
- In Settings, change the widget’s name if you want, then hit Save.
- Close the app, then jump to your lock screen. Long press, then tap Customize.
- Select Lock Screen, then Add Widgets.
- Scroll down to find Widgetsmith in the list, and pick the rectangular one you made.
- Tap that empty space on your lock screen, and a menu pops up showing your custom widgets. Select your name widget.
Voila. Now your lock screen displays a personalized text. You can position other widgets nearby like weather or battery info if you’re feeling snazzy. When everything looks good, hit Done in the top right corner.
Extra Tips & Troubleshooting — Why things might not work, and quick fixes
Real talk: if your custom widget isn’t showing up, double-check you set up the widget correctly in Widgetsmith, and that you’ve added it to your lock screen properly. Sometimes, a restart or forcing Widgetsmith to refresh the widget in the editor helps. Also, contrast is king. If your text isn’t visible, switch to a different color or font style.
In Focus Mode, if the label doesn’t appear, make sure you’ve toggled that specific focus profile active in the Control Center. Apple’s OS updates might sometimes mess with these tricks, so keep your phone updated and recheck the steps if things seem wonky.
Summary
- Focus Mode can display your name subtly at lock screen’s bottom.
- Widgetsmith offers a customizable widget with your name or info directly on your lock screen.
- Check contrast and widget placement if stuff isn’t showing as expected.
- These methods are free and quick—just a bit of tinkering needed.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. If this gets one update moving, mission accomplished. Just something that worked on multiple machines. Fingers crossed this helps.