Live Activity, wallpaper or widget?
The iPhone Lock Screen is three layers stacked on top of each other. Knowing which is which explains why some things update every minute and others never do.
The three layers
| Wallpaper | Widgets | Live Activity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Behind everything | Under the clock | Below the clock, full width |
| Size | Whole screen | Tiny (one line) | Up to 160 pt tall |
| Updates | On lock / hourly / daily | iOS decides, sparse | Push from a server, minutes |
| Tappable | No | Opens the app | Yes, with buttons |
| Lifetime | Forever | Forever | Up to 8 hours per session |
| Also shown in | — | — | Dynamic Island, StandBy, Apple Watch |
Why a photo frame belongs in the Live Activity layer
A photo frame needs three things: a picture big enough to look at, a rhythm you control, and no interference with the rest of the Lock Screen. Only the Live Activity layer has all three. It's also the only layer that a server can update on a schedule — which is how Live Frame changes the photo every 5 minutes on the Pro plan.
The one thing it does not have is permanence. That's why Live Frame is built around time windows instead of an always-on promise.
What Live Frame puts in each layer
Wallpaper: nothing — we don't touch it. Widgets: optional Home Screen photo widgets (small and medium). Live Activity: the photo frame itself, plus an optional weather card in the rotation.
Questions
Can a Live Activity replace my wallpaper?
No, and it isn't meant to. It's a card below the clock that you start and end. Your wallpaper is a separate layer.
Why do Live Activities need notification permission?
iOS delivers the updates through the same push channel as notifications. Live Frame sends no notifications; the permission is only for the frame updates.