iPhones allow you to use any image as the wallpaper for the lock screen and icon background on your phone. I’ve always wanted to create my own background image, combining favorite family photos instead of just a single photo that usually gets cropped. I’ve figured out how to do that using PowerPoint.
Set PowerPoint to export high-resolution photos
By default, PowerPoint does not export high-resolution images when you save a slide as an image. To change this setting on your computer, exit PowerPoint and follow the instructions in this article from Microsoft. You need to do this so that the custom wallpaper image you create will look crisp and clear on your iPhone.
Find out the resolution of your iPhone
With every new phone, Apple updates the screen resolution, so you need to find the resolution of the phone you own. Go to https://www.ios-resolution.com/ for a comprehensive list of all Apple devices. You need to note the Physical Width and Physical Height in pixels for your phone model.
Create a PowerPoint file with the correct resolution
Open a new PowerPoint file. On the Design ribbon, click on the Slide Size button and click on Custom Slide Size.
In the Slide Size dialog box that opens, click the Portrait option in the Slides Orientation section.
Use the drop down list to select the Custom option in the Slides sized for: list.
Enter the pixels from above in the width and height fields adding “px” after each size to tell PowerPoint that you are entering a dimension in pixels.
When you tab to the next field it will convert what you entered to the default units, usually inches or cm.
When you click the OK button, PowerPoint will ask if you want to maximize or ensure the fit of the existing objects on the slide. Since the only content are the empty default placeholders, click Maximize.
Create your custom image
Save the file to your computer or cloud storage location.
On the Home ribbon, click on the Layout button and select the Blank layout to clear the slide of the placeholders.
Add images, text, or shapes to the slide. Make sure all content stays within the boundary of the slide.
Export the slide as an image
Once you are satisfied with your custom image slide, click on the File menu item and click on Save a Copy.
Use the file format dropdown list to select the JPEG image file format.
Change the file name if desired. After you click the Save button, PowerPoint will ask you whether you want to save All Slides or Just This One.
Select to save Just This One.
Move the image to your phone
The custom image needs to be saved on your phone in the Photo Roll to be selected as a wallpaper for the lock screen. Use email or messaging to send the photo to yourself. Open the email or message on your phone and save the photo to your Photo Roll.
Set the image as your wallpaper for the lock screen and app background
Depending on what version of iOS you have, the instructions for setting a photo as the wallpaper will differ. Refer to this Apple Support page where you can select the iOS version and it will give you instructions.
Wrapup
Now that you know how to create a custom image as your iPhone wallpaper, you can add a new slide in the PowerPoint file and create another custom image whenever you want to.
Dave Paradi has over twenty-two years of experience delivering customized training workshops to help business professionals improve their presentations. He has written ten books and over 600 articles on the topic of effective presentations and his ideas have appeared in publications around the world. His focus is on helping corporate professionals visually communicate the messages in their data so they don’t overwhelm and confuse executives. Dave is one of fewer than ten people in North America recognized by Microsoft with the Most Valuable Professional Award for his contributions to the Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams communities. His articles and videos on virtual presenting have been viewed over 4.8 million times and liked over 17,000 times on YouTube.