iPhone StandBy Photos Setup Guide

StandBy turns your iPhone into a bedside clock, calendar, and photo frame while it charges. This guide shows you how to set up a photo slideshow in StandBy, choose which albums appear, and adjust the display to your liking. You’ll need an iPhone running iOS 17 or later and a charger—wired or MagSafe—to get started.

What You’ll Need

iPhone with iOS 17 or later
A charger (Lightning, USB-C, or MagSafe)
A stand or position to hold your phone upright (optional but recommended)

Step-by-Step

Update your iPhone – Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available updates to ensure you have iOS 17 or later.
Connect your iPhone to power – Plug in your charger. StandBy activates automatically when the phone is charging and held in a landscape (sideways) orientation.
Enter StandBy – Place your iPhone on its side while it’s charging. If it doesn’t switch to StandBy, make sure the phone is locked and the screen is off. You should see the clock and date.
Swipe to the Photos view – While in StandBy, swipe left or right on the screen to cycle through the available views: Clock, Calendar, Photos, and others. Swipe until you reach the Photos view, which shows a single photo or a slideshow.
Access the photo controls – Tap and hold on the photo (or long-press) to bring up the photo settings menu. This menu lets you choose which album is displayed.
Choose an album – In the menu, tap Album and select from options like Featured, Favorites, or any album you’ve created in the Photos app. You can also choose All Photos to include everything.
Enable or disable shuffle – After selecting an album, look for a toggle labeled Shuffle (or similar). Turn it on to have the photos change automatically. If you prefer a static photo, leave it off.
Adjust the slideshow speed (optional) – Some iOS versions allow you to set how often photos change. Look for a Shuffle Frequency option in the same menu, and choose from options like Daily, Hourly, or On Tap. If you don’t see this, your version may not support it.
Exit the menu – Tap anywhere outside the menu to return to the slideshow. Your settings are saved automatically.
Lock the screen orientation – If your iPhone rotates unexpectedly, make sure the orientation lock is off (swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center and check the lock icon). StandBy works best in landscape.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to enable StandBy – If you haven’t toggled StandBy on in Settings, it won’t activate. Go to Settings > StandBy and make sure it’s enabled.
Not using landscape mode – StandBy only works when your iPhone is held horizontally. If you keep it upright, it won’t enter StandBy.
Choosing an empty album – If you select an album with no photos, the screen will be blank or show a default image. Pick an album that actually has content.
Expecting it to work without charging – StandBy only runs while the phone is plugged in. It won’t activate on battery power alone.
Ignoring the lock screen – If your phone is unlocked, StandBy may not appear. Lock your phone first (press the side button) before placing it down.

Tips

Use a dedicated album – Create a new album in the Photos app with your favorite pictures, then select it in StandBy for a personalized slideshow.
Take advantage of Favorites – Mark photos as favorites (tap the heart icon) and choose the Favorites album to show only your top picks.
Adjust the display brightness – In StandBy, you can swipe down from the top of the screen to access brightness controls. Lower the brightness for nighttime viewing.
Use StandBy with a MagSafe charger – With a MagSafe charger, your iPhone can remember which view you prefer for each charging location. This is useful if you have one at your desk and one at your bedside.
Try different views – Don’t limit yourself to photos. Swipe through the other StandBy views to find what works best for your setup.

Troubleshooting

StandBy doesn’t activate – Make sure your iPhone is running iOS 17 or later. Check Settings > StandBy and toggle it on. Also, ensure your phone is locked and in landscape orientation while charging.
Photos view isn’t showing – If you can’t find the Photos view, try swiping further left or right. If it still doesn’t appear, restart your iPhone by holding the side button and either volume button until the power off slider appears, then slide to power off and turn it back on.
Slideshow isn’t changing photos – Verify that Shuffle is enabled in the photo settings menu. If it’s on and photos still don’t change, try selecting a different album and then switching back.
Screen turns off too quickly – StandBy has a setting to keep the display on. Go to Settings > StandBy and choose Display. You can set it to Always On (if your iPhone supports it) or After 20 Seconds to turn off sooner.
Photos appear blurry or low-quality – Make sure the original photos are high resolution. StandBy displays them at a large size, so low-res images may look pixelated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use StandBy with any charger?
A: Yes, StandBy works with any Lightning or USB-C charger. However, some features like location-based views require a MagSafe charger.

Q: Will StandBy drain my battery?
A: StandBy runs while charging, so it doesn’t drain your battery. If you unplug your phone, StandBy stops.

Q: Can I show multiple albums in rotation?
A: No, you can only select one album at a time. To switch albums, you’ll need to long-press and choose a different one.

Q: Does StandBy work with any iPhone model?
A: StandBy is available on all iPhones that support iOS 17, including iPhone XS and newer. However, the Always-On display feature is limited to iPhone 14 Pro and later.

Q: How do I stop the slideshow and show a single photo?
A: Turn off the Shuffle toggle in the photo settings menu. The photo will remain static until you change it manually.

Q: Can I use Live Photos in StandBy?
A: Yes, Live Photos will play their motion effect when displayed. You can disable this by turning off Live Photo in the Photos app for that specific photo.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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