Apple released the fifth public beta of iOS 26 on Aug. 25. The beta brought a handful of new features to the iPhones of developers and testers, including a new Liquid Glass design and the ability to screen incoming calls. The update also brings more customization options to your lock screen.
With the release of iOS 18, you could remove and change the controls on your lock screen, a welcome upgrade if you ever found yourself accidentally pressing your flashlight control when putting your phone back in your pocket.
With the iOS 26 beta, you can move your lock screen widgets, increase the size of your clock and give your lock screen wallpaper a 3D spatial effect.
Remember, Apple is still beta testing iOS 26. That means the update might be buggy for you, and your device's battery life may be affected, so it's best to keep those troubles off your primary device. If you want to try out the beta, I recommend downloading it on a secondary device.
It's also possible that Apple could adjust these lock screen options, and other update features, before the final version of iOS 26 is released this fall -- I'm guessing in a few weeks.
Here's how to bring these changes to your lock screen and what to know about each.
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Change the size of your lock screen's clock
The biggest change iOS 26 brings to your lock screen is the ability to change the size of your clock. The expanded clock takes up about a third of my iPhone 16 Pro's screen at most, which I love because if I place my phone on a table, I can easily see the time, even without my glasses. But you have to enable the bigger clock.
Apple/Screenshot by CNET
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