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The new StandBy feature in iOS 17 allows you to turn your iPhone into a smart display. It only works when your iPhone is charging, whether it's plugged in or charging wirelessly. By placing your iPhone upright in landscape orientation, you activate StandBy and bring up a full-screen display.

The default view is two widgets side by side, and you can choose what you want these widgets to display, from a clock and your calendar to your battery status and activity rings. You can also opt to display your favourite photos in one of these half-screen widgets, or you can display them in full screen if you prefer. Here's how to make StandBy show your favourite iPhone photos.

How to make StandBy show your favourite iPhone photos in widget

If you want to display your iPhone photos in one of the half-screen widgets, leaving the other widget to show other information, it's simple to do.

  1. Create a photo album on your iPhone containing the photos you want to appear in StandBy.
  2. Place your iPhone upright in landscape mode and ensure that it's charging.
  3. Press the side button on your iPhone to lock the screen, and then tap the screen to wake your iPhone and display StandBy.
  4. Tap and hold the widget that you want to add your iPhone photos.
  5. Tap the + (plus) icon in the top left corner to add a new widget.
  6. Scroll down and tap Photos in the left-hand menu.
  7. Swipe left on the widget preview to move from Featured to Album.
  8. Tap the Add Widget button to add the widget to StandBy.
  9. Tap the widget preview, and it will flip over.
  10. Tap the name of the current album.
  11. Select the album you want to display in StandBy.
  12. Tap Done in the top right corner of the screen.
  13. StandBy will now display your selected album in one of the widgets.

How to make StandBy show your favourite iPhone photos in full screen

Although the default view is to show two widgets side-by-side, there are alternative views for StandBy that use the full screen. There's a full-screen clock display option, but also a full-screen photo display. Once again, you can select the album that you want to display.

  1. Create an album of iPhone photos that you want to appear in StandBy.
  2. Start charging your iPhone and place it upright in landscape orientation.
  3. Press the side button to put your iPhone to sleep, and it should go into StandBy mode.
  4. Swipe the screen to the left, and you'll move from the default two-widget display to the photo display.
  5. Tap and hold the screen to open the photo options.
  6. The default albums are ones created by your iPhone: Featured, Nature, Cities, and People.
  7. To add your own selection of photos, tap the + (plus) icon in the top right corner.
  8. Select the album you want to use.
  9. Tap Done in the top right corner.
  10. Your iPhone will now display your chosen photos in full screen in StandBy, with a slight zoom animation effect on the photos.
  11. The current time is also displayed over the photos; tapping the screen shows the current date.