The lock screen on an iPhone is the first screen that appears when you turn on or wake up your device. It serves as both an assistant and a gatekeeper, keeping you informed and up-to-date at a glance, while also keeping your iPhone secure against unauthorized access. From the lock screen, you can access a few commonly used features, such as widgets, media playback controls, and Control Center. You can also see notifications, open the camera, and get information from your favorite apps at a glance.

To navigate the lock screen, you can swipe left to open the camera, or swipe down from the top-right corner (on an iPhone with Face ID) or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen (on other iPhone models) to open Control Center. You can also customize the lock screen by changing the wallpaper, disabling certain features, and controlling access to information.

To lock the screen on your iPhone, you can press the side button once or swipe up from the bottom of the screen. You can also set an automatic screen lock time limit in the Settings app. To unlock your iPhone from the lock screen, you can double-tap the screen and slide the slider to the unlocked position.