Apple includes macOS for two versions dynamic wallpapers that change according to the time of day. When the sun rises the background is darker, during the day it lights up, in the afternoon it darkens until it gets dark when the sun goes down. On iOS, we don’t have this option natively, but we can manage to achieve this effect.
As often happens, when we want to do something that is not native to iOS, you have to use the Shortcuts application. It is an essential app that you must have installed and with which you can do amazing things.
Automatically change the background of your iPhone or iPad with the time of day
To achieve this beautiful effect and for our wallpaper to change depending on the time of day, we need create an automation from the Shortcuts app. This is a process that can take around 15 minutes, as it will be necessary to configure multiple automations.
Before telling you how to configure this option, You must have the wallpapers downloaded. We recommend that you go to this website, which has a lot of compilations, including those for macOS, and download its collections.
The downloaded folder must be uploaded to iCloud Drive in the Shortcuts folder, for this:
- Enter the web and download the pack you like the most for your device.
- When downloaded, click the up arrow.
- Press the downloaded file.
- Downloads will open, click on the downloaded .zip.
- A folder, hold and tap Move.
- To choose iCloud Drive> Shortcuts.
- Click above on To copy.
- Remember the name of this folder with the pictures.
Once you have copied the folder with the photos to iCloud Drive, you just need to follow these steps:
- Enter the app Shortcuts and click on Automating.
- Enter now Create personal automation.
- To choose Time of the day.
- To select the first photo click on Sunrise then in 1 hour before and on Ok.
- Press on next then in Add action.
- Type now Get the file.
- Uncheck Show document selector.
- Press on File route.
- You have to type the path of the fileIf you downloaded, the one we recommend will be “folder name” /sunrise1.heic.
- Uncheck Error if not found.
- Now in the “+”.
- Fundraising and press Set the wallpaper.
- Select the Home or locked screen.
- Press on Show more and uncheck Show preview.
- Click on the play icon to see what is working everything correctly.
- Uncheck Confirmation request and press Okay.
You should create an automation for each of the photos with different time intervals. If you use the photos on the web that we left for you, they recommend these times for each background:
- sunrise1.heic: 1 hour before sunrise.
- sunrise2.heic – 15 minutes before sunrise.
- sunrise3.heic: 30 minutes after sunrise.
- sunrise4.heic: 2 hours after sunrise (this is the photo of the day).
- sunset1.heic: 1 hour before sunset.
- sunset2.heic: 15 minutes before sunset.
- sunset3.heic: 30 minutes after sunset.
- sunset4.heic: 2 hours after sunset (this is the night photo).
When the whole process is complete, you should create 8 automations, one for each photo. You can use the photos you want, you just need to be clear about the path of the folder and its name, and remember that this folder must be in ICloud Drive> Archivos.
