During WWDC 2022, Apple announced a new feature for iOS 16 that allows users to customize lock screen widgets, add animated wallpapers, and change fonts and colors. Although many people regret that the new experience is limited to the iPhone, according to 9to5Mac, in fact, iPadOS 16 also has a secret debugging menu hidden.
It should be pointed out that, as the system process responsible for managing the lock screen and home screen on iOS, the related experience has not been implemented in Springboard. Instead, Apple created a new internal app called “PosterBoard” to direct users to a new custom lock screen option.
Like many other iOS tools, it’s hidden by default and can only be accessed through certain options (like long-pressing on the iPhone’s lock screen). As for iPad OS 16, although Apple has not officially announced the new lock screen interface, it is actually hidden in the iPad system and can be accessed by special means.
There’s a debug menu in iPadOS 16 beta 1 that lets you interact with the new Lock Screen on the iPad. Some things are broken (specially widgets), but they could have at least released this for basic customization like new wallpapers and fonts. Maybe next year. https://t.co/HC4hrfvAzA pic.twitter.com/2raAIi9QWI
— Filipe Espósito (@filipeesposito) June 10, 2022
On Friday, Federico Viticci shared a workaround on Twitter, and it appears Apple forgot to hide PosterBoard from the list of apps users can access via shortcuts. Interested friends can create a shortcut to open the PosterBoard application in iPadOS 16, and then experience-rich iPad lock screen customization options.
Opening the PosterBoard app with Shortcuts brings up a debug menu for Apple designers and engineers to test out all the new options on the new lock screen. Embarrassingly, iPadOS 16 beta 1 doesn’t appear to be ready to enable a new version of the lock screen experience.
At this stage, only basic functions have been implemented, such as integrating the wallpaper background with the clock and changing fonts and colors. As for the most anticipated lock screen widget, iPadOS 16 will obviously have to wait a little longer.
Of course, we do not rule out that Apple will completely cut off the above-mentioned lock screen function in the next beta test version of iPadOS 16. However, even if Apple finally decides not to officially introduce this feature to iPadOS 16, we can still expect related features to be implemented in iPadOS 17 (similar to the previous home screen widgets and App Library).
Developers can now download and try the iPadOS 16 betas through the Apple Developer portal. In addition, the public beta will start next month, and the official version is scheduled to arrive this fall.
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