The rumor was true: iOS 26 introduces an option to view full-screen animated album art on the iPhone’s Lock Screen for certain Apple Music songs.
To enter the full-screen mode, simply tap on the album art in the Lock Screen’s music player for the song that is currently playing, and the artwork will expand and become animated, which contributes to a more immersive listening experience.
Animated album art was already visible in the Apple Music app for many popular songs, and now it has come to the Lock Screen for the first time.
Not all songs have animated artwork, but the selection is growing.
This is a nice touch that complements the new Liquid Glass design, which allows background content to shine through the interface elements.
iOS 26 is available now in developer beta, with a public beta to follow next month. The update will be released later this year for the iPhone 11 and newer.
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