StandBy is a Lock Screen mode that activates when an ‌iPhone‌ is plugged into a charger and positioned in a horizontal (or landscape) orientation. It consists of three different screens, the last of which is the fullscreen clock display. Keep reading to learn how to change the style of the clock.


StandBy's third screen shows the time and date in various themes that you can access by swiping up and down on the display. They include Digital, Analogue, World, Solar, and Float. Some themes also show additional information like the temperature or your next alarm.

Float shows the time in big bubble numbers in customizable colors, while Solar has more of a standard font with a solar flare design in different colors. Similarly, the Analog theme has customizable accent colors, and Digital has bold numbers with different color options. The World theme shows the time with a map of the world and your current location highlighted, and is the only theme that can't be color-customized.

Here are the steps to take to change the color of the Analog, Solar, Float, and Digital clocks.

  1. Press and hold on the clock face.
    standby

  2. Tap the white button in the bottom-right corner of the clock.
    standby

  3. Choose a different color swatch from the row of options that appears.
    standby

  4. When you're happy with your selection, tap the X button in the top-right corner of the color swatch menu pane, then tap Done.
    standby

That's all there is to it. You can also customize the widgets screen in StandBy mode. Check out our dedicated guide for more help.

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...