Getting the most out of your iPhone’s Live Activities can be a game-changer, especially if you’re used to keeping track of stuff without unlocking the phone all the time. They’re kinda like upgraded widgets but live, updating info right on the Lock screen, in Standby, or even on the Dynamic Island—if your iPhone has it. The trick is, sometimes these don’t turn on right away or don’t work as expected. So, if your Live Activities aren’t showing up or sticking around, here’s a rough guide on what to check to make it work smoothly. It’s not foolproof, but it’s a good starting point to troubleshoot and get the feature active without losing your mind.
How to enable and use Live Activities on an iPhone
If Live Activities aren’t showing up like they should, or if they just don’t seem to work after setting everything up, here’s what’s often missed or needs tweaking. Sometimes, it’s the permissions or a small toggle that’s gotta be turned on; other times, a reboot helps. It’s pretty straightforward once you know where to look, but Apple’s settings can be a bit hidden or confusing at first. After doing this, you should see timers, music controls, or other updates in real-time on your lock screen or Dynamic Island if your model supports it—like the iPhone 14 Pro or newer.
Make sure Live Activities is enabled in your settings
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode.(If you have an older iPhone with Touch ID, look for the Touch ID & Passcode option instead.)
- Enter your passcode to access the menu.
Allow Live Activities to work when your phone is locked
- In the same menu, scroll down to find the section called Allow Access When Locked.
- Make sure the toggle for Live Activities is turned on. If it’s off, your Live Activities won’t appear when your phone is locked or in Standby.
- Pro tip: Sometimes, this toggle resets or switches back off—so if it’s off, switch it on, then maybe restart the phone just to be sure it sticks.
Test it out and see if it sticks
- Open the Clock app and start a timer. It’s an easy way to test since the timer shows up in the lock screen if Live Activities are working.
- Lock your screen (press the power button).Wait a second, and you should see the timer info in the corner or at the top, depending on your setup.
- If it’s not showing, double-check step 2 and 3, or try toggling the settings off then back on. Sometimes, you gotta disable and re-enable features or restart the device for changes to take effect.
For newer iPhones with Dynamic Island, like the iPhone 14 Pro series, this ‘Live Activities’ info will appear there as well, usually collapsed and ready to expand. If that’s not showing, it might be due to app support or a system glitch—so make sure your iOS is up to date and that the app you’re trying to use actually supports Live Activities.
On some setups, the feature can be a little temperamental. One machine it worked on first try, another needed a reboot, or even a toggle in Settings, then wait a bit. Because of course, Apple loves making things just a little more complicated than they should.
Wrap-up
Hopefully, this gets Live Activities working without tugging at your hair too much. It’s all about making sure the right toggles are on, permissions granted, and sometimes, a quick restart helps clear out any weird glitches. Just a heads-up: not every app supports Live Activities yet, so if it’s a specific app not showing data, that might be the bigger issue. Fingers crossed this helps—worked for a few setups I fiddled with, so maybe it’ll do the same for you.
Summary
- Check Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode
- Make sure Live Activities toggle is on in Allow Access When Locked
- Test with a timer or music app, and lock the screen to see if info shows up
- Try restarting the device if things seem frozen or not updating
Final thoughts
Getting Live Activities to work right can be a hit or miss, but once it’s set up, it’s pretty handy. Just remember, some apps need to support it explicitly, and system updates can sometimes mess with the toggles. If it all seems broken, a quick look for updates or toggling permissions usually does the trick. Hope this saves someone a couple of hours of frustration. Good luck and enjoy your now a bit smarter lock screen!