Live Activities are one of those iPhone features that sound a little fancy until you use them once. Then suddenly you are checking your food delivery, workout timer, game score, rideshare, flight status, or navigation progress without opening five apps like a tiny overworked air-traffic controller.
Introduced as part of the iOS 16 Lock Screen redesign and made available for third-party apps with iOS 16.1, Live Activities give your iPhone a smarter way to show real-time updates. Instead of buzzing you with notification after notification, a Live Activity sits neatly on your Lock Screen and refreshes as the situation changes. On iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, it can also appear in the Dynamic Island while you use other apps.
This guide explains how to enable Live Activities on iPhone, how to use them in iOS 16, where to find supported apps, how Dynamic Island changes the experience, and what to do when Live Activities are not working. Coffee optional, but recommended.
What Are Live Activities on iPhone?
Live Activities are real-time, glanceable app updates that appear on your iPhone Lock Screen. Think of them as a more useful cousin of notifications. A regular notification says, “Something happened.” A Live Activity says, “Something is happening right now, and here is the latest status.”
For example, a food delivery app can show when your order is being prepared, picked up, and approaching your door. A fitness app can show your workout time, distance, or pace. A sports app can show a live score. A rideshare app can show your driver’s estimated arrival. A flight app can show gate changes, boarding updates, and delays. It is like giving your Lock Screen a tiny job, and thankfully it does not ask for a lunch break.
Live Activities vs. Notifications
The biggest difference between Live Activities and notifications is persistence. Notifications appear, stack up, and often disappear into the Notification Center jungle. Live Activities stay visible while the activity is ongoing. They update in place, which means you do not need a fresh alert every time a score changes, a driver moves two blocks, or your pizza enters the “almost emotionally important” stage.
Live Activities vs. Lock Screen Widgets
Lock Screen widgets are useful for quick information such as weather, calendar events, battery status, or activity rings. Live Activities are designed for temporary events happening now. A weather widget may sit on your Lock Screen all day. A Live Activity should appear when your workout starts, update while you exercise, and disappear when you are done pretending the stairs were “leg day.”
iPhone and iOS Requirements for Live Activities
To use Live Activities on iPhone, you need iOS 16.1 or later. Apple previewed the feature with iOS 16, but third-party app support arrived with iOS 16.1. If your iPhone is still on the original iOS 16 release, update it before wondering why the feature is hiding like a cat during vacuuming.
Live Activities work on supported iPhones that can run iOS 16. On standard iPhone models, they appear on the Lock Screen. On iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activities can also appear in the Dynamic Island while the phone is unlocked. Later iPhone models with Dynamic Island support the same general idea, but this guide focuses on the iOS 16 experience.
Where Live Activities Appear
On most iPhones running iOS 16.1 or later, Live Activities appear near the bottom of the Lock Screen. They look like a wide notification card with live, updating information. On iPhone 14 Pro models, the same activity can also shrink into the Dynamic Island at the top of the display when you unlock the phone and use another app.
This is especially helpful for activities you want to monitor without staying inside one app. You can check a timer while texting, follow a game while browsing, or watch your ride approach while doing the very important work of choosing the perfect “I’m outside” message.
How to Turn On Live Activities on iPhone
Before you can use Live Activities, make sure the main setting is enabled. Apple places this control inside the passcode settings because Live Activities can show information on the Lock Screen, even before the iPhone is unlocked.
Steps to Enable Live Activities in iOS 16
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Face ID & Passcode. On some models, you may see Touch ID & Passcode.
- Enter your iPhone passcode.
- Scroll to the Allow Access When Locked section.
- Turn on Live Activities.
Once this switch is enabled, compatible apps can show Live Activities on your Lock Screen. However, the feature still depends on app support. If an app does not support Live Activities, no setting can magically make it do so. Sadly, Settings is powerful, but it is not a wizard.
Enable Live Activities for Individual Apps
Some apps also include their own Live Activities controls. To check, open Settings, scroll down to the app, and look for a Live Activities option. You may also find Live Activities controls inside the app itself, usually under notification, privacy, lock screen, or account settings.
If you want Live Activities for a delivery app, rideshare app, sports app, fitness tracker, timer, or flight tracker, update the app first. Developers added Live Activities support gradually after iOS 16.1, so an outdated app may not show the option.
How to Start a Live Activity
Live Activities usually start inside the app that supports them. There is no universal “Start Live Activity” button in iOS because each app uses the feature differently. The good news is that once you know the pattern, it becomes easy.
Example: Start a Timer
Open the Clock app, start a timer, and lock your iPhone. The timer appears as a Live Activity on the Lock Screen. If you have an iPhone 14 Pro model, the timer can also appear in the Dynamic Island when the phone is unlocked.
Example: Follow a Sports Game
In iOS 16.2 and later, Apple added options for more frequent sports updates through supported apps such as Apple TV. In a supported sports experience, you typically choose a game and tap an option such as Follow. The game score then appears on the Lock Screen as a Live Activity. More frequent updates can be useful, but they may use more battery, so save that setting for games you actually care about. Your phone does not need to sweat through preseason scores on your behalf.
Example: Track a Delivery or Rideshare
For food delivery or rideshare apps, a Live Activity may start automatically once an order or ride is active. You might see the driver’s estimated arrival time, delivery stage, pickup progress, or order status. If nothing appears, check whether the app has Live Activities enabled and whether notifications are allowed.
Example: Monitor a Workout
Fitness apps can use Live Activities to show time, distance, pace, calories, or workout progress on the Lock Screen. This is perfect when you want to glance at your progress without unlocking the phone with sweaty fingers, which is both practical and hygienically heroic.
How to Use Live Activities on the Lock Screen
Once a Live Activity appears on your Lock Screen, you can check the latest information without opening the app. Tap the Live Activity to jump into the related app. This is useful when you need more details, want to change settings, or need to stop the activity.
You can also remove many Live Activities from the Lock Screen by swiping across the activity and dismissing it. Keep in mind that dismissing the card may not stop the real-world activity. If your food is still being delivered, your burrito does not vanish because you swiped left. To fully stop an activity, open the app and end the ride, workout, timer, order tracking, or event inside the app.
What Information Can Live Activities Show?
The exact information depends on the app. A sports app might show the score, teams, inning, quarter, or match time. A delivery app might show preparation, pickup, and arrival stages. A flight app might show the gate, delay status, boarding time, or arrival estimate. Apple encourages developers to show useful, time-sensitive information rather than turning the Lock Screen into a billboard.
How Live Activities Work with Dynamic Island
If you have an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, Live Activities become even more convenient through Dynamic Island. When the iPhone is unlocked, an ongoing activity can appear in the pill-shaped area at the top of the screen. It may show a tiny timer, album art, navigation indicator, sports score, or other compact update.
Expand a Live Activity in Dynamic Island
To expand a Live Activity in Dynamic Island, touch and hold the Dynamic Island. You can also swipe from the center toward the right or left side, depending on the activity and layout. The expanded view shows more detail and may include simple controls.
Collapse a Live Activity
To collapse the activity again, swipe from the side of the Dynamic Island toward the center. This returns it to a smaller view so it does not hog the top of the screen like it owns the place.
Switch Between Multiple Live Activities
Dynamic Island can handle more than one ongoing activity, such as music and a timer. One activity may appear as the main Dynamic Island item while another appears as a smaller bubble. Tap or press the activity you want to manage. For heavy multitaskers, this is where the iPhone starts to feel less like a phone and more like a tiny command center.
Best Apps and Use Cases for Live Activities
Live Activities are most useful when the information changes often and matters right now. They are not ideal for static information, long articles, promotions, or random updates. The best Live Activities save you from repeatedly opening an app.
Great Use Cases
- Sports scores: Follow a live game from the Lock Screen.
- Food delivery: See when your order is being prepared, picked up, and delivered.
- Rideshare: Track driver arrival and trip progress.
- Workouts: Monitor time, pace, distance, or progress.
- Timers: Keep an eye on cooking, studying, or laundry.
- Flights: Watch gate changes, delays, and boarding status.
- Navigation: See directions or route progress at a glance.
How to Find Apps That Support Live Activities
Open the App Store and search for phrases such as Live Activities, Dynamic Island, Lock Screen widgets, or the specific task you want, such as flight tracker Live Activities or sports scores Dynamic Island. App descriptions often mention Live Activities support because developers know it is a useful selling point.
Before downloading, check the app’s update history and recent reviews. Live Activities require thoughtful app design. A great app shows exactly what you need. A not-so-great app turns your Lock Screen into a digital refrigerator covered in magnets.
Privacy and Battery Tips for Live Activities
Because Live Activities appear on the Lock Screen, privacy matters. If an app shows sensitive information, anyone near your phone may be able to see it. That may be fine for a timer, but less ideal for medical reminders, private travel details, or a delivery address.
Manage What Appears on the Lock Screen
If you do not want Live Activities visible while locked, go back to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and turn off Live Activities under Allow Access When Locked. You can also manage app-specific notification settings under Settings > Notifications.
Watch Battery Usage
Live Activities are designed to be efficient, but frequent updates can still affect battery life, especially for sports scores, navigation, location tracking, or delivery apps. If your battery drains faster than usual, check Settings > Battery to see which apps are using power. Turn off unnecessary Live Activities or reduce frequent update settings where available.
Use More Frequent Updates Carefully
Some apps offer a More Frequent Updates option. This can make Live Activities feel more immediate, but it may also increase battery use. Enable it for time-sensitive activities you genuinely need to follow closely. For everything else, normal updates are usually enough. Your iPhone battery deserves boundaries, too.
How to Fix Live Activities Not Working
If Live Activities are not showing on your iPhone, do not panic. The feature depends on several settings, app permissions, iOS version, and app support. Work through the checklist below.
1. Update to iOS 16.1 or Later
Open Settings > General > Software Update. Install the latest available iOS version for your iPhone. Live Activities for third-party apps require iOS 16.1 or later, so this is the first place to check.
2. Turn On the Main Live Activities Setting
Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and make sure Live Activities is enabled under Allow Access When Locked.
3. Check App Permissions
Some Live Activities need notifications, location access, cellular data, or Background App Refresh. For example, a rideshare or delivery app may need location permission to update accurately. A sports app may need notification permission to push score updates.
4. Update the App
Open the App Store, tap your profile picture, and check for updates. If the app added Live Activities support after your installed version, updating may solve the problem.
5. Start the Activity Inside the App
Many Live Activities do not appear until you begin a supported action. Start the workout, follow the game, begin the timer, place the order, or request the ride. Then lock your iPhone and check the Lock Screen.
6. Restart Your iPhone
When all else fails, restart your iPhone. It is the classic tech-support move because, annoyingly, it often works. Restarting can clear small software hiccups that prevent Live Activities from appearing.
Practical Experience: What Live Activities Feel Like in Daily Use
The best way to understand Live Activities is not to memorize settings. It is to use them during a normal day. Imagine ordering lunch while working from home. Without Live Activities, you open the delivery app every few minutes, pretending you are “just checking,” when really you have formed a deep emotional bond with a sandwich. With Live Activities, the order status sits on the Lock Screen. You glance, see that the restaurant is preparing it, and move on with your life. Later, the card updates when the driver is nearby. Less tapping, less app-hopping, fewer tiny hunger spirals.
Sports are another natural fit. A live score on the Lock Screen is far cleaner than a stream of notifications. Instead of getting buzzed every time something changes, the score simply updates in one place. This is especially useful when you are busy but still want to follow the game. You can glance at the screen during a break, see the current score, and avoid the awkward “checking my phone every six seconds” routine.
Timers may be the most underrated Live Activities use case. Whether you are cooking pasta, steeping tea, doing a focus session, or timing laundry, the countdown stays visible. On iPhone 14 Pro models, the timer in Dynamic Island feels particularly natural because it remains available while you use other apps. You can read a recipe, answer a message, or scroll through photos while the timer keeps quietly judging your punctuality from the top of the screen.
Workouts also benefit from Live Activities because they reduce friction. During a walk or run, you may not want to unlock your phone, open a fitness app, and dig through screens just to check progress. A Live Activity can show the information that matters most: time, distance, pace, or progress. It is not a full replacement for a dedicated fitness watch, but it makes the iPhone more useful during casual exercise.
The only real downside is that Live Activities can become clutter if too many apps use them at once. A timer, music playback, delivery order, and sports score may all be useful individually, but together they can make the Lock Screen feel busy. The trick is to be selective. Enable Live Activities for apps that genuinely save you time. Disable them for apps that use the feature just because they can. Your Lock Screen should be helpful, not a tiny Times Square.
Overall, Live Activities make iOS 16 feel more immediate and less interruptive. They are not flashy in the way a new wallpaper or redesigned app icon is flashy. Instead, they quietly improve the moments when information changes quickly. The feature works best when it reduces repeated checking, keeps important updates visible, and disappears when the activity is done. In other words, Live Activities are at their best when they act like a helpful assistant, not a needy app waving for attention.
Conclusion
Live Activities on iPhone are one of the most practical additions to iOS 16. They bring real-time updates to the Lock Screen, reduce notification overload, and make everyday tasks easier to follow. Whether you are tracking a delivery, watching a sports score, timing dinner, monitoring a workout, or checking a rideshare ETA, Live Activities help you see what matters without constantly opening apps.
To use Live Activities, update to iOS 16.1 or later, enable the feature in Settings > Face ID & Passcode, and use apps that support it. If you have an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, Dynamic Island makes the feature even better by keeping live updates visible while you use your phone. Keep an eye on privacy and battery settings, choose supported apps wisely, and your Lock Screen will become more useful without turning into a notification circus.
