The fastest way to add a widget
To add a widget to your iPhone, long-press an empty area of your home screen until the icons start to jiggle, then tap the plus button in the top left corner. A menu will open showing all the apps that have widgets. Find the app you want, tap it, choose which widget size you prefer, and tap "Add Widget". The widget will appear on your home screen.
This takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look. The most common mistake is tapping and holding on an app icon instead of an empty space — that opens the app menu, not the widget menu. You need to press on the background between your icons.
If you do not see a plus button after long-pressing, make sure you are pressing on empty space, not on an icon or a folder. On newer iPhones running iOS 16 or later, you can also long-press the lock screen itself to add widgets there, which works the same way.
Key Takeaways
- Long-press empty space on your home screen (not an icon) until icons jiggle, then tap the plus button in the top left corner.
- Not all apps have widgets — the menu only shows apps that offer them, so if you do not see an app listed, it does not have a widget version.
- You can choose the widget size before adding it, and different sizes show different amounts of information from the same app.
- Widgets on your lock screen work the same way but only show small amounts of information, and you can add up to five of them.
Finding widgets for the apps you use
When you tap the plus button and see the app list, only apps that have widgets will appear. If you are looking for a widget for a specific app and do not see it listed, that app does not offer a widget. This is common with older apps or apps that do not need to show live information on your home screen.
Popular apps that have widgets include Weather, Calendar, Reminders, Notes, Maps, Stocks, News, Health, Screen Time, and most third-party apps like Spotify, DoorDash, and Slack. The widget menu is alphabetical, so scroll down if you do not see what you are looking for right away.
If you want to check whether an app has a widget before going through the add process, open the app and look for a menu option that says "Add Widget" or "Home Screen Widget". Many apps will show you this option in their settings or main menu.
Choosing the right widget size
After you tap an app name in the widget menu, you will see one or more size options. Small widgets are 2x2 squares, medium widgets are 2x4 rectangles, and large widgets are 4x4 squares. Some apps offer all three sizes; others offer only one or two.
Larger widgets show more information at once. A small weather widget might show only the current temperature, while a large one shows the full forecast for the week. A small calendar widget shows only today's date, while a medium one shows a mini calendar you can tap to navigate. Choose the size based on how much detail you want to see without opening the app.
You can add the same widget in multiple sizes to different parts of your home screen if you want. You can also change your mind later — delete a widget by long-pressing it and tapping "Remove Widget", then add a different size of the same widget.
Adding widgets to your lock screen
On iPhone 14 and newer models running iOS 16 or later, you can add small widgets directly to your lock screen. Long-press your lock screen background (not an icon or notification) until it enters edit mode, then tap the plus button at the bottom. The widget menu works the same way as the home screen version, but lock screen widgets are always small and show only essential information.
Lock screen widgets are useful for information you want to see without unlocking your phone — like the current time in another city, your next calendar event, or how many steps you have taken today. You can add up to five widgets to a single lock screen, and you can create multiple lock screens with different widget combinations.
If you have an older iPhone model, you cannot add widgets to the lock screen. You can only add them to your home screen. Check your iOS version by going to Settings, then General, then About — if it says iOS 16 or higher, you have access to lock screen widgets.
Organizing widgets on your home screen
Once a widget is on your home screen, you can move it the same way you move app icons. Long-press the widget until icons jiggle, then drag it to a new location. You can place widgets next to icons, in folders, or in a separate area of your home screen dedicated to widgets.
Many people create a separate home screen page just for widgets by dragging widgets to the right edge of their current screen. This keeps your main home screen clean while keeping useful information one swipe away. You can also stack widgets on top of each other — long-press a widget, tap "Edit Stack", and add more widgets to create a stack that you can swipe through.
If a widget is taking up space you need for app icons, you can delete it without deleting the app. Long-press the widget and tap "Remove Widget". The app stays on your phone and you can add the widget back later if you change your mind.
What to do if a widget is not working
If a widget is not showing current information or is displaying an error, the first step is to remove it and add it again. Long-press the widget, tap "Remove Widget", then go through the add process again. This fixes most widget problems.
If the widget still does not work after you add it again, check that the app itself is working. Open the app directly and make sure it loads and shows information normally. If the app works but the widget does not, the app may have a bug — check the App Store to see if an update is available.
Make sure your iPhone has enough storage space, as widgets sometimes stop working when your phone is nearly full. Go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage to see how much space you have left. If you are below 1 GB of free space, delete some photos, videos, or apps you do not use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a widget for an app that is not on my home screen?
Yes. Widgets are separate from app icons, so you can add a widget for an app without having the app icon visible on your home screen. The widget will still work and open the app when you tap it, even if the icon is hidden in your app library.
What happens if I delete an app that has a widget on my home screen?
The widget will stop working and show an error message. If you reinstall the app later, you will need to add the widget again — it does not automatically come back. The widget itself is not stored separately from the app.
Can I resize a widget after I add it?
No, you cannot resize a widget once it is on your home screen. You have to remove it and add it again, choosing a different size. Long-press the widget, tap "Remove Widget", then add it back with the size you want.
Why do some apps show multiple widget options?
Apps with multiple widget options are letting you choose what information appears. For example, a news app might offer a widget that shows top stories, a different one that shows only sports, and another that shows only business news. You can add multiple versions of the same app's widget if you want different information in different places.
Do widgets use battery or data when I am not looking at them?
Yes, widgets refresh in the background to show current information. This uses a small amount of battery and data. If you want to save battery, you can remove widgets you do not check regularly, or go to Settings, then General, then Background App Refresh and turn it off for specific apps.