The basic steps to add a widget
To add a widget to your Android home screen, long-press an empty area of your home screen until a menu appears, then tap "Widgets" or the plus icon. A list of available widgets from your installed apps will show up. Find the widget you want, press and hold it, and drag it onto your home screen. Release your finger to place it. The widget will now appear on your home screen and start showing live information — weather updates, calendar events, news headlines, or whatever that widget displays.
The exact steps vary slightly depending on your phone's manufacturer. Samsung phones, Google Pixel phones, and other Android devices sometimes use slightly different menu names or button placements, but the core action — long-press, find widget, drag to home screen — works the same way across all of them.
Key Takeaways
- Long-press an empty area of your home screen to open the widget menu on most Android phones.
- Widgets come from apps you already have installed, so you can only add widgets from apps that offer them.
- Some widgets let you resize them after placement by long-pressing and dragging the edges or corners.
- If a widget stops updating or shows old information, try removing it and adding it again.
Where to find the widget menu on different Android phones
On Google Pixel phones, long-press the home screen and tap the plus icon at the bottom, then select "Widgets." On Samsung Galaxy phones, long-press the home screen, tap "Widgets," and browse from there. On other Android phones made by OnePlus, Motorola, or other manufacturers, the process is usually the same — long-press an empty home screen area — but the button or menu name might say "Add widget," "Widgets," or show a plus symbol instead of text.
If long-pressing does not open a menu, try long-pressing for a full second or two. Some phones require a longer press than others. If that still does not work, check your phone's settings or user manual, as some older Android versions or heavily customized phones may use a different method.
Which apps have widgets and which do not
Not every app offers a widget. Common apps that do include Google Calendar, Google Weather, Gmail, Clock, Messages, News, Maps, Spotify, and most banking apps. Apps that do not typically offer widgets include social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, though some may add widgets in future updates. When you open the widget menu, you will only see apps that have widgets available — apps without widgets simply will not appear in the list.
If you want a widget for an app that does not offer one, check the app's settings to see if the developer has added widget support in a recent update. You can also search the app store for "widget" plus the app name to see if a third-party widget app exists for it, though third-party widgets are less reliable than official ones.
Resizing and removing widgets
After you place a widget on your home screen, you can usually resize it. Long-press the widget itself (not the home screen), and small handles or dots will appear around its edges. Drag these handles to make the widget larger or smaller. Not all widgets can be resized — some have a fixed size — but most can be adjusted to fit your space.
To remove a widget, long-press it and look for a "Remove" button or trash icon. Tap it, and the widget will disappear from your home screen. Removing a widget does not uninstall the app it came from, so you can add it back later if you change your mind.
Troubleshooting widgets that stop working
If a widget stops updating — for example, your weather widget shows yesterday's forecast, or your calendar widget does not display new events — the app may not have permission to refresh in the background. Check your phone's battery settings and make sure the app is not in a restricted power-saving mode. On Samsung phones, open Settings, go to Battery and device care, then Battery, and check if the app is in the "Sleeping apps" list. If it is, remove it from that list.
Another common fix is to remove the widget and add it again. Long-press the widget, tap Remove, then go back to the widget menu and add it fresh. This often resets the widget's connection to the app and gets it updating again. If the problem persists, try restarting your phone. If the widget still does not work after that, the app itself may have a bug, and you may need to wait for an update from the developer.
Adding multiple copies of the same widget
You can add the same widget more than once to your home screen or to different home screen pages. This is useful if you want to see different information from the same app — for example, two different calendar widgets showing two different calendars, or two weather widgets showing forecasts for two different cities. Just go to the widget menu again and add the widget a second time, placing it wherever you want.
Some widgets let you customize what information they show when you add them. For example, a weather widget might ask you to choose a city, or a calendar widget might ask which calendar to display. If the widget shows a setup screen after you place it, follow those prompts to configure it before it starts working.
Moving widgets between home screen pages
If you have multiple home screen pages, you can move a widget from one page to another. Long-press the widget and drag it to the edge of your screen. Your phone will automatically scroll to the next page, and you can release the widget there. You can also drag a widget to a different position on the same page using the same long-press-and-drag method.
Some widgets are large and take up significant space. If you are running out of room on your home screen, consider removing widgets you do not check regularly, or moving them to a page you visit less often. You can always add them back later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add widgets from apps I have not installed?
No. Widgets only come from apps you already have on your phone. If you want a widget for an app, you must install the app first from the Google Play Store or another app store. Once the app is installed, its widget will appear in your widget menu.
Why does my widget show old information?
The app may not have permission to update in the background, or your phone may be in a power-saving mode that restricts background activity. Check your phone's battery settings and look for the app in any "sleeping apps" or "restricted apps" list. Remove it from restrictions so it can refresh. You can also try removing and re-adding the widget.
Can I customize what a widget displays?
Some widgets offer customization options, usually shown when you first place the widget or when you long-press it and tap "Settings" or a gear icon. Not all widgets have options — it depends on the app. Check the widget menu or the app's settings to see what customization is available.
What if I accidentally delete a widget?
You can add it back anytime. Go to your widget menu, find the app again, and place the widget on your home screen. Your phone does not delete the app when you remove a widget, so the widget will still be there waiting to be added again.
Do widgets use a lot of battery?
Widgets use some battery because they refresh periodically to show new information, but the impact is usually small. Widgets that update frequently — like weather or news widgets — use more battery than static widgets. If battery life is a concern, remove widgets you do not check often, or choose widgets that update less frequently.