What a widget is and where it goes
A widget is a small app window that lives on your home screen and shows you information without opening the full program. Weather widgets show the current temperature. Calendar widgets show your next appointment. News widgets scroll headlines. Instead of tapping an app icon and waiting for it to load, you glance at the widget and get what you need in one second.
Widgets sit directly on your home screen alongside your app icons. On Android phones, you can have multiple widgets on the same screen. On iPhones, widgets appear in a dedicated area below your apps, or you can add them to the lock screen itself. The steps differ between the two, so find your device type below.
Key Takeaways
- Widgets are small app windows that show information on your home screen without opening the full app.
- On Android, long-press an empty space on your home screen, tap Widgets, and select the widget you want.
- On iPhone, swipe left from your home screen, tap the plus button, choose an app, and select the widget size.
- Most widgets let you customize what information they show, like which calendar or which weather location.
- If a widget stops working, restart your phone and check that the app is updated in your app store.
Adding a widget on Android
Start on your home screen. Find an empty space where you want the widget to appear. Long-press (hold your finger down) on that empty area for two to three seconds until a menu appears at the bottom of the screen. Tap the word Widgets.
A list of available widgets appears. Scroll through and find the app whose widget you want. Tap the widget name. If the app offers multiple widget sizes, you will see them all — pick the size you want and tap it. The widget appears on your home screen in the spot you long-pressed.
If you do not see a widget for an app you want, that app does not offer one. Not every app has a widget. Check the app's settings or description in the Google Play Store to confirm.
Adding a widget on iPhone
Go to your home screen. Swipe left with one finger from the right edge of the screen. This opens the lock screen and home screen widgets area. At the bottom, tap the plus button (it looks like a circle with a plus sign inside).
A list of apps appears. Find the app whose widget you want and tap it. The app's available widgets appear. Tap the widget you want. A preview shows how it will look. Tap Add Widget at the bottom right. The widget now appears in your widgets area.
If you want a widget on your lock screen instead, swipe to your lock screen, long-press it, tap Customize, and tap the plus button. Follow the same steps to add a widget directly to the lock screen itself.
Resizing and moving widgets
On Android, long-press the widget itself. A border appears around it with handles at the corners and edges. Drag the handles to make it larger or smaller. Drag the widget itself to move it to a different spot on the screen. Tap elsewhere on the screen when you are done.
On iPhone, long-press the widget in your widgets area. Tap Edit. The widget now has a border. Tap and drag it to reorder it in your list, or swipe left on it to remove it. Tap Done when finished.
Customizing what a widget shows
Many widgets let you choose what information appears. Long-press the widget (Android) or tap and hold it (iPhone) and look for an Edit or Settings option. Tap it. A menu appears where you can pick things like which calendar to display, which weather location to show, or which email account to check.
Not all widgets have customization options. Simple widgets like a clock or a timer may not offer any choices. Check the widget itself — if you do not see an edit option when you long-press it, that widget does not have settings to change.
Fixing a widget that is not working
If a widget shows old information, stops updating, or displays an error, restart your phone first. Power it off completely, wait ten seconds, and power it back on. This fixes most widget problems.
If the widget still does not work, open your app store (Google Play Store on Android, App Store on iPhone) and check whether the app that powers the widget has an update waiting. Tap Update if one is available. Outdated apps sometimes break their widgets.
If updating does not help, remove the widget and add it again. Long-press the widget and tap Remove (Android) or swipe left and tap Remove (iPhone). Then follow the steps above to add it fresh.
Removing a widget you no longer want
On Android, long-press the widget. A menu appears. Tap Remove or the trash icon. The widget disappears from your home screen.
On iPhone, long-press the widget in your widgets area. Tap Edit. Swipe left on the widget you want to remove. Tap the red Remove button. Tap Done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a widget on my lock screen?
Yes, but only on iPhone. Android does not support lock screen widgets. On iPhone, swipe to your lock screen, long-press it, tap Customize, and tap the plus button to add widgets directly to the lock screen.
Why does my widget show old information?
Widgets refresh on a schedule set by the app, not constantly. Some widgets update every five minutes, others every hour. If a widget has not updated in a long time, restart your phone and check that the app is updated in your app store.
Can I make a widget bigger or smaller?
Yes. On Android, long-press the widget and drag the corner handles. On iPhone, most widgets come in one or two preset sizes — when you add the widget, you choose the size before it appears on your screen.
What if an app does not have a widget?
Not every app offers a widget. Check the app's page in your app store to see if a widget is available. If it is not listed, that app does not have one.
Do widgets use a lot of battery?
Widgets use very little battery because they update on a schedule, not constantly. A weather widget or calendar widget will not noticeably drain your battery. Widgets that refresh very frequently, like stock tickers, use slightly more power.