iPhone widgets are used to quickly glance at information from frequently-used apps—here’s how to add them to both a lock screen and home screen, stack them and troubleshoot them.
iPhone widgets provide ease for viewing the latest information from frequently-visited apps. (Photo by Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- Information such as battery life, the weather, most recent emails and latest news are a few examples of widgets available on iPhone.
- Widgets can be placed on the lock screen, home screen and Today’s View and be stacked.
- Sluggish Internet, recent iOS updates, recent app updates or data synchronization issues may impact the ability to view or use widgets, but the issue can be resolved.
How To Add Widgets To Lock Screen
To add a widget to the lock screen of an iPhone, touch and hold down on the screen until the option to customize appears. Select customize, hit lock screen, tap widgets, edit and resize them and drag the widgets onto the lock screen. There is space for a maximum of about three widgets—depending on the size—on the lock screen, due to pre-designs such as the date and time. To remove any widgets on the lock screen, touch and hold down there until the customize tab appears, select both it and the lock screen and, when the widgets appear, select the minus button.
How To Add Widgets To Home Screen
To add a widget to the home screen of an iPhone, touch and hold down the screen until apps begin to shake. Select the plus sign button in the top left corner and choose a widget. Before adding, there is an opportunity to edit and resize the widgets. To remove a widget, touch and hold the screen again until the apps jiggle, select the minus button on the widget and opt to remove it from the home screen. There is also space to add, remove and edit widgets in Today View—the slide where photo memories typically are—using the same methods. Further, you can layer 10 different widgets or apps onto each other to make a stacked widget by selecting the Smart Stack option of new widgets, and editing the stack allows for reordering.
How To Troubleshoot Widgets
If widgets are disappearing or being unresponsive, it is advised to restart the device, ensure the device is updated to the latest iOS version, remove and re-add the widget or update the app.