Where widgets live and how to remove them
Widgets are small apps that sit on your home screen and show information without opening the full program — weather, calendar events, news headlines, battery percentage. Removing them is straightforward on any phone or tablet, though the exact steps depend on whether you use Android or iOS.
On both systems, you delete a widget by pressing and holding it until a menu appears, then selecting the remove or delete option. The widget disappears from your home screen but the app itself stays on your device. You can always add the widget back later if you change your mind.
Key Takeaways
- Press and hold any widget on your home screen until a menu pops up, then tap the remove, delete, or trash option.
- Deleting a widget removes it from your screen but keeps the app installed on your phone or tablet.
- On Android, you can also long-press the widget and drag it to a trash icon that appears at the top of the screen.
- If you accidentally delete a widget, you can add it back by long-pressing an empty space on your home screen and selecting the option to add widgets.
Removing widgets on iPhone and iPad
Press and hold the widget itself — not the app icon below it — until a menu appears. You will see options including "Remove Widget" at the bottom. Tap it, then tap "Remove" again when the confirmation appears. The widget vanishes when ready.
If you have multiple widgets stacked together (called a Smart Stack), you can remove the entire stack or swipe through to find the one you want to delete and remove just that one. Press and hold the stack, tap "Edit Stack," swipe to the widget you want gone, then tap the minus sign next to it.
On iPad, the process is identical. Widgets can sit on your home screen or in the lock screen (on newer iOS versions). The removal steps work the same way for both locations.
Removing widgets on Android phones and tablets
Press and hold the widget until it highlights or a menu appears. Most Android phones show a trash or delete icon at the top of the screen — drag the widget up to that icon and release it. The widget is removed from your home screen.
On some Android versions, a menu pops up instead when you hold the widget. Look for "Remove," "Delete," or a trash icon in that menu and tap it. The exact wording varies by manufacturer (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc.) but the result is the same.
If you use multiple home screen pages, you can swipe between them and remove widgets from any page. Removing a widget from one page does not affect widgets on other pages.
What happens to the app when you delete its widget
The app stays installed on your device. Deleting a widget only removes the shortcut from your home screen — it does not uninstall the program itself. You can still open the app by searching for it or finding it in your app drawer.
If you want to remove the app entirely, you need to uninstall it separately. On iPhone, press and hold the app icon and select "Remove App," then choose "Delete App." On Android, press and hold the app icon, tap "Uninstall," and confirm. Uninstalling the app also removes any widgets it had on your screen.
Adding widgets back if you change your mind
On iPhone, press and hold an empty space on your home screen until the plus icon appears in the top left corner. Tap it, search for or scroll to the app whose widget you want, tap it, choose the widget style you prefer, and tap "Add Widget." The widget reappears on your screen.
On Android, press and hold an empty space on your home screen until a menu appears. Select "Widgets" or "Add Widgets" (wording varies by phone). Find the app in the list, press and hold its widget, and drag it to the spot where you want it. Release to place it.
Organizing your home screen after removing widgets
Once you delete a widget, the space it occupied stays empty. You can fill it by adding a different widget, moving an existing app icon there, or leaving it blank. On both iPhone and Android, you can rearrange icons and widgets by pressing and holding them and dragging them to a new position.
If you remove several widgets and end up with a mostly empty home screen page, you can delete that page entirely on Android by pressing and holding the page itself and selecting "Delete Page." iPhone does not let you delete pages, but you can hide them by going to Settings > Home Screen and unchecking the pages you do not want to see.
Troubleshooting widget removal problems
If pressing and holding a widget does not bring up a menu, make sure you are pressing the widget itself and not the app icon below it. Widgets and app icons look different — widgets are usually larger and show live information, while app icons are smaller and static. Try holding for a full second or two before releasing.
On some Android phones, if the trash icon does not appear when you hold a widget, try a longer press or check whether your phone is in a restricted mode (like Kids Space or Work Profile). These modes sometimes limit what you can change on the home screen. Exit the restricted mode first, then try removing the widget again.
If a widget keeps reappearing after you delete it, the app may be set to automatically add its widget back. Check the app's settings to see if there is an option to disable this behavior, or uninstall the app entirely if you do not want it on your screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a widget free up storage space on my phone?
No. Widgets are just shortcuts to apps that are already installed. Removing a widget does not delete the app or free up any storage. If you want to save space, you need to uninstall the app itself, not just remove its widget.
Can I remove all widgets at once?
No, you have to remove them one at a time. There is no bulk delete option for widgets on iPhone or Android. If you have many widgets, it takes a few minutes to go through and remove each one.
What if I remove a widget by accident?
You can add it back when ready by pressing and holding an empty space on your home screen, selecting the option to add widgets, finding the app, and choosing the widget again. There is no undo button, but the process takes less than a minute.
Will removing a widget stop notifications from that app?
No. Notifications are controlled separately from widgets. Removing a widget does not change your notification settings. If you want to stop getting notifications from an app, you need to change the notification settings in that app or in your phone's notification settings.
Can I hide a widget instead of deleting it?
Not directly. Your only options are to remove the widget or leave it on your screen. If you want to keep the app but do not want to see the widget, remove it from your home screen. The app stays installed and you can add the widget back whenever you want.