Where to find and change your widgets
Widgets on iPhone live in two places: the lock screen and the home screen. To change them, you swipe left on your lock screen or long-press an empty area of your home screen until the edit button appears. The lock screen is the fastest route if you want quick access to information without opening an app — the time, weather, reminders, or battery levels show right there when you pick up your phone. Home screen widgets take up more space but let you see more detail at once.
The process is the same for both: find the widget you want, tap the plus button to add it, choose which app it comes from if there are options, then tap outside the editing area to save. You can add the same widget multiple times if you want — for example, two different weather widgets showing different cities, or multiple calendar widgets for different accounts.
Key Takeaways
- Lock screen widgets appear when you pick up your phone and are the fastest way to see information without opening an app.
- Home screen widgets take up more space but show more detail, and you reach them by long-pressing an empty area of your home screen.
- You can add the same widget multiple times and arrange them in any order by dragging them during edit mode.
- Removing a widget is done by tapping the minus button during edit mode, which does not delete the app itself.
Adding widgets to your lock screen
Swipe left from the right edge of your lock screen, or long-press directly on the lock screen itself. You will see a plus button at the bottom left. Tap it to open the widget gallery, which shows every app on your phone that offers a lock screen widget. Not every app has one — common ones include Weather, Calendar, Reminders, Stocks, Battery, and News.
Once you choose an app, you will see size options. Lock screen widgets are small and show only essential information. Select the size you want, then tap "Add Widget". The widget appears on your lock screen when ready. You can add up to five widgets to your lock screen, arranged in a stack that you swipe through, or spread across multiple lock screen pages if you have set up multiple lock screens.
Adding and arranging home screen widgets
Long-press an empty area of your home screen until the menu appears and you see an edit button at the bottom. Tap the plus button in the top left corner. This opens the app gallery. Scroll through and tap the app whose widget you want to add. You will see size options — home screen widgets come in small, medium, and large sizes depending on the app.
Choose your size and tap "Add Widget". The widget appears on your home screen. If it lands on top of an icon, drag it to an empty spot. You can rearrange widgets by dragging them around while still in edit mode. When you are finished, tap outside the editing area or press the home button to save your changes.
Removing widgets you no longer want
To remove a widget from your lock screen, swipe left to that lock screen, long-press it, and tap "Edit". Find the widget you want to remove and tap the minus button that appears on it. Tap "Remove" to confirm, then tap outside the editing area to save.
For home screen widgets, long-press an empty area of your home screen until edit mode appears. Find the widget you want to remove and tap the minus button on it. Tap "Remove" to confirm. Removing a widget does not delete the app — the app stays on your phone and you can add the widget back later if you change your mind.
Stacking widgets to save space
If you want multiple widgets but do not have room for all of them, you can stack them on top of each other. On your home screen, drag one widget directly on top of another widget. They will combine into a stack. Swipe left and right on the stack to cycle through the widgets inside it. You can add up to ten widgets to a single stack.
Stacks are useful for widgets you check at different times — for example, a calendar widget and a weather widget in the same stack. You can also use smart stacks, which automatically rotate widgets based on time of day or your usage patterns. To create a smart stack, drag a widget onto another and then tap the three dots that appear to turn on smart rotation.
Customizing widget settings
Some widgets let you choose what information they display. To customize a widget, long-press it during edit mode and tap "Edit Widget" if that option appears. Not all apps offer customization — it depends on the widget. For example, the Weather widget lets you choose which city to display, and the Calendar widget lets you choose which calendar to show.
If you do not see an "Edit Widget" option, the widget does not have customizable settings. You can still change what the widget shows by opening the app itself and changing the app's settings, which the widget will then reflect.
Troubleshooting widgets that do not appear or work
If a widget is not showing up in the gallery, the app may not support widgets yet. Check the App Store to see if there is an update available for that app — newer versions sometimes add widget support. If the app is already updated and still does not have a widget, that app straightforward does not offer one.
If a widget is on your screen but not updating — for example, the weather is not changing or the calendar is not showing new events — try removing it and adding it again. If that does not work, restart your iPhone by turning it off and back on. If the problem continues, check that the app itself has permission to run in the background. Go to Settings, tap Privacy, then Background App Refresh, and make sure the app is turned on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different widgets on different lock screens?
Yes. If you have set up multiple lock screens in your lock screen gallery, each one can have its own set of widgets. Swipe left to the lock screen you want to edit, long-press it, tap Edit, and add or remove widgets for just that screen. Your home screen widgets remain the same across all lock screens.
What happens to my widgets if I update my iPhone?
Your widgets stay in place during an update. However, if an app is removed or stops supporting widgets, that widget will disappear. You can add it back once the app is updated or reinstalled.
Can I move a widget from my lock screen to my home screen?
No, lock screen and home screen widgets are separate. You will need to remove the widget from your lock screen and add it again to your home screen. The process takes less than a minute.
Do widgets use more battery than opening the app?
Widgets use less battery than opening an app because they show information without running the full process. However, widgets that update frequently — like weather or stock prices — do use some battery. If battery life is a concern, remove widgets you do not check regularly.
Why does my widget show old information?
The app may not have permission to refresh in the background. Go to Settings, tap Privacy, then Background App Refresh, and turn it on for that app. If it is already on, try removing and re-adding the widget, or restart your iPhone.