What a widget is and where you find them

A widget is a small app window that sits on your home screen or desktop and shows you information without opening the full program. The weather widget on your phone's home screen, the clock on your computer's taskbar, and the calendar square you can tap without launching the calendar app — those are all widgets. They save you a step: you see what you need right there instead of hunting for the app.

Where widgets live depends on what device you use. On an iPhone, they appear on your home screen or lock screen. On Android phones, they go on your home screen. On Windows computers, they show up in a panel on the side of your screen. On Mac computers, they live in the Notification Center. Each system has its own way to add them, but the basic idea is the same: you're placing a small window of information where you can see it constantly.

Key Takeaways

  • Widgets are small app windows that display information on your home screen or desktop without opening the full app.
  • On iPhones, long-press your home screen or lock screen, tap the plus button, choose an app, and select the widget size you want.
  • On Android phones, long-press your home screen, tap Widgets, find the app you want, and drag the widget to your screen.
  • On Windows computers, click the widget icon in your taskbar and pin the widgets you want to see constantly.
  • Most widgets come from apps you already have installed, though some phones let you read widget-only apps.

Adding widgets on an iPhone

Start by going to your home screen or lock screen — whichever one you want the widget on. Press and hold the screen until a menu appears at the bottom. Tap the plus sign (it looks like a circle with a + inside). A list of your apps will show up, and you scroll through to find the one you want a widget from.

Once you tap the app name, you'll see the widget options that app offers. Most apps have more than one size — a small square, a medium rectangle, or a large one. Pick the size that fits where you want it. Then tap Add Widget. The widget appears on your screen right away. You can move it by pressing and holding it, then dragging it to a new spot. If you want to remove it later, press and hold the widget and tap Remove Widget.

Adding widgets on an Android phone

The steps are similar but the buttons are in different places. Go to your home screen and press and hold an empty area until a menu pops up at the bottom. Tap Widgets (or sometimes it says Add Widget). You'll see a list of all the apps on your phone that have widgets available.

Scroll through and find the app you want. Tap it to see what widget sizes it offers. When you pick one, it automatically appears on your home screen. If it lands in a spot you don't like, press and hold it and drag it where you want it. To delete a widget, press and hold it and tap Remove or Delete — the exact wording depends on your phone's version of Android.

Adding widgets on Windows

Windows widgets live in a separate panel rather than on your desktop itself. Look at the left side of your taskbar (the bar at the bottom of your screen) and find the widget icon — it looks like four small squares. Click it. A panel slides in from the left showing widgets you've already pinned, plus a list of available widgets below.

Scroll through the available widgets and hover over the one you want. A plus sign appears. Click it to pin the widget to your panel. The widget shows up when ready. You can rearrange them by dragging, and remove one by clicking the three dots next to it and selecting Remove. Most Windows widgets come from Microsoft apps like Weather, News, and Calendar, though some third-party apps add their own.

Adding widgets on a Mac

Mac widgets live in the Notification Center, which you open by clicking the date and time in the top right corner of your screen. At the top of the panel that opens, you'll see an Edit button. Click it. Below that, you'll see a list of available widgets with plus signs next to them. Click the plus sign next to any widget you want to add.

The widget appears in your Notification Center right away. You can rearrange them by dragging, and remove one by clicking the minus sign next to it. Like Windows, most Mac widgets come from Apple's own apps, though some third-party programs add widgets too. You can also add widgets directly to your desktop on newer Macs by right-clicking the desktop and selecting Edit Widgets.

What to do if an app doesn't have a widget

Not every app offers a widget. If you're looking for one and can't find it in the widget list, the app straightforward doesn't have that feature. You have a few options: you can check if the app has been updated recently (sometimes developers add widgets in new versions), or you can look for a different app that does the same thing and does offer a widget.

Some phones also let you read widget-only apps from the app store — small programs designed just to display information on your home screen. Search your app store for "widgets" to see what's available. Keep in mind that more widgets running at once can drain your battery faster, so add only the ones you actually look at regularly.

Troubleshooting widgets that don't work

Sometimes a widget shows old information or stops updating. The first fix is to restart your phone or computer — this clears out temporary glitches. If that doesn't work, try removing the widget and adding it again. Press and hold it, delete it, then go through the add process once more.

If a widget keeps failing, check whether the app itself is working. Open the full app and see if it loads properly. If the app is broken, the widget won't work either. You may need to update the app from your app store, or uninstall and reinstall it. If the widget still won't work after that, the app developer may not have fixed a bug yet — check the app's support page or contact them directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put widgets on my lock screen?

On iPhones with iOS 16 or newer, yes — you can add widgets directly to your lock screen by long-pressing it and tapping the plus button. Android phones vary; some let you add widgets to the lock screen, others don't. Check your phone's settings or try long-pressing your lock screen to see if the option appears.

Do widgets use more battery than just opening the app?

Widgets use some battery because they update regularly, but usually less than keeping an app open. A weather widget checking every hour uses far less power than leaving the weather app running all day. If you notice your battery draining fast, try removing widgets you don't check often.

Why does my widget show the wrong information?

Widgets sometimes lag behind the actual app data, especially if your internet connection is slow or the app hasn't updated in a while. Try removing and re-adding the widget, or restart your device. If it still shows old information, the app itself may have a syncing problem — open the full app and check if it's up to date there too.

Can I make my own widget?

If you're a developer, yes — both Apple and Google provide tools to create widgets for your own apps. If you're not a developer, you can't create custom widgets, but you can combine existing widgets by grouping them together on your home screen or using widget stacks (on iPhones, swipe up on a stacked widget to cycle through them).