What a widget is and why you'd want one
A widget is a small app window that lives on your phone or tablet's home screen — the main page you see when you unlock your device. Instead of opening the full app, a widget shows you information or lets you do quick tasks right there: your weather, calendar events, to-do list, or a music player. You tap the widget to see more, or sometimes you can act directly on it without opening anything else.
Widgets save you steps. If you check the weather every morning, a weather widget means you see it when ready instead of opening the weather app. If you use a notes app, a widget might let you jot something down in two taps instead of four. They're optional — your phone works fine without them — but once you have one, most people find them genuinely useful.
Key Takeaways
- Widgets are small app windows on your home screen that show information or let you do quick tasks without opening the full app.
- On iPhone, long-press an empty spot on your home screen, tap the plus button, choose an app, and select the widget size you want.
- On Android, long-press your home screen, tap Widgets, find the app, and drag the widget to an empty spot.
- Not every app has a widget — only apps designed to offer one will appear in the widget menu.
- You can move, resize, or delete a widget the same way you added it: long-press and choose the action you want.
Adding a widget on iPhone
Start by finding an empty spot on your home screen — a blank area with no app icons. Long-press that empty space for about a second until a menu appears at the bottom of the screen. Tap the plus button (it looks like a circle with a plus sign inside). A list of apps appears.
Scroll through the list and tap the app you want a widget from. The app will show you its available widgets — most apps offer two or three different sizes. Tap the one you want. Then tap "Add Widget" and choose which home screen page you'd like it on. Tap "Add" in the top right, and the widget appears on your screen.
If you don't see the app you want in the widget list, that app doesn't offer a widget. Only apps designed to show information on your home screen appear here — many apps don't have them. You can still use the app normally by tapping its icon.
Adding a widget on Android
Long-press an empty area of your home screen until a menu appears at the bottom. Tap "Widgets" (the exact wording varies by phone brand, but it's usually there). A list of available widgets appears, organized by app.
Find the app you want and tap it. If the app has multiple widgets, you'll see them all. Long-press the widget you want and drag it to an empty spot on your home screen. Release your finger and the widget locks into place. Some Android phones let you resize the widget right after you add it — if a resize handle appears, drag it to make the widget bigger or smaller.
If the app you're looking for doesn't appear in the Widgets list, that app hasn't created a widget. You can still open and use the app by tapping its icon on your home screen.
Resizing and moving widgets
On iPhone, long-press the widget itself. A menu appears with options including "Edit Widget" and "Remove Widget". Tap "Edit Widget" if the app lets you change what the widget shows — not all widgets have settings. To move the widget, long-press it again and drag it to a new spot. To delete it, long-press and tap "Remove Widget".
On Android, long-press the widget. A menu appears. Tap and drag the edges or corners to resize it, or drag the whole widget to move it. To remove it, long-press and tap "Remove" or drag it to a "Remove" zone that appears at the top or bottom of the screen.
Widgets that need permission to work
Some widgets need permission to show you information — a calendar widget needs access to your calendar, a weather widget might need your location. When you add the widget, your phone will ask for permission. You can say yes or no. If you say no, the widget usually shows a message asking you to turn on permission in Settings, and you can do that later if you change your mind.
Giving a widget permission is safe — it's the same permission the full app would need anyway. You control what information each app can see in your phone's Settings under Privacy or Permissions.
When a widget stops working
If a widget goes blank or stops updating, the app might need permission you haven't given it yet. Open the app itself and check if it's asking for permission. If the app is working fine but the widget isn't, try removing the widget and adding it again — sometimes they need a fresh start.
If the app has been updated recently, the widget might have changed. Open the app and look for settings or preferences — the widget might be turned off inside the app itself. Some apps let you choose what information the widget shows, and those settings live in the app, not in the widget menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have more than one widget from the same app?
Yes. You can add the same widget multiple times if you want — for example, two weather widgets showing different cities, or two calendar widgets with different views. Just add it again the same way you added the first one.
Do widgets use battery or data?
Widgets use some battery because they update regularly, but the amount is usually small — less than having the app open. Widgets that show live information (weather, news, stocks) may use a small amount of data to refresh, but most phones limit how often they update to save power.
What if I run out of home screen space?
You can add more home screen pages. On iPhone, pinch outward on your home screen to see all pages, then tap the plus button to add a new one. On Android, swipe left to see if you have empty pages, or long-press the home screen and look for an option to add a page.
Can I put a widget on my lock screen?
On newer iPhones (iOS 16 and later), yes — long-press your lock screen and tap the plus button, then add widgets the same way. On Android, it depends on your phone brand and version. Check your phone's settings under Lock Screen to see if widgets are available.
Why don't all apps have widgets?
Creating a widget takes extra work for app makers — they have to design a small version that shows useful information without opening the full app. Smaller or simpler apps often don't have them, and that's normal. The app still works fine; you just open it the regular way.