What widgets are and where to find them on your iPhone
A widget is a small app window that shows you information or lets you do quick tasks without opening the full app. On your iPhone, widgets display things like weather, calendar events, reminders, news headlines, or fitness rings — right on your home screen or lock screen where you can see them at a glance.
Widgets come from apps you already have installed. If you have the Weather app, you can add a weather widget. If you have Apple Reminders, you can add a reminders widget. The widget shows live information that updates throughout the day, so you do not have to tap into the app to know what is happening.
Every app that offers widgets will have them listed in the App Library (the rightmost screen when you swipe left from your home screen) or in the app itself. Not every app makes widgets — some apps only work when you open them directly.
Key Takeaways
- Widgets are small windows from your apps that show live information on your home screen or lock screen without opening the full app.
- You add home screen widgets by long-pressing your home screen, tapping the plus button, choosing an app, and selecting the widget size you want.
- Lock screen widgets are smaller and added by long-pressing your lock screen, tapping the plus button, and choosing an app with lock screen widget support.
- You can rearrange or remove widgets by long-pressing them and choosing edit or remove from the menu that appears.
- Only apps installed on your iPhone can provide widgets, and not every app offers them.
Adding a widget to your home screen
Start by going to any home screen page where you have space for a widget. Long-press (hold your finger down) on an empty area of the screen until the icons start to jiggle and a plus button appears in the upper left corner. Tap that plus button.
A list of your apps will appear. Scroll down and find the app whose widget you want to add — for example, Weather, Calendar, or Reminders. Tap the app name. The screen will show you the different widget sizes that app offers. Each size shows different amounts of information: a small widget might show just today's weather, while a larger one shows a five-day forecast.
Choose the size you want by tapping it, then tap "Add Widget" at the bottom right. The widget will appear on your home screen. Tap outside the widget or press the home button to stop the jiggling and lock your changes in place.
Adding a widget to your lock screen
Lock screen widgets are smaller than home screen widgets and sit above or below the time on your lock screen. Long-press your lock screen (the screen you see when you first wake your phone) until it enters edit mode. You will see a plus button at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the plus button. A list of apps with lock screen widget support will appear. Not every app offers lock screen widgets — only those designed to work in that small space. Choose an app and tap it. You will see the available widget options, usually just one or two small sizes.
Tap the widget you want, then tap "Add Widget." The widget will appear on your lock screen. Tap outside it or swipe up to finish editing.
Rearranging and removing widgets
To move a widget on your home screen, long-press it until the screen enters edit mode. Drag the widget to a new location and release it. Tap outside the widget to finish.
To remove a widget, long-press it and tap "Remove Widget" from the menu that appears, then tap "Remove" to confirm. The widget disappears but the app stays on your phone. You can add the widget back anytime by following the steps above.
On your lock screen, long-press to enter edit mode, then tap and hold the widget until a menu appears. Tap the minus button or "Remove" to delete it from your lock screen.
Choosing which apps have useful widgets
Not every app makes a widget, and not every widget is worth the screen space. Start by thinking about what information you check most often — weather, your calendar, how many steps you have walked, your to-do list, or news headlines. If you find yourself opening an app multiple times a day just to see one piece of information, that app probably has a useful widget.
Built-in Apple apps like Weather, Calendar, Reminders, Fitness, and News all have widgets. Popular third-party apps like Spotify, Slack, and Todoist also offer them. The best way to learn about an app has a widget is to try adding one — if the app does not appear in the widget list, it does not offer one.
You can have multiple widgets from the same app on your home screen. For example, you might add a small weather widget and a larger calendar widget on the same page, or add the same app's widget to both your home screen and lock screen.
Troubleshooting widgets that do not work
If a widget is not showing current information, try closing and reopening it. Long-press the widget, tap "Edit Widget," and then tap outside to close the settings. Wait a few seconds for it to refresh.
If a widget is not appearing in the list when you try to add one, make sure the app is installed on your iPhone. Widgets only work for apps that are actually on your phone — you cannot add a widget for an app you have deleted. read the app again from the App Store and the widget option will appear.
If a widget keeps crashing or showing an error, try deleting it and reinstalling it. Long-press the widget, tap "Remove Widget," then add it again using the steps above. If the problem continues, restart your iPhone by turning it off and back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have the same widget on both my home screen and lock screen?
Yes. Many apps offer both a home screen widget and a smaller lock screen widget version. You can add the same app's widget to both places, and they will show the same live information.
Do widgets use battery or data?
Widgets use some battery because they update throughout the day, but the amount is usually small. They only use data if the app itself needs to read new information — for example, a weather widget will use a tiny amount of data to fetch the latest forecast.
What happens to a widget if I delete the app?
The widget will stop working and show an error message. If you reinstall the app, you can add the widget back. Deleting the app does not delete the widget automatically — you have to remove it manually.
Can I resize a widget after I add it?
Not directly. You have to delete the widget and add it again, choosing a different size. Long-press the widget, tap "Remove Widget," then add it back and select the new size you want.
Why do some apps not have widgets?
Developers choose whether to build widgets for their apps. Some apps are designed to work best when you open them fully, so the developer did not create a widget version. You can only add widgets for apps that have them.