Where to find and add widgets on your phone
The method depends on whether you use an iPhone or Android phone, but both let you add widgets directly from your home screen without downloading anything new. On an iPhone, long-press an empty area of your home screen until a menu appears, then tap the plus sign in the bottom left corner. On Android, long-press your home screen, tap "Widgets," and select the app whose widget you want to add.
Once you've opened the widget menu, you'll see a list of available widgets — these come from apps already installed on your phone. Tap or hold the widget you want, and your phone will show you where on your home screen it can fit. Some widgets are larger and take up more space; others are small and can squeeze into corners. After you place it, the widget appears when ready and starts showing live information like weather, calendar events, or news headlines.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone widgets are added by long-pressing your home screen, tapping the plus sign, and selecting an app; Android widgets are added through the Widgets menu after a long-press.
- Widgets only work with apps you already have installed — you cannot add a widget for an app that is not on your phone.
- Widgets update in the background and use battery and data, so removing ones you do not actively check can improve your phone's speed and battery life.
- Widgets from apps with poor privacy practices can send data more frequently than the app itself, so review which apps have widget access before adding them.
Why some widgets use more battery and data than others
A widget's hunger for battery and data depends on how often it updates and what information it pulls. A clock widget updates once per minute and uses almost no power. A weather widget updates every 15 to 30 minutes and uses a small amount of data. A news widget that refreshes every few minutes and downloads images uses noticeably more battery and data, especially if you have several of them running at once.
Your phone's operating system tries to batch these updates — grouping them together so the radio does not turn on separately for each widget — but this only works if the apps are well-behaved. An app that updates its widget every 30 seconds will drain your battery faster than one that updates every hour. If you notice your phone getting warm or your battery dropping quickly, removing widgets from apps you do not check often is one of the fastest ways to improve performance.
Checking which apps have permission to run widgets
On iPhone, go to Settings, scroll to Privacy, and tap Background App Refresh. You'll see a list of every app that can update in the background — this includes apps whose widgets are on your home screen. You can turn off background refresh for individual apps, which stops their widgets from updating when you are not looking at them. The trade-off is that the widget will show stale information until you tap it.
On Android, the process is less visible because Android handles background activity differently. Instead, go to Settings, tap Apps, select an app, and look for Battery or Permissions. Some Android apps let you control whether their widget can refresh in the background; others do not expose this setting. If an app's widget is draining your battery, removing the widget is often simpler than hunting through its settings.
Widgets from apps with tracking or data-sharing practices
A widget is a direct line from an app to your home screen, which means it can collect and send data more frequently than you might realize. An app that respects your privacy in its main interface might still use its widget to track your behavior — for example, a shopping app's widget might log every time you look at it, or a social media app's widget might refresh to pull your location data.
Before adding a widget from an app you do not fully trust, check what permissions that app has. On iPhone, go to Settings, tap Privacy, and look for Location Services, Contacts, Calendar, Photos, and Microphone — any of these can be accessed by a widget. On Android, go to Settings, tap Apps, select the app, and tap Permissions. If an app has location access or contacts access and you do not understand why it needs them, that is a sign to skip its widget or remove it if you already added it.
Removing widgets you no longer use
Removing a widget is faster than adding one. On iPhone, long-press the widget itself (not the home screen), and tap "Remove Widget." On Android, long-press the widget and drag it to the trash icon that appears at the top of the screen, or tap the trash icon if it shows up automatically. The app stays on your phone — you are only removing the widget from your home screen.
If you remove a widget and later want it back, you can add it again using the same method you used the first time. Nothing is permanent, so there is no harm in experimenting with which widgets actually help you versus which ones you ignore.
Widgets that update less often to save battery
If you like having widgets but want to minimize battery drain, choose ones that update infrequently or only when you tap them. Clock widgets, calendar widgets, and note widgets are typically low-impact because they do not need to fetch new data from the internet. Weather widgets are moderate — they update every 15 to 30 minutes but use very little data. News widgets, stock tickers, and social media widgets are high-impact because they refresh frequently and read images or videos.
Some apps let you control how often their widget updates. Open the app's settings and look for a "Widget" or "Refresh" section. If the app offers a choice between updating every 5 minutes or every hour, choosing the longer interval will reduce battery drain without removing the widget entirely. This is especially useful if you have a widget you check occasionally but do not need to see change in real time.
Organizing widgets to avoid accidental taps
Widgets are interactive — tapping them opens the app or performs an action — so placing them where you might accidentally touch them can drain battery and data. A weather widget in the corner of your home screen is less likely to be tapped by accident than a large news widget in the center. If you have widgets that open apps or perform actions when tapped, keep them away from areas where your thumb naturally rests when you are holding your phone.
You can also use widget stacks on iPhone — a feature that lets you swipe through multiple widgets in the same space. This saves home screen real estate and reduces the number of widgets updating at once. On Android, some launchers offer similar features, though it depends on which launcher you use. Organizing your widgets thoughtfully means you get the information you want without the battery cost of widgets you never look at.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a widget for an app that is not installed on my phone?
No. Widgets only exist for apps you already have. If you want a widget for a particular app, you must install the app first, then add the widget from the Widgets menu. Some apps do not offer widgets at all, even after you install them.
Do widgets work if my phone is locked?
On iPhone, widgets on your lock screen update and display information even when your phone is locked. Widgets on your home screen only update when your phone is unlocked. On Android, widgets update in the background regardless of whether your phone is locked, but the frequency depends on the app and your battery settings.
Will removing a widget delete the app?
No. Removing a widget only removes it from your home screen. The app stays installed on your phone and works normally. You can add the widget back anytime by going to your Widgets menu.
Why does my widget show old information?
Your phone may have turned off background refresh for that app to save battery, or the app's update schedule is longer than you expect. Try opening the app itself to refresh the data, then check if the widget updates. If it does not, go to Settings and turn background refresh back on for that app.
Can widgets see my location even if I did not give the app location permission?
No. A widget can only access the permissions the app itself has. If you did not grant location permission to the app, the widget cannot access your location. Check your phone's privacy settings to see exactly which permissions each app has.