The basic steps for adding a widget
To add a widget to your home screen, long-press an empty area of your home screen until a menu appears, then select "Widgets" or "Add Widget." Browse the list of available widgets, tap the one you want, choose which home screen page it goes on, and tap "Add." The exact wording and steps vary slightly between Android and iPhone, but the principle is the same on both.
On Android, long-press any blank space on your home screen. A menu will pop up with options at the bottom — tap "Widgets." Scroll through the list, find the widget you want (often organized by app), and tap and hold it. Your home screen will appear with a preview of where the widget will land. Drag it to the position you want and release. If you want to move it later, long-press the widget itself and drag it to a new spot.
On iPhone, long-press any blank area of your home screen until the icons start to jiggle. Tap the plus sign in the top left corner. Search for the app whose widget you want, or scroll through the list. Tap the app name, choose the widget size and style you prefer, and tap "Add Widget." It will appear on your home screen. You can then long-press and drag it to reposition it, or swipe left to remove it.
Key Takeaways
- Both Android and iPhone require you to long-press an empty home screen area to access the widget menu, though the next steps differ slightly between the two systems.
- Android widgets are added through the Widgets menu and can be resized and repositioned by long-pressing them after they are placed.
- iPhone widgets are added through the plus icon in jiggle mode and come in preset sizes that you choose before adding.
- Widgets use more battery and processing power than app icons alone, so removing ones you do not actively check will improve your phone's speed and battery life.
- Some widgets refresh constantly in the background, which can slow your phone — check your battery settings if you notice performance drops after adding new widgets.
Android: Finding and placing widgets
On Android, the Widgets menu shows every widget available from apps you have installed. Long-press your home screen, tap "Widgets," and you will see a scrollable list. Each widget is labeled with the app it comes from — for example, "Gmail" might have a "Gmail Inbox" widget, and "Weather" might have a "Weather Forecast" widget. Some apps have multiple widget options in different sizes.
Tap and hold the widget you want. Your home screen will appear with a ghost outline showing where the widget will land. Drag it to an empty area and release. If your home screen is full, you may need to swipe to a different page or delete an icon first to make room. Once placed, you can long-press the widget again to move it, resize it (if the app supports resizing), or remove it.
iPhone: Choosing widget size and style
iPhone widgets come in fixed sizes — usually small (one column), medium (two columns), or large (full width) — and you choose the size before adding. Long-press your home screen until icons jiggle, tap the plus sign in the top left, search for or scroll to the app you want, and tap its name. A preview screen will show the available widget styles and sizes for that app. Tap the one you want, then tap "Add Widget."
The widget will appear at the top of your home screen. Long-press it to drag it to a different position, or swipe left on it to remove it. Unlike Android, you cannot resize iPhone widgets after placing them — if you want a different size, you must remove the widget and add it again in the new size.
Widgets that update in the background and battery drain
Some widgets refresh their information constantly — a weather widget might check the forecast every 15 minutes, or a news widget might pull new headlines every hour. Each refresh uses your phone's processor and radio, which drains battery and can slow down other tasks. If you add many widgets that refresh frequently, you may notice your phone feels slower or your battery drains faster than before.
Check which widgets are using the most power by opening Settings, then Battery or Battery Usage. Look for apps with high percentages and consider whether you actually check those widgets regularly. If you added a widget but never look at it, removing it will free up processing power and battery life. Keep only the widgets you check at least a few times a week.
Moving and removing widgets
On Android, long-press any widget to move or delete it. A menu will appear with options to remove, resize (if supported), or edit the widget's settings. Drag the widget to a new position on your home screen or to a different page. If you want to remove it entirely, tap "Remove" from the menu.
On iPhone, long-press the widget until a menu appears. Tap "Remove Widget" to delete it, or tap outside the menu and drag the widget to reposition it. You can also swipe left on the widget to reveal a trash icon and tap it to remove the widget.
Widgets from third-party apps versus built-in widgets
Your phone comes with built-in widgets from Apple or Google — like Calendar, Weather, Clock, and Notes. Third-party apps you read can also offer widgets. To see all available widgets, open the Widgets menu and scroll through the full list. Some apps you install will not have widgets, while others may have several options.
Third-party widgets work the same way as built-in ones, but they depend on the app being installed and updated. If you uninstall an app, its widget will disappear from your home screen. If an app updates and changes its widget, your existing widget may change appearance or behavior. Check your app store regularly for updates to apps whose widgets you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I resize widgets on iPhone?
No. iPhone widgets come in preset sizes, and you choose the size when you add the widget. If you want a different size, remove the widget and add it again, selecting a different size option. Android widgets can often be resized by long-pressing them and dragging the edges, depending on whether the app supports resizing.
What if a widget is not showing up on my home screen?
The widget may be on a different home screen page than the one you are viewing. Swipe left or right to check other pages. If it is not there, the app may not have a widget, or the widget may have been removed. Open the Widgets menu again and search for the app to confirm it offers a widget.
Do widgets use more battery than just opening the app?
Yes, widgets that refresh in the background use battery even when you are not looking at them. A widget that updates every 15 minutes will drain more battery than an app icon you only open when you need it. If battery life is important to you, remove widgets you do not check regularly.
Can I add the same widget multiple times?
Yes. You can add the same widget to multiple home screen pages or add multiple copies of the same widget to one page. This is useful if you want a weather widget on two different pages, for example. Each copy will show the same information and update independently.
Why is my phone slower after adding widgets?
Widgets that refresh frequently use your phone's processor and radio, which can slow down other tasks. Check your battery settings to see which apps are using the most power, and remove widgets from apps with high usage that you do not check often. Keeping only the widgets you actively use will improve performance.