What widgets are and where to find them
A widget is a small app window that shows you information or lets you do a quick task without opening the full program. On your phone, widgets live on your home screen or lock screen. On your computer, they appear on your desktop or in a dedicated panel. Common widgets include weather forecasts, calendar events, to-do lists, news headlines, music controls, and battery status.
Where you add widgets depends on what device you use. On iPhones and iPads, you add them to your home screen or lock screen through the widget library. On Android phones, you long-press your home screen to access the widget menu. On Windows computers, you open the Widgets panel from your taskbar. On Mac computers, you use the Dashboard or Notification Center, depending on your macOS version.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhones, tap and hold an empty area of your home screen, then tap the plus button to browse and add widgets from the widget library.
- On Android phones, long-press your home screen, select Widgets, and drag the widget you want onto your screen.
- On Windows 11, click the Widgets icon in your taskbar, then click the plus button to turn widgets on.
- On Mac, swipe left from the right edge of your screen to open Notification Center, scroll to the bottom, and click Edit to add widgets.
- Most widgets let you resize them after you place them, and you can remove them by long-pressing and selecting delete or remove.
Adding widgets on iPhone and iPad
On an iPhone or iPad, start by going to your home screen. Tap and hold an empty area of the screen until a menu appears at the bottom. Tap the plus button (usually a circle with a plus sign) to open the widget library. This shows all the apps on your device that offer widgets.
Scroll through the list and find the app whose widget you want. Tap the app name to see what widget sizes that app offers — most apps provide more than one. Select the size you prefer, then tap Add Widget. The widget will appear on your home screen. You can move it by tapping and holding it, then dragging it to a new spot. To remove a widget, tap and hold it and select Remove Widget.
If you want to add a widget to your lock screen instead, wake your phone, tap and hold the lock screen, tap the plus button at the bottom, choose an app, pick a widget size, and tap Add. Lock screen widgets are smaller and show just the most essential information.
Adding widgets on Android phones
On an Android phone, go to your home screen and long-press an empty area. A menu will pop up with options including Widgets. Tap Widgets to see all available widgets from your installed apps. The list usually shows the app name and a preview of what the widget looks like.
Find the widget you want and long-press it. Your home screen will appear, and you can drag the widget to the spot where you want it. Release your finger to drop it in place. Most Android widgets can be resized after you place them — long-press the widget and look for resize handles (small squares or circles at the edges). Drag these handles to make the widget larger or smaller. To remove a widget, long-press it and select Remove or Delete.
Some Android phones have a dedicated widget panel separate from your home screen. If your phone has this, you can swipe to that panel and add widgets there instead of on your main home screen.
Adding widgets on Windows 11
On Windows 11, look for the Widgets icon in your taskbar — it usually looks like a grid or stack of squares. Click it to open the Widgets panel on the left side of your screen. If you do not see the icon, right-click your taskbar, select Taskbar settings, scroll down to Taskbar items, and toggle Widgets on.
Once the Widgets panel is open, click the plus button (usually at the top) to add a new widget. A menu will show you available widgets from Microsoft and third-party apps. Click the widget you want, and it will appear in your panel. You can rearrange widgets by dragging them up or down the list. To remove a widget, hover over it and click the three-dot menu, then select Remove.
Windows 11 widgets show information like weather, news, calendar events, and sports scores. They update automatically when you are connected to the internet, and you can customize some of them by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting Customize.
Adding widgets on Mac
On a Mac, the process depends on your macOS version. On macOS Monterey and newer, swipe left from the right edge of your trackpad (or click the Notification Center icon in the top-right corner of your menu bar) to open Notification Center. Scroll all the way to the bottom and click the Edit button.
A list of available widgets will appear. Click the plus button next to any widget to turn it on. Once a widget is on, it will appear in your Notification Center. You can rearrange widgets by dragging them, and remove them by clicking the minus button. Some widgets let you customize what information they show — click the three-dot menu on a widget to see customization options.
On older Macs with Dashboard, you can add widgets there instead. Open Dashboard from Launchpad or your Applications folder, click the plus button in the bottom-left corner, and select widgets from the list that appears.
Resizing and customizing widgets
Most widgets can be resized after you place them. On iPhones, tap and hold a widget, then tap Edit Widget to see size options. On Android, long-press a widget and drag the resize handles at its edges. On Windows, some widgets have a three-dot menu where you can change their size. On Mac, click the three-dot menu on a widget to see customization choices.
Some widgets also let you change what information they display. For example, a weather widget might let you choose which city to show, or a calendar widget might let you pick which calendars to display. Look for a settings or customize option when you tap and hold the widget, or check the widget's three-dot menu.
Troubleshooting widgets that do not work
If a widget is not showing information or appears blank, first check that the app it belongs to is installed and up to date. Open your app store (App Store on iPhone and Mac, Google Play on Android, or Microsoft Store on Windows) and search for the app. If an update is available, install it.
Next, make sure the app has permission to access the information it needs. On iPhone, go to Settings, find the app name, and check that the permissions it needs are turned on. On Android, go to Settings, select Apps, find the app, tap Permissions, and turn on what the app needs. On Windows and Mac, check the app's settings to see if you need to grant it permission to show notifications or access your location.
If the widget still does not work, try removing it and adding it again. Sometimes a widget will refresh and start working after you remove and re-add it. If the problem continues, the app itself may have a bug — check the app's website or support page to see if other people are reporting the same issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add widgets from apps I have not installed?
No. A widget only appears in your widget library or widget menu if the app that provides it is installed on your device. If you want to use a widget, you must first download and install the app from your device's app store.
Do widgets use battery or data?
Yes, widgets use both. They refresh periodically to show updated information, which uses battery power and data. If you have many widgets, your battery may drain faster. You can reduce battery use by removing widgets you do not check often or by turning off background refresh in the app's settings.
Can I move a widget to a different home screen or panel?
On iPhones, tap and hold a widget and drag it to a different home screen page. On Android, long-press the widget and drag it to a new location or home screen. On Windows and Mac, widgets are usually in a dedicated panel that you cannot move, but you can rearrange the order of widgets within that panel.
What if I want to remove all my widgets at once?
You must remove widgets one at a time. On iPhones, tap and hold each widget and select Remove Widget. On Android, long-press each widget and select Remove. On Windows and Mac, click the minus or remove button next to each widget. There is no bulk delete option across most devices.
Why is my widget showing old information?
Widgets refresh on a schedule set by the app, not constantly. If a widget is showing outdated information, try swiping down on it (iPhone) or clicking it (Windows and Mac) to force a manual refresh. If that does not work, check that the app has permission to use your internet connection and that you are connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.