What widgets are and where they live 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 iPhone, widgets appear on your lock screen, home screen, or in the Smart Stack — a stack of widgets you swipe through. The lock screen is the fastest place to add one because you see it every time you unlock your phone.

Widgets are different from app icons. An icon opens the whole app. A widget shows you live information — like weather, calendar events, reminders, or news headlines — in a small box. Some widgets let you take action directly from the widget, like checking off a to-do item or starting a timer, without launching the app itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Lock screen widgets are added by long-pressing your lock screen, tapping the plus button at the bottom, and selecting an app and widget size.
  • Home screen widgets are added by long-pressing an empty area of your home screen, tapping the plus button, choosing an app, and selecting the widget layout you want.
  • Not every app offers widgets — only apps designed to support them will appear in the widget menu.
  • You can stack multiple widgets in one spot on your home screen and swipe between them, or remove a widget by long-pressing it and selecting remove.

Adding a widget to your lock screen

Long-press anywhere on your lock screen until the screen darkens and a menu appears at the bottom. Tap the plus button (a circle with a plus sign inside). A list of apps that offer widgets will appear. Scroll through and tap the app you want — for example, Weather, Calendar, or Reminders.

After you select the app, you will see the available widget sizes for that app. Tap the size you want. The widget will appear on your lock screen immediately. You can add multiple widgets to your lock screen by repeating this process. If you want to remove a widget later, long-press your lock screen again, tap the minus button next to the widget, and confirm removal.

Adding a widget to your home screen

Long-press an empty area of your home screen — not on an app icon — until the screen darkens and a menu appears. Tap the plus button. A list of apps with available widgets will appear. Find and tap the app you want.

Select the widget size or layout you prefer. Some apps offer multiple sizes — a small 2x2 grid, a medium 2x4, or a large 4x4. Tap "Add Widget" at the bottom right. The widget will be placed on your home screen. If there is no empty space, iPhone will create a new page and place the widget there.

Creating a Smart Stack of widgets

A Smart Stack is a single spot on your home screen that holds multiple widgets stacked on top of each other. You swipe up or down on the stack to cycle through the widgets. This saves space when you want quick access to several apps.

To create a Smart Stack, add one widget to your home screen. Then long-press that widget and tap "Edit Stack". Tap the plus button to add more widgets to the same stack. You can add up to 10 widgets to one Smart Stack. iPhone can also learn which widgets you use most and show them automatically — toggle "Smart Rotate" on in the stack settings to enable this.

Apps that commonly offer widgets

Built-in Apple apps like Weather, Calendar, Reminders, Clock, Stocks, and News all have widgets. Popular third-party apps like Spotify, Slack, Uber, DoorDash, and Todoist also offer widgets. The widget menu only shows apps that have built widget support — if an app does not appear in the widget list, that app does not offer a widget yet.

To learn about an app has a widget, open the app and look for a menu or settings option that mentions widgets or home screen. Some app developers add widget support in updates, so if an app you use does not have a widget now, check back after updating it.

Resizing and repositioning widgets

To resize a widget on your home screen, long-press it until a menu appears. Tap "Edit Widget" or look for a size option. Not all widgets are resizable — some come in only one size. If the widget supports multiple sizes, you will see options to choose a smaller or larger layout.

To move a widget, long-press it and drag it to a new location on your home screen or to a different page. You can also drag a widget onto another widget to create a Smart Stack, or drag it off your home screen entirely to remove it. Lock screen widgets cannot be repositioned — they stay in the order you added them.

Troubleshooting widgets that do not work

If a widget is not showing updated information, try force-closing the app. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen (or swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones) to open the app switcher, find the app, and swipe up on it to close it. Then open the app again and check if the widget updates.

If a widget does not appear in the widget menu at all, make sure the app is updated to the latest version. Open the App Store, go to your profile, and check for updates. If the app still does not offer a widget after updating, that app may not support widgets. Restart your iPhone if widgets are behaving strangely — hold the power button, slide to power off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add the same widget multiple times?

Yes. You can add the same widget to your lock screen, home screen, or Smart Stack as many times as you want. For example, you could add a Weather widget to your lock screen and a different size Weather widget to your home screen. Each instance works independently.

Do widgets use more battery than app icons?

Widgets use some battery because they refresh to show updated information, but the amount is usually small. Widgets that refresh frequently — like weather or stock tickers — use slightly more battery than static widgets. If battery life is a concern, remove widgets you do not check regularly.

Why does an app not show up in the widget menu?

Only apps designed with widget support will appear in the widget menu. Older apps or apps from developers who have not built widget features will not show up. Check the App Store to see if an update is available — some developers add widgets in later versions.

Can I customize what information a widget shows?

Some widgets have settings you can adjust. Long-press the widget and tap "Edit Widget" to see if options are available. For example, a Calendar widget might let you choose which calendar to display, or a Reminders widget might let you pick which list to show. Not all widgets offer customization.

What happens to widgets if I delete an app?

If you delete an app, its widgets will no longer work and will show an error or blank space. You can remove the widget manually by long-pressing it and selecting remove, or it will stay on your screen but display nothing. Reinstalling the app will restore the widget functionality.