Create and Modify Widgets on iPhone to Get Quick Access to Apps

The widgets on your iPhone are very useful. With them, you will be informed immediately by your commonly used apps from the Lock Screen, Home Screen, or Today View. The following content provided by NewsPivot will show you how to manage the widgets on your iPhone.

Part 1. Add Widget to Your Lock Screen

Since iOS 16, you are able to add widgets to your lock screen to get timely information about battery level, temperature, upcoming calendar events, and so on.

Step 1. Touch and hold the lock screen until you see the Customize option. You may need to enter your Passcode before you can access the Customize option. Then, tap the Customize button.

Step 2. Next, choose Lock Screen.

Step 3. Select ADD WIDGETS.

Step 4. Tap or drag your desired apps to the lock screen.

If there is no room for a new widget, you have to tap the Remove icon (minus) to delete a widget. Then, you can add a new widget.

To edit a widget, just tap on it within the lock screen area and make your changes.

Step 5. When you finish, tap the close icon (cross) in the top-right of the popup and tap Done in the top-right of the main screen.

Part 2. Add Widgets to Your Home Screen

First of all, you can add your favorite apps to the Home screen in a few steps.

Step 1. On the Home screen on your iPhone, tap and hold any widget or any blank area until the current widgets wiggle.

Step 2. Click the Add (plus) icon in the upper-left corner.

Step 3. Choose the target app from the pop-up list.

Step 4. Swipe left or right to pick up a proper widget shape and size and tap the Add Widget button.

Step 5. Finally, tap Done.

To remove a widget from your Home screen, just click the Remove icon on the target widget when all widgets are wiggling.

Part 3. Add Widgets to Today View

What’s more, you can also add widgets to the Today View section on your iPhone.

Step 1. Swipe right from the lock screen or Home screen to access the Today View screen.

Step 2. There, tap and hold an empty part or a widget until the widgets giggle.

Step 3. Click the Add icon in the top left.

Step 4. In the new pop-up screen, choose your desired app.

Step 5. Specify the new widget size.

Step 6. Tap the Add Widget > Done.

To delete a widget from the Today View screen, still, tap and hold the screen until all widgets giggling or just scroll down to tap the Edit option at the bottom (the latter is available only when you enter the Today View screen by switching from the Home screen). Then, click the Remove icon on the target widget.

To edit a widget from the Today View screen, just tap and hold it and select Edit Widget from the quick actions menu.

Part 4. Use Widget Stacks

Besides, you can make use of widget stacks to save space on the Home screen and Today View screen. Or you can take advantage of Smart Stacks to build your widget stacks. Widgets stuck feature is only available for iOS 14 and later operating systems.

Create a Smart Stack

What is a Smart Stuck? It is a pre-built collection of widgets showing the right widgets based on your location, time, or activities. A Smart Stuck rotates widgets automatically to display most relevant info throughout the day.

1. Tap and hold any place on the Home or Today View screen until the current widgets wiggle.

2. Click the Add icon from the top left of the screen.

3. Find and choose Smart Stack.

4. Select a display size for the Smart Stack.

5. Tap Add Widget.

Build Your Own Widget Stacks

Instead of the built-in Smart Stuck, you can also create your personalized widget stacks.

1. Touch and hold on your Home screen or the Today View until the app widgets giggle.
2. Drag a widget on top of another and drop it.
3. It will automatically create a widget stack to hold the two widgets. You can drag and drop more widgets into the stack. A stack can collect many widgets in several pages with 9 widgets in a single page.
4. Finally, tap Done on the top right of the main screen or tap on any blank area to save the changes.

Edit a Widget Stack

To modify a widget stack, you can do as below:

1. Tap and hold the target widget stack and select Edit Stack.
2. Then, you can change the order of a specific widget in the stack by dragging and dropping it where you want it to be.
3. Or you can tap the Add button on the top left to add more widgets.
4. You can turn on or turn off Smart rotate (automatic widget selection) and Widget Suggestions.
5. Tap Done in the top right or any blank place to save changes.

Tips:

• With Smart Rotate on, iOS will show you relevant widgets throughout the day.
• Widget Suggestions feature is only available for iOS 15 and later. This function can automatically select the apps you have used and put them in your Smart Stack at the proper time according to your past activities.