Where to find and add widgets on your iPhone

Widgets live in two places on your iPhone: the lock screen and the home screen. To add one, long-press (hold your finger down) on the area where you want it, then tap the plus button that appears in the corner. Your phone will show you every widget available for the apps you have installed. Tap the app name, choose which widget size you want, and tap "Add Widget." The widget appears when ready.

The lock screen is the fastest route if you want quick information without unlocking your phone — weather, calendar events, or reminders show right there. Home screen widgets take up more space but let you see more detail and interact with them directly. Most people add a mix of both.

Key Takeaways

  • Long-press on your lock screen or home screen, tap the plus button, and select an app to add its widget in seconds.
  • Lock screen widgets show small amounts of information without unlocking your phone, while home screen widgets display more detail and let you tap to take action.
  • You can resize most home screen widgets by long-pressing them and dragging the corner handles, or remove them by long-pressing and tapping "Remove Widget."
  • Not every app has a widget — only apps that offer one will appear in the widget menu, and you can add the same widget multiple times with different settings.

Adding widgets to your lock screen

Your lock screen is the easiest place to start because the space is limited and the process is straightforward. Long-press anywhere on the lock screen until the customization menu appears at the bottom. Tap the plus button in the lower left corner. A list of apps with available widgets appears — scroll through and tap the app you want.

Once you tap an app, you see the widget options for that app. Some apps offer only one widget; others offer several in different sizes. Tap the one you want, then tap "Add Widget." It appears on your lock screen when ready. You can add up to five widgets to your lock screen, arranged in a row at the bottom. If you add more than five, they cycle through automatically.

Adding widgets to your home screen

Home screen widgets give you more room to work with and let you interact with them directly — you can tap a reminder to mark it done, or tap a music widget to play a song without opening the app. Long-press on an empty area of your home screen (not on an app icon) until the menu appears. Tap the plus button in the lower left corner.

The app list appears. Tap the app whose widget you want. If the app has multiple widget sizes, you see them all. Tap the one you want, then tap "Add Widget." The widget lands on your home screen. If there is no empty space, your phone asks which screen to place it on. You can add as many widgets as you have room for, and rearrange them by long-pressing and dragging them around.

Resizing and removing widgets

Most home screen widgets come in multiple sizes. To change the size, long-press the widget until a menu appears, then tap "Edit Widget." A border with corner handles appears around the widget. Drag the corners to make it larger or smaller. Not all widgets support resizing — if you do not see handles, that widget has a fixed size.

To remove a widget, long-press it and tap "Remove Widget," or swipe left across the widget and tap the trash icon. Removing a widget does not delete the app itself, only the widget from your screen. You can add it back anytime by following the same steps.

Which apps have widgets and how to find them

Not every app offers a widget. Apple's built-in apps — Calendar, Weather, Reminders, Clock, Maps, Music, and News — all have widgets. Many third-party apps do too, but it depends on whether the developer built one. The only way to know is to open the widget menu and look.

When you long-press and tap the plus button, you see only apps that have widgets available. If an app you use is not in that list, it does not offer a widget yet. Some apps add widgets in updates, so check back later if you are looking for a specific one. You can also add the same widget from the same app multiple times — for example, two different Calendar widgets showing different calendars, or a Weather widget for two different cities.

Stacking widgets and using Smart Stack

A Smart Stack is a home screen feature that lets you put multiple widgets in the same space and swipe between them. To create one, add a widget to your home screen, then drag another widget directly on top of it. Your phone stacks them and shows one at a time. Swipe up or down on the stack to cycle through the widgets inside.

Smart Stack learns which widgets you use most and shows them at the top of the rotation. You can also tap the three dots that appear on a Smart Stack to manually arrange the order, or remove individual widgets from the stack without deleting them. This is useful if you want quick access to several widgets but do not have room for all of them at once.

Troubleshooting widgets that do not appear or work

If a widget does not show up in the menu, the app may not have one, or the app may need an update. Open the App Store, go to the Updates tab, and see if the app has a pending update. Install it and try again. If the widget appears but does not update — for example, the weather widget shows yesterday's forecast — restart your phone by turning it off and back on.

If a widget stops responding to taps, long-press it and tap "Remove Widget," then add it again. If widgets are draining your battery or slowing your phone, check which ones you actually use. Remove the ones you do not look at regularly. Widgets that refresh constantly (like stock tickers or live sports scores) use more power than static ones (like a notes widget or a to-do list).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add the same widget twice with different settings?

Yes. You can add the same widget multiple times and configure each one differently. For example, add the Weather widget twice — one set to your city and one set to a city you travel to often. Each instance works independently.

What happens if I remove a widget?

Removing a widget only removes it from your screen. The app stays on your phone and all your data in that app stays intact. You can add the widget back anytime by long-pressing and tapping the plus button again.

Do widgets work on the lock screen and home screen at the same time?

Yes. You can have the same widget on both your lock screen and home screen, and they show the same information. Changes you make in one place update in the other automatically.

Why is my widget showing old information?

Widgets refresh on a schedule set by the app developer, not by you. If a widget has not updated in a while, restart your phone. If it still does not update, remove the widget and add it again. Make sure the app itself has permission to run in the background — check Settings > [App Name] > Background App Refresh.

Can I move a widget to a different home screen?

Yes. Long-press the widget, and while holding, drag it to the edge of your screen. Your phone moves to the next screen and you can drop it there. You can also long-press and drag it to a different position on the same screen.