How to Add Widgets on iPhone (iOS 26)

Quick answer: how to add a widget on iPhone

Touch and hold any empty area of your Home Screen until the apps start shaking. Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then tap Add Widget. Search or scroll for the app you want, pick your size, and tap Add Widget at the bottom. Tap Done in the top right. That saves it.

How to add widgets to your Home Screen on iOS 26

Apple moved widget controls behind an Edit menu in recent iOS updates. You can add widgets from Apple apps or third-party apps in a few taps.

1. Enter jiggle modeTouch and hold any blank area on your Home Screen until the app icons begin to shake.
2. Open the widget galleryTap Edit in the top-left corner of your display, then tap Add Widget.
3. Pick an app and sizeScroll through the widget gallery, choose an app, and swipe left or right to pick a small, medium, or large size.
4. Place the widgetTap Add Widget at the bottom, drag it to your desired spot, and tap Done in the top-right corner.

Your apps shift around the new widget on their own. Drag the widget to any page or leave it where it dropped.

How to add widgets to your Lock Screen

Lock Screen widgets show quick info without unlocking your phone. You can place a single row of up to four small widgets right below the time, plus one small text widget above the clock.

1. Enter the wallpaper galleryWake your iPhone, unlock it with Face ID, and press and hold the Lock Screen.
2. Tap CustomizeTap the Customize button at the bottom of the screen, then choose Lock Screen on the left.
3. Select a widget frameTap the rectangular frame below the clock to open the widget selector, or tap the date line above it.
4. Add your widgetsTap or drag widgets from the sheet into the box, tap the close button, and tap Done in the top right.

Lock Screen widgets stay monochrome to match your wallpaper style.

If your widget space fills up, remove one widget before adding another.

How to add widgets in StandBy mode

StandBy turns your iPhone into a bedside smart display when you set it down to charge. It supports dual-widget stacks that you flip through with a swipe.

Connect your iPhone to a charger and prop it up horizontally on its side. When the display wakes, customize it:

1. Swipe to the widget screenSwipe horizontally until you see the side-by-side widget view.
2. Enter edit modeTouch and hold either the left or right widget until the stack starts jiggling.
3. Tap the plus buttonTap the + icon in the top-left corner to open the widget picker.
4. Pick and saveSelect an app, choose a widget, tap Add Widget, and tap Done to lock it in.

You can add multiple widgets to each side. Swipe up and down on either half of the screen to cycle through them.

How to resize, move and stack widgets

Widgets come in three core sizes on the Home Screen: small (two by two app spaces), medium (two by four spaces), and large (four by four spaces). Some system apps also offer an extra-large layout on iPad.

Widgets do not resize by dragging. Touch and hold the widget, remove it, and add the new size from the gallery.

To save room, drag one widget directly on top of another widget of the exact same size to make a Smart Stack, which holds up to 10 widgets and rotates them automatically based on the time of day if you let it. You can also swipe through the stack by hand.

Looking for layout inspiration? Check out our list of aesthetic widget ideas to build matching screens with custom fonts and icons.

How to edit or remove a widget

Many widgets let you tweak what they display, like picking a specific city for the Weather widget or choosing an album for Photos.

To edit one, touch and hold the widget until the quick-action menu opens. Tap Edit Widget. Adjust your preferences from the card, then tap outside the card to save.

To remove a widget you no longer need, touch and hold it and tap Remove Widget. Tap Remove again to confirm. You can also enter jiggle mode, tap the minus sign on the top-left corner of the widget, and confirm.

Widgets not showing or not updating? Troubleshooting

A widget that goes blank or never appears in the gallery usually yields to one of these fixes:

• Open the app onceNewly downloaded apps do not register their widgets until you launch the app at least once after installing.
• Turn on Background App RefreshOpen Settings, go to General, tap Background App Refresh, and ensure it is switched on for that app.
• Restart your iPhoneA quick reboot clears out frozen widget background processes and forces the system to reload the widget gallery.
• Check for updatesMake sure your iPhone runs the latest iOS build and your apps are updated in the App Store.
• Delete and re-addRemove the broken widget from your screen, restart the phone, and add a fresh copy from the gallery.

Widgets that make your phone feel like your friend group

Widgets started out as calendars, battery meters, and weather icons. Over the last couple of years, the best home screens shifted toward staying connected with your favorite people.

Photo widgets like Locket Widget let your close friends send photos straight to your screen throughout the day. If you like keeping up with friends without opening social feeds, read our guide to the best friend widgets.

You can also bring your crew right into your daily routine with Bobble. Bobble is a free social app where you and your close friends turn into 3D bobbleheads made from a single selfie. Your crew lives at the top of your phone, showing live statuses like gym, asleep, coffee, or vibing when you listen to music. Your friends see what you are up to instead of staring at a map pin.

On iPhone 14 Pro and newer, you can even put Bobble in the Dynamic Island and follow your friends alongside your favorite Live Activities on iPhone, so your crew stays one glance away while you do everything else.

Make your Bobble →

Adding widgets takes less than a minute. Pick a couple of everyday utilities, stack a few helpful shortcuts, and drop in a friend widget to make your phone feel like your group chat.