How to add, edit, and remove Home Screen widgets on iPhone and iPad

Don’t limit your Home Screen to just app icons! Learn how to find, add, and remove widgets on your iPhone or iPad Home Screen so you can see things quickly at a glance without the need to go inside the app.

Add Activity Widget to Home Screen on iPhone

Widgets on your Home Screen

Appropriately named, the Widget Gallery showcases available widgets for your Home Screen. You can see popular widgets and perform a search if you want a particular one.

Just note that not all apps offer widgets. So, if you are hoping your favorite app offers a widget but don’t see it in the Widget Gallery, make sure you have the latest version of the app from the App Store and check the App Store details to see if it offers widgets. If it doesn’t, you can contact the app developer requesting a widget!

Add a widget to the Home Screen

  1. Touch and hold a blank spot on your iPhone or iPad Home Screen.
  2. When the app icons jiggle, you’ll see a plus sign in the top left corner of the screen. Tap that plus sign (+) to open the Widget Gallery.
  3. Scroll down and pick a widget. You’ll see some suggestions at the top, and scrolling down further lists the app that supports widgets. Tap one, pick a widget based on size or type, and hit Add Widget.
  4. That widget will then appear on your Home Screen. It will be jiggling, so you can then drag it where you want it. This can be on any of your screens and in almost any location. As you move the widget, you’ll see your app icons, folders, and any other widgets you have move out of the way. This is how it works when you move app icons around, too, and your screen retains its spacing between and around widgets the same way.
  5. Once you find that prime spot for your widget, release your hold. Now, tap a blank spot on your screen or tap Done.
Add widget to iPhone Home Screen

Edit a Home Screen widget

Some widgets allow you to edit them and pick additional options. For example, you can edit the Files app widget and pick a folder to display stuff only from that folder on the widget.

Here’s how to edit or customize a widget on iPhone or iPad Home Screen:

  1. Tap & hold an existing widget and hit Edit Widget. If you don’t see the edit option, that widget doesn’t support editing.
  2. Tap the right side of the option to customize it.
  3. Finally, tap outside the widget to exist editing and return to the Home Screen.
Edit widget on iPhone Home Screen

Remove a widget

If you decide later that you no longer want a widget you’ve added to your Home Screen, removing it is simple, and you have two ways to delete it:

  • Tap and hold your screen until everything jiggles. Then tap the minus sign in the top left corner and confirm you want to Remove the widget.
  • Tap and hold the widget, select Remove Widget, and confirm you want to remove it.
Remove a Widget from the Home Screen on iPhone

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