How to Add Widgets to Your Home Screen on iPhone and Android

11 October 2026 · guide · home screen widgets · add widget · iphone widgets · android widgets

Widgets are the fastest way to see what matters without opening an app: the time in another city, today’s agenda, the weather, a habit streak, the days left until a trip. Yet a surprising number of people never add one, because the option hides behind a long-press.

This guide shows how to add, resize, stack and remove widgets on iPhone and Android, with notes for Samsung and Pixel. At the end, we cover how WidgyKit fits in if you want all your widgets to match.

Add a widget on iPhone

1. On the Home Screen, touch and hold an empty area or an existing widget until the apps start to jiggle.
2. Tap Edit in the upper-left corner.
3. Tap Add Widget.
4. Scroll or search for the app whose widget you want.
5. Swipe left and right to choose a size.
6. Tap Add Widget, then drag it where you want it.
7. Tap Done.

On older iOS versions, the button is a + in the corner instead of Edit > Add Widget. Apple’s steps change slightly between releases.

Resize and edit on iPhone

• Recent iOS versions let you resize a placed widget by dragging its corner handle while in edit mode.
• Touch and hold a widget and choose Edit Widget to change its options, such as which city or calendar it shows.

Make a stack on iPhone

Drag one widget on top of another of the same size to create a stack. Swipe up and down on the stack to flip between them. Stacks save space and keep a busy screen tidy.

Add a widget on Android

The general flow is the same on most Android phones:

1. Long-press an empty area of the home screen.
2. Tap Widgets.
3. Find the app in the list, or use the search field.
4. Touch and hold the widget you want and drag it onto the home screen.
5. Release it where you want it. Some widgets open a short setup screen first.

Samsung Galaxy

Long-press the home screen, tap Widgets, then pick an app. Samsung groups an app’s widgets together, and you can add a widget directly or drag it into place. Samsung also supports widget stacks: long-press a placed widget and look for an option to create a stack.

Google Pixel

Long-press the home screen and tap Widgets. Expand the app you want, then drag a widget into place.

Labels and options vary by launcher and Android version. If you use a third-party launcher, the long-press menu may look different, but a Widgets option is almost always there.

Resize on Android

1. Long-press the placed widget and release.
2. Drag the handles around it to make it larger or smaller.
3. Tap outside the widget to finish.

Not every widget can be resized, and some only allow certain sizes.

Remove a widget

• iPhone: touch and hold the widget, then tap Remove Widget.
• Android: long-press the widget and drag it to Remove, or tap Remove in the menu that appears.

Removing a widget does not uninstall the app.

Fix widgets that don’t update

1. Open the app once. Many widgets need the app to run at least once after installing or updating.
2. Allow background activity. On iPhone, check that Background App Refresh is on for the app. On Android, make sure the app is not restricted by battery optimisation.
3. Check permissions. A calendar widget needs calendar access, and a weather widget usually needs location or a chosen city.
4. Remove and re-add the widget if it stays blank.
5. Restart the phone after a major system update.

Make your widgets match with WidgyKit

The usual problem with widgets is not adding them. It is that ten widgets from ten apps look like ten different designs. WidgyKit takes a different approach: one app for every widget, in one matching style.

• All the common widgets in one place: calendar, weather, events, world clock, countdowns, habits, quotes and photos.
• Small, Medium and Large: every template has its own layout for each size, not a scaled copy.
• Works offline: widgets render from on-device data.
• Interactive: mark a habit done right from the home screen.
• Free to start: free widgets need no account. Premium widgets unlock with coins, bundles or WidgyKit Pro.

Adding a WidgyKit widget follows the same steps above: choose a template in the app, long-press your home screen, pick WidgyKit from the widget list, and place the size you want. WidgyKit is launching on iOS and Android, so check widgykit.com for availability.

Ideas for your first setup

• Glanceable morning: a Medium day agenda with a Small clock beside it.
• Habit focus: a Small habit ring next to a Small month calendar.
• Family abroad: a world clock showing the cities where your relatives live.
• Something to look forward to: a countdown to your next trip or event.

For complete layouts, see 6 aesthetic home screen setups with WidgyKit, and read our introduction to WidgyKit for the full feature tour.

Summary

On iPhone, touch and hold, tap Edit, then Add Widget. On Android, long-press, tap Widgets, then drag one into place. Resize from edit mode, build stacks to save space, and check background and battery settings if a widget stops updating. When you want everything to look like it belongs together, try WidgyKit.

WidgyKit

Clocks, weather, events, calendar, habits, countdowns… every home-screen widget in one app, in one matching style. Free to start on iOS and Android.

View app →