How to Add & Use iPhone Homescreen Widgets in iOS 14

Want to add widgets on your iPhone's home screen? We can finally do it. With the release of iOS 14, you can add them anywhere you want, set them to one of three sizes, and even customize their contents. This brings a lot more versatility and customization to the iPhone Home screen. You can even add widgets to your iPad Home screen! Let's learn how to do this on your iPhone first.

Related: What Are Widgets, Plus How to Add Them to the iPhone's Today View

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How to Add Widgets on the iPhone in iOS 14

Widgets are nothing new. You’ve been able to access your widgets for a while now by swiping right on your first Home screen and opening Today View. But what is new is the ability to move widgets directly to your iPhone Home screen! To add widgets to your Home screen:

  1. Long press on your Home screen until the apps begin to wiggle and the editing options appear. 
  2. Tap the + icon. You’ll be given a selection of widgets. 
  3. Tap on the one you want to add. 

    iphone home screen in wiggle mode with an arrow to the Plus icon at the top left corner.Widgets iPhone: the widgets selection screen on an iPhone
     
  4. Select your widget display option (small, medium, or large).
  5. And then tap Add Widget

    how to add widgets: the widget selection screenwhere are my widgets: the widget size selection screen with add widget highlighted
     
  6. The widget will be added to your Home screen.
  7. When you’re done, tap Done on the top right of your screen and you will exit the menu.

    add widget iphone: The iPhone home screen in wiggle mode with the Done button highlighted
     
  8. To remove a widget, just hit the minus sign when the icons are wiggling. Voila! Your widget will now behave similarly to your apps (it’s just bigger).

How to Create Widget Stacks in iOS 14

You can also stack multiple widgets on top of each other so you can access them more easily. Widget stacks are a great way to quickly switch up the look of your Home screen, or to bring different information to your fingertips. To create a Widget Stack:

  1. Add a widget (as above).
  2. Do this as many times as you like, continuing to add widgets to your Home screen. 
  3. Once you are finished, drag and drop the widgets on top of each other to create a Widget Stack. 

    add widget iPhone: an iphone home screen in wiggle mode with too many widgetsapple widgets: moving an iPhone widget
     
  4. Tap Done once you are finished. 
  5. Swipe up and down on your stack to access all of the widgets that have been placed within it.

    a screenshot of the iPhone home screen with a widget stack added and an arrow to the Done button in the top right corneran iPhone screenshot of the home screen with a widget stack, demonstrating how you can swap widgets in the stack by swiping up and down on the stack

How to Customize & Resize Widgets in iOS 14

If at any point you decide you would like to adjust the size of your widget or change your widget stack, that can be done. To customize your widgets:

  1. Tap and hold on the widget you want to edit until a box appears. 
  2. If you want to edit what is in your stack, just tap Edit Stack
  3. If you want to edit the widget, tap Edit [widget name]

    Edit Widget Stack: An image of the iPhone screen widget stack contextual menu with Edit Widget Stack highlighted
     
  4. If you choose to edit your widget, then you can choose what is shown on your Home screen. For example, if you have a Notes widget, you can choose which notes are viewable from the Home screen on your widget.

Widget Recommendations: Our Favorite iOS Widgets So Far

Widgets only came to iOS with the release of the iOS 14 beta, so the selection will remain limited until more third-party developers get around to creating their own. We predict there will be widgets for popular and common apps like Facebook and WhatsApp, but there’s no telling what they’ll be like. In the meantime, here are the ones we've been using while we wait:

  1. The Photos App Widget
    Really spiffs up your home-screen with a selection of your top pictures curated by your iPhone’s AI. It rotates pictures and always shows you something nice, keeping your home screen fresh.
  2. The Weather App Widget
    Getting the weather at a glance has never been easier. It’s always handy to know what the temperature is like outside before you grab your jacket or hat, but with this widget, we’ll probably never actually open the Weather app again, since we can get most of its data right on the home screen. Definitely a breath of fresh air!
  3. The Batteries App Widget
    We at iPhone Life have always loved the batteries widget: it offers an at-a-glance summary of the current charge of all your iOS connected mobile devices, including your AirPods and Apple Watch. 
  4. Streaks ($4.99)
    This habit-building tool shows you how long you've successfully maintained a practice. For example, it could show you how many days in a row that you've used your jump rope. With the widget, you can pick habits you're working on and show them right on your home screen.

If you're a fan of Widgets and have an iPad, they are finally available with iPadOS 14 update!

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Author Details

Cullen Thomas's picture

Author Details

Cullen Thomas

Cullen Thomas is a senior instructor at iPhone Life. For ten years as faculty at Maharishi University, Cullen taught subjects ranging from camera and audio hardware to game design. Cullen applies a passion for gadgetry to answer questions about iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple cloud services; to teach live classes; and to specialize in the privacy and security aspects of the Apple ecosystem. Cullen has dual degrees in Media & Communications and Literature, and a Masters degree from the David Lynch Graduate School of Cinematic Arts.

Offline, Cullen designs videogames with Thought Spike Games, writes fiction, and studies new nerdery.

Mastodon: @CullenWritesTech@infosec.exchange

Email: cullen@iphonelife.com

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