Remember the days when your iPhone home screen was nothing more than a static grid of icons? You would unlock your phone, swipe through page after page of apps, and hunt for the red notification badge to see what needed your attention. Those days are long gone. Since Apple introduced widgets to the home screen, the iPhone interface has transformed from a simple app launcher into a dynamic dashboard that works for you.
Widgets allow you to see information at a glance without ever opening an app. They can turn a cluttered digital space into a personalized command center, balancing aesthetic appeal with serious productivity. Whether you want to track your fitness goals, keep an eye on the weather, or simply gaze at your favorite photo memories, there is a widget for that. But with thousands of apps offering widget support, where do you start?
We have curated a list of 10 essential widgets that will help you reclaim your screen real estate and make your iPhone feel brand new again. Let’s dive in.
1. The Productivity Powerhouses
For many of us, the iPhone is our primary work tool. The key to productivity is reducing friction; you want to see what you need to do without getting distracted by social media notifications while opening your calendar app. These widgets keep you focused.
Fantastical
While the native Apple Calendar app is decent, Fantastical takes scheduling to a whole new level. Its widget is beautifully designed and incredibly information-dense without feeling cluttered. You can set it up to show a full monthly view alongside your daily list, or a "Up Next" view that counts down to your next meeting. The best part? It integrates your reminders and calendar events into a single view, so you never double-book yourself.
Things 3
If you live by your to-do list, Things 3 is arguably the gold standard for Apple users. Their widget is clean, minimalist, and highly functional. You can place a widget on your home screen that shows your "Today" list. As you go about your day, you can watch your tasks disappear as you complete them. Seeing a shrinking list right on your wallpaper provides a surprising amount of psychological motivation to keep going.
Drafts
Have you ever had a brilliant idea, unlocked your phone to write it down, and then forgot it because you got distracted by an Instagram notification? Drafts solves this. It is an app designed for "text capture." The Drafts widget allows you to tap a single button on your home screen and immediately start typing or dictating. It bypasses the navigation steps, ensuring you capture the thought before it evaporates.
Pro Tip: Place your productivity widgets on your first home screen page. Keep your social media and games on the second or third page. This "digital separation" helps you stay focused when you first unlock your phone.
2. Personalize Your Aesthetic
Your iPhone is an extension of your personal style. Why should it look like everyone else's? These widgets are less about data crunching and more about making your phone a joy to look at.
Widgetsmith
You cannot talk about home screen customization without mentioning Widgetsmith. This app went viral for a reason. It allows you to build custom widgets from scratch. You can choose the font, the text color, the background color, and the border style. You can create a calendar that matches your phone case, or a clock that fits your wallpaper’s color palette perfectly. It requires a little bit of setup time, but the result is a home screen that is uniquely yours.
Photos
Apple’s native Photos widget is lovely, surfacing "Featured Photos" and memories from years past. However, if you want total control over which images appear, look for third-party photo widgets (or use Widgetsmith’s photo feature). You can create a specific album in your Photos app—perhaps pictures of your pets, your partner, or a recent vacation—and tell the widget to only cycle through those specific images. It’s like carrying a digital picture frame in your pocket.
3. Stay Healthy and Informed
One of the best uses for widgets is tracking real-time data that changes throughout the day. Instead of opening an app to check the temperature or your step count, the information is pushed right to you.
CARROT Weather
If you find standard weather reports boring, CARROT is a must-have. Not only is it one of the most accurate weather apps available (pulling data from ultra-local sources), but it also has a "personality." You can adjust the widget to be professional, or you can set it to "Snarky" or "Overkill," where the app will insult you or make jokes about the rain. Beyond the humor, the data visualization is superb, showing precipitation charts and hourly forecasts clearly.
WaterMinder
We all know we should drink more water, but remembering to do so is difficult. WaterMinder offers a variety of widgets that show a visual representation of a human body filling up with water or simple ring charts tracking your hydration percentage. Seeing a half-empty ring on your home screen is a gentle, constant reminder to take a sip. You can even log your water intake directly from the widget without opening the full app.
Apple Fitness
For Apple Watch users, the Fitness widget is non-negotiable. It displays your three activity rings (Move, Exercise, and Stand). There is something deeply satisfying about seeing those rings close in real-time. Having this widget front and center keeps your physical activity top-of-mind. If it’s 7:00 PM and your Move ring is only half full, seeing that widget might be the push you need to go for an evening walk.
4. Utility and System Status
Sometimes, the most "boring" widgets are the most useful. These tools help you manage your device and your surroundings.
Batteries
If you are deep in the Apple ecosystem—meaning you own AirPods, an Apple Watch, or an iPad—the native Batteries widget is essential. It aggregates the battery life of all your connected Bluetooth devices into one list. No more guessing if your AirPods case is charged or if your Watch will last through the night. A quick glance tells you everything you need to know.
Google Maps (or Apple Maps)
Even if you know your way to work, traffic is unpredictable. The Google Maps widget can be configured to show "Commute" information. It displays a live map of your local area with traffic density and an estimated travel time to your pinned locations (like Home or Work). It’s incredibly helpful to glance at your phone while eating breakfast and know immediately if you need to leave ten minutes early to beat a traffic jam.
How to Set Up Your New Home Screen
If you haven't customized your widgets before, don't worry. It is a simple process that feels like second nature once you do it a few times. Here is a quick refresher on how to get these widgets onto your screen:
- Enter "Jiggle Mode": Tap and hold an empty area of your home screen until the apps start to shake.
- Tap the Plus Button: Look for the + icon in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Search for Your App: You will see a gallery of available widgets. You can scroll through them or use the search bar to find a specific app (like Fantastical or Widgetsmith).
- Choose Your Size: Most widgets come in three sizes: Small (square), Medium (horizontal rectangle), and Large (big square). Swipe left and right to choose the size that fits your layout.
- Add and Drag: Tap "Add Widget." While the apps are still jiggling, you can drag the widget around to place it exactly where you want it.
Did you know? You can create a "Smart Stack" to save space. Simply drag one widget of the same size on top of another. This creates a scrollable stack, allowing you to have 10 widgets in the space of one!
Wrapping Up
Customizing your iPhone home screen isn't just about making it look pretty (though that is a nice bonus). It is about tailoring your device to your lifestyle. By selecting the right combination of productivity tools, health trackers, and utility widgets, you reduce the time you spend navigating menus and increase the time you spend actually getting things done.
Try installing two or three of the widgets from this list today. Experiment with different layouts and sizes. You might be surprised at how much a simple change in layout can refresh your relationship with your phone.