Snapchat is the latest popular app to roll out iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets for its iPhone users. One of the major changes with Apple’s iOS 16 launch is the option to personalize your Lock Screen with widgets. Many companies have worked to make their apps iOS 16-ready, and that list now includes Snapchat.
The company announced today that it’s releasing an app update to include support for iOS 16 and Lock Screen widgets. There are two Snapchat Lock Screen widgets that you can choose from. The first Lock Screen widget option is a small square that opens directly to the Snapchat camera. The second option is a larger rectangle that opens to a conversation with a friend or group. The widget will also display your streak with this friend, alongside the other emojis that are shown next to that specific chat in the app.
“Our new Lock Screen Widgets keep conversations with your bestie saved right to your lock screen so you can start chats with one tap,” the company said in a blog post. “With this new tool, you can save yourself the scrolling when you want to start Snapping, keeping visual conversations with the Snapchat Camera right at your fingertips.”
You can add the new widgets by tapping and holding your Lock Screen to bring up the Edit menu, and then selecting the “Customize” button. From this edit mode, you can then tap the row where you want to add or swap out widgets. Then, you need to scroll through the app options and select Snapchat. You can then swipe to see the available widgets and select the one you want to add. Once you’ve made your selection, you need to close the Add Widgets panel and tap Done to save your changes.
The company says the new widgets are available now or coming soon for users. If you don’t have access to the new widgets, you should keep an eye out for a new app update.
Snapchat is among numerous other apps that are looking to earn a place on your Lock Screen. Earlier this week, Facebook added “Birthdays at a Glance” and “Top Updates” widgets for its iPhone users. In addition, Google has promised that it will offer iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets for key apps like Search, Chrome, Gmail, Maps and more in the coming weeks.
The launch of the new Lock Screen widgets was announced alongside the news that the company is making the desktop version of its app, Snapchat for Web, available to its entire global community. With Snapchat for Web, you can send messages and snaps, and also chat via video and voice calls. For the time being, Snap is focused on bringing the app’s core features to the web and will build out the experience from there. The company plans to bring the app’s other features, including viewing Stories and Memories to Snapchat for Web in the future.
Snapchat also announced today that it’s also rolling out new Chat Shortcuts at the top of the chat tab to make it easy to do things like spot unread Snaps and chats from friends, see missed calls and reply to stories. The app is also adding a new “Question Stickers” feature to let users ask questions in their stories in an AMA-style.
Snapchat rolls out iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets with latest app update by Aisha Malik originally published on TechCrunch
