Apple
- Apple just released iOS 14, the newest software update for iPhones.
- Adding widgets to customize iPhone home screens was one of the most anticipated updates.
- Widget creation apps currently hold the top three free app positions in the App Store.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Apple just released iOS 14, with some major updates to home screen organization, plus all kinds of improvements to Messages, Siri, and more.
Changes to widgets are the newest and easiest way to customize the home screen in ways that were previously exclusive to Android users. They can be different sizes and pinned to the home screen for easy access.
The new customizations were immediately well-received by iPhone users. Some apps allow further customization of different widgets, and they’ve immediately shot up in popularity.
The top three free apps in the App Store are all widget editors, even beating out popular social video app TikTok. Soon after iOS 14 was available to all users, videos quickly popped up showing people how to make their screens “aesthetic.”
Changing your home screen with widgets is relatively simple. Here’s how to do it.
Mary Meisenzahl
Tap the plus button in the upper left-hand corner.
Mary Meisenzahl
This will bring up a screen with widget options based on Apple and third-party apps on the phone that have widgets.
Mary Meisenzahl
Several built-in apps come with widget options, like Music, Clock, and Weather.
Mary Meisenzahl
Selecting the batteries option, for example, brings up a sample of what the widget would look like in small, medium, or large. Scroll between the options, and if one looks good tap “Add Widget.”
Mary Meisenzahl
I added the medium-size battery widget, so I can quickly check out the levels of my phone and AirPods while I work.
Mary Meisenzahl
The other way to add widgets is through a third-party app like WidgetSmith, now the top free app in the App Store. WidgetSmith’s options encompass basics like calendar, health, and weather, although some require a premium version of the app.
Mary Meisenzahl
WidgetSmith has far more customization options than native Apple widgets. In both, you can select which size you prefer.
Mary Meisenzahl
WidgetSmith also allows users to choose from different types of displays and fonts.
Mary Meisenzahl
With text and background color options too, there are hundreds of potential combinations.
Mary Meisenzahl
Adding widgets from WidgetSmith works exactly the same as adding others. Long press, tap the plus button and then select the widget creation.
Mary Meisenzahl
You aren’t stuck with the first widgets you add, either. To edit or remove them, just treat them like an app with a long press.
Mary Meisenzahl
Of course, half the point of customizing the home screen is to show it off.
—Brooke (@_BadAngelz_) September 20, 2020
People embraced all sorts of aesthetics to make phone screens their own.
—🏳️🌈 (@TomHarveey) September 20, 2020
Some people posted about spending hours redesigning their screens.
—Livy (@Olivehead2323) September 19, 2020
I didn’t spend hours, but I did make my home screen easier to use and a little better to look at.
Mary Meisenzahl
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