Widgetsmith allows you to create custom widgets for your iPhone or iPad Home Screen.
Apple’s iOS and iPadOS 14 have made it possible to customize your iPhone or iPad Home Screen to your liking. Although iOS is not as customizable as Android, you can make some changes to make your Home Screen standout.
Widgetsmith, one of the most popular iOS apps, allows you to create your own iPhone widgets. This article will demonstrate how Widgetsmith can be used to create widgets for your iPhone or iPad.
Widgetsmith: How to Get Started
This makes it possible for anyone, even non-tech-savvy, to play with full-blown customization tools like Scriptable.
Widgetsmith allows you to create many different widgets. Widgetsmith allows you to create a variety of widgets including photos, time and date, step-counting and health, activity and battery, reminders and astronomy as well as tides and weather widgets. For $19.99/year, you can subscribe to weather and tides for just $1.99 per month. You can unlock additional widget themes and get rid of in-app ads.
Widgetsmith may require you to grant it several permissions. These permissions include access to your location and calendar, reminders, health, photos, and health. Tap Settings to open the app. Next, tap Authorize for each permission you wish to grant.
These permissions are necessary to ensure that the app works normally. You don’t need to give Widgetsmith permission to access certain data if you are not using the feature. If you don’t intend to use the calendar widget then Widgetsmith doesn’t need to be authorized to access your calendar.
Widgetsmith: How to make a widget
Widgetsmith’s intuitive UI makes it easy to create custom widgets.
How to create a custom widget with Widgetsmith
- Get Widgetsmith free from the App Store and then open it.
- To select the size of your widget, tap Small #1 or Medium #1. The small widgets are square and take up the same space as four apps. Medium widgets appear as rectangles, while large widgets are also rectangular.
- To rename your widget, tap [Image Size] #1. This will allow you to easily distinguish between custom widgets. Since we’ll be using the date widget in this tutorial, we’ll call our widget Day. You can name your widget according to other sizes of widgets.
- Next, tap default widget. Widgetsmith will direct you to the widget selection pages. This page allows you to choose which type of widget you want and any style.
- Select the widget and style you prefer by tapping. The Photos widget section is located at the top of this page. Scroll down to see more categories.
- To customize your widget, tap Aesthetic/Theme at bottom.
- To personalize your widget, select a premade theme and then tap the Customize button. You can modify the widget font, color, background, border, and artwork.
- To finish, tap Save.
- Widgetsmith will ask for Changes to the Theme or Widget. Choose your choice.
- To finish, tap Save on the Widget Renaming Page.
If you wish to create a new widget with a similar size, don’t modify your existing custom widget. You will be editing the existing widget directly if you do this. Instead, visit Widgetsmith and tap Edit [Widget Size] Widget. This will create a brand new widget.
Let’s move on to how you can add your widget to your Home Screen.
How to add a widget to your iPhone’s Home Screen
After you have created your widget, add it to the Home Screen. The process is easy thanks to widget support in iOS. These steps will allow you to add widgets on your iOS or iPadOS home screen.
- To launch Jiggle mode, go to your iPhone Home Screen. Alternativly, long-press any app icon to select Edit Your Home Screen.
- Tap the plus (+) button at the top.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the app list, and choose Widgetsmith. You can also use the widget search tool to locate it.
- Choose the size you want for your custom widget. Widgetsmith will add your widget if you have only one widget below the chosen size. If not, please continue the steps below.
- Tap Add Widget. Widgetsmith will create a new widget grid for your Home Screen in Jiggle mode. You can use Jiggle mode to place your custom widgets anywhere you like on your Home Screen.
- To launch the app, you can tap the empty Widgetsmith widget from your Home Screen while still in Jiggle mode.
- On the popup, tap the widget size next to Widget. Widgetsmith will display all custom widgets that fit within the grid.
- Go back to your Home Screen and select your custom widget from this list. Your custom widget will now be in the previously empty template.
To personalize your iPhone even more, repeat these steps. You can also personalize your iPhone’s Home Screen with some of Apple’s built-in widgets.
However, custom widgets can’t be created in iOS without using third-party apps.
Widgetsmith: How to Use Timed Widgets
Widgetsmith also offers Timed Widgets. A Timed Widget, an ephemeral widget, will only appear on your iPhone Home Screen for a specific period. It could be for an hour, two hours or three hours. Your iPhone or iPad Home Screen will display the default widget outside of these hours.
These steps will help you create a Timed Widget.
- Launch Widgetsmith.
- Choose one of the widgets you would like to create.
- Tap Add Timed Widget to the next page.
- You can select the time that your Timed Widget should appear by moving and holding the time selector.
- Tap on the blank widget grid.
- Next, choose a widget from one of the premade options and then customize it by clicking Aesthetic/Theme.
- Once you’re done, go back and tap Save.
Widgetsmith will now show you the Timed Widget instead of your default option within the custom hours.
Personalize your iPhone Home Screen
Widgetsmith is a great app for creating custom widgets quickly. You can create many widgets by yourself without having to know any technical knowledge. Scriptable is a great tool for creating custom widgets if you are a techie who wants more control. You can run scripts and create transparent widgets.
