How do I get more widgets on my Android?
What are widgets?
Widgets are miniature applications that run on your Android home screen (Samsung). They provide quick access and information without having to open the full application (Google Keep). Some examples of common widgets include the weather, clock, calendar, music controls, and news feed.
Widgets operate as small windows into your applications. They display live, continuously updated information from the app (Google Calendar). For example, the weather widget shows the current temperature and forecast without needing to launch the weather app.
Most widgets are interactive. You can scroll through a list widget to see more headlines, toggle music playback from a widget, edit a checklist, and more. Tapping a widget generally opens the full app for additional details or functionality.
In summary, widgets streamline using your Android phone by putting app information and actions right on your home screen (Google). They provide quick, glanceable information and access without needing to open apps.
Sources:
https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/appwidgets/overview
Why use widgets?
Widgets provide many benefits for Android users looking to customize and streamline their home screen experience. Some of the key advantages of using widgets include:
Glanceable information – With widgets, users can quickly glance at their home screen to view information from various apps without having to actually open the apps. For example, you could have a weather widget showing the current temperature, or a calendar widget displaying upcoming appointments.
Time savings – Rather than navigating through apps and menus, widgets give immediate access to frequently used information and app functions. This saves time spent launching apps and finding what you need.
Customization – Widgets allow users to truly customize their home screen by choosing which information is visible and prioritized. Users can tailor their home screen to display their most relevant and useful information.[1]
With their many benefits, it’s clear why widgets have become a popular way for Android users to enhance their experience and productivity.
How to Add Widgets
Adding widgets to your Android home screen is easy. Simply long press on any empty area of your home screen until you feel a vibration or see the customization menu appear. Then select “Widgets” from the menu.
This will bring up the widgets menu where you can scroll through and select which widget you want to add. Widgets like calendar, clock, weather, and Google search are commonly added. Once you find the widget you want, simply tap on it to add it to your home screen.
You can then drag the widget around on your home screen to place it wherever you like. Most widgets can also be resized by long pressing on them, then dragging the resize handles at the corners.
So in summary, to add any widget to your Android home screen:
- Long press on an empty spot on your home screen
- Select “Widgets” from the menu
- Scroll and select the widget you want
- Drag the widget where you want it
- Optional: Long press and resize the widget
With just those few simple steps, you can customize your Android home screen by adding useful widgets.
Resize widgets
One of the great features of Android is the ability to resize widgets to customize your home screen layout. To resize a widget:
- Long press on the widget you want to resize. This will make the widget enter “edit mode” and you’ll see outline dots around it.
- With the widget selected, drag the dots on the corners or edges of the widget to resize it. Dragging inward shrinks the widget while dragging outward enlarges it.
- Resize the widget to your desired dimensions. You can make widgets as small or large as you want.
Resizing widgets allows you to arrange them exactly how you want on your home screen. Make frequently used widgets larger for easy access, or shrink unused ones to save space. You can also match widget sizes for a clean, uniform look.
For more precise sizing, try a third party launcher like Nova launcher. This lets you resize widgets by the pixel for perfect alignment (source). With a bit of resizing, you can customize your Android home screen with the perfect widget layout.
Recommended Widgets
There are many useful widgets available on Android that can help productivity and provide quick access to important information. Some of the most recommended widgets include:
Calendar
Calendar widgets like Google Calendar and Business Calendar allow you to view upcoming events and appointments right on your home screen without having to open the full app. They come in various sizes and styles.
Clock
Clock widgets like the default Google Clock show the current time. Some also include weather information, dates, alarms, multiple timezones, etc. Popular options are ClockSpin and Chronus.
Weather
Weather widgets like 1Weather and Overdrop display current temperature, weather conditions, forecasts, etc. Many are highly customizable.
News
News widgets like Google News and Feedly aggregate top stories from various publications so you can stay updated. Some allow customizing news sources.
Search Bar
The Google search bar widget provides quick access to search from your home screen. The search suggestions and results are powered by Google.
To-Do List
To-do list widgets like Any.do and Todoist show upcoming tasks so you don’t forget them. Some sync across devices.
Music Players
Music player widgets like Google Play Music and Spotify provide controls for music playback directly on your home screen.
Organize home screen
Strategic widget placement and grouping apps by function can help you organize your Android home screen for maximum efficiency. Place frequently used widgets like clock, calendar and music controls near the top for easy access. Group apps into folders based on usage or categories like social, productivity, entertainment etc. To create a folder, simply drag and drop one app icon over another. This will automatically create a folder containing both apps that you can rename.
The Verge recommends tapping the parallel lines icon next to “Apps & games” and sorting by least used apps to identify apps to remove from your home screen. Only keep your most used apps on the main home screen while less frequently used apps can live in the app drawer.
Custom launcher apps like Nova Launcher offer advanced features to arrange apps alphabetically, in a grid size of your choosing or even hide apps entirely while keeping them installed. Using a custom launcher provides greater flexibility to tailor your home screen layout.
Sources:
https://www.theverge.com/22956390/android-organize-home-screen-how-to
https://www.androidpolice.com/how-to-organize-apps-android/
Troubleshooting Tips
If you are having issues with widgets on your Android device, there are a few troubleshooting tips you can try to fix problems like missing widgets or placement issues. Here are some things to check:
Fix Missing Widgets
If some of your widgets seem to have disappeared from your home screen, try restarting your device or opening the app associated with the missing widget. This will often cause the widget to reappear. You can also try removing the widget and re-adding it from the widget menu.
Check that you don’t have more than the maximum number of widgets allowed on your home screen. This limit varies by device and Android version. Removing unused widgets can help the missing ones reappear.
Make sure the app associated with the widget is updated and not having its own issues. Updating or reinstalling the app may restore the missing widget.
Remove Old Widgets
Over time, old unused widgets can build up and cause performance or placement issues. Every so often, take stock of your widgets and remove any that are no longer needed. This can help speed up your device and home screen.
If a widget seems to be “stuck” and unremovable, try uninstalling the associated app. This will remove all widgets from that app.
Solve Placement Issues
If you are having trouble placing widgets where you want them, try clearing some space by removing other widgets first. The home screen has a widget grid that can get crowded.
Restarting your device can also help “reset” widget placement. After a reboot, you may find widgets can be moved to spots that previously didn’t work.
Check that you have the latest OS and security updates, as older versions may have widget placement bugs.
Widget customization
Android allows for extensive widget customization to tailor them to your preferences. You can change the appearance, settings, and background of most widgets.
To customize a widget, long press on it until it enlarges, then tap the “Edit widget” button. This will open customization options specific to that widget. For example, with the Google Search widget you can change the shape, color, transparency, and more (1).
Many widgets let you adjust the transparency, so you can make them partially see-through on your home screen. You can also change colors and reshuffle elements for some widgets. Third party widgets from the Play Store, like KWGT, offer even more customization options like custom images and text.
To modify widget settings beyond appearance, long press the widget and select the gear icon. This opens settings to control notifications, update frequency, and other preferences. For example, you can set a weather widget to only update a few times per day to save data.
Android also allows changing the widget background separately from the widget itself. Long press on an empty space on your home screen, then tap “Wallpapers & style” to set a custom background for just your home screen widgets.
With all these options, you can tweak widget appearance and behavior exactly to your liking. Don’t be afraid to experiment until your widgets perfectly complement your home screen.
Third-party widgets
The Play Store has thousands of widgets you can download and add to your home screen. Many offer useful information and customization options not found in the stock Android widgets. Exploring third-party widgets is a great way to discover new functionality.
Some top picks include KWGT Kustom Widget Maker, Overdrop, and Chronus Information Widgets. These let you customize the look and content of widgets for weather, clock, calendar, music, and more.
Third-party widget apps often have free and paid versions. The free ones still provide excellent basic widgets. But upgrading unlocks more customizations and additional widget types. Paid widgets may allow finer control over fonts, colors, layouts, animations, and information displayed.
Browsing the Play Store’s Top Charts in the Widgets category is a quick way to discover new widgets. Sort by Top Grossing or Top Free to see the most popular options. Reading reviews can reveal useful widgets that perfectly fit your needs and style.
Maximize widget usage
Some power users leverage Android widgets in creative ways to maximize productivity on their home screens.
For example, one power user created a custom Google Keep widget with color coded sticky notes for tracking daily to-do lists (https://www.reddit.com/r/androidthemes/comments/etqgtx/theme_productive_simple/). The customization allowed them to view and interact with task lists directly on the home screen without opening the full Keep app.
Another user customized KWGT widgets into a control center to quickly toggle settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight, and more (https://www.androidpolice.com/best-useful-android-widgets/). This saved time compared to navigating through the full Settings app. Some even added media controls to pause/play music.
By stacking widgets and customizing layouts, power users can build highly efficient home screen dashboards. For instance, calendars, reminders, weather, and news can all be visible at a glance. Creative uses of widgets streamline workflows on Android.