How to Use Widgetsmith App on iPhone

With the release of iOS 14, Apple introduced more widget customization options. But there are third-party apps that add even more features. Widgetsmith is an app that allows you to create custom widgets. This allows you to make your Home Screen more personalized and aesthetic.

The app was created by David Smith, an iOS developer known for making apps for the Apple Watch.

Setting Up Widgetsmith on Your iPhone

1. Download Widgetsmith from the App Store and launch the app.

   

2. Tap Settings in the bottom-right corner.

   

3. Tap App Privacy Permissions.
   

   

4. Now tap Authorize under whichever category you’ll be using to create widgets. These include photos, location, health, calendar, and reminders. Remember, you only have to authorize the category you’ll be using.

   

5. When you tap Authorize on any category, a confirmation box will notify you that Widgetsmith will be accessing your data. Tap OK.
   

   

And voila! You’re done setting up Widgetsmith on your iPhone. Now it’s time to learn how to create widgets using the app.

Creating Customized Widgets on Widgetsmith

Here’s how to create custom widgets using Widgetsmith:

1. First, tap Widgets in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

   

2. You’ll see three options representing the size of the widget you’ll be creating. You can start building your first widget by tapping Add Small Widget, Add Medium Widget, or Add Large Widget. For this guide, I’ll be creating a small Photos widget.

   

3. Tap Small #1 at the top to rename your widget.

   

4. Tap Default Widget. There’s another option at the bottom called “Timed Widget.” We’ll discuss that later in the article.

   

5. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the options you see on the next screen! The first thing you have to do is choose the style or template of your widget. Widgetsmith comes with templates for categories such as photos, time, date, weather, air quality, pollen, step counting, health and activity, calendar, reminders, astronomy, and battery. Each category has several different styles. For this article, I’ll choose Photos in Album.

   

6. Now go to “Aesthetic/Theme” to customize your widget. Let’s choose Neon.

   

7. In “Selected Album,” choose the album from which you want pictures to appear in the widget.

   

8. Finally, go to “Photo Filter” for even more customization options. Free users can only use the first three filters. Select your preferred filter, and it’ll apply to the photos in your widget.

   

9. Once you’re done customizing, tap Back.

   

10. If you’re satisfied with the settings of your widget, tap Save. You can also edit your widget later.

    

11. To delete a widget, swipe left on it and tap Delete.

    

Adding Your Customized Widget on the Home Screen

1. Tap and hold anywhere on the Home Screen until the apps start shaking.

   

2. Tap the + icon in the top-left corner to open the widgets screen.

   

3. Scroll down and select Widgetsmith.
   

   

4. Choose the size of the customized widget you just created and tap Add Widget.

   

5. The widget will be added to the Home Screen, but you’ll notice that it’s not displaying your selected photo album.

   

6. Tap the widget while your Home Screen is still jiggling, and a window will pop up showing the list of small widgets in Widgetsmith. Tap Small #2.
   

   

    

7. Tap Photos (or whichever name you gave to the widget you just created).

   

8. Once you select your widget, you’ll be taken back to the previous window. Tap anywhere around the window to return to the Home Screen.

   

9. You’ll now see the photos from the selected photo album in the widget.

   

Creating a Timed Widget Using Widgetsmith

A Timed Widget only appears for a specific amount of time. Once the time is up, it is replaced by the default widget. Here’s how to create a timed widget using Widgetsmith

1. In the Widgetsmith app, tap on the widget you just created (or follow the steps above to create a new one).

   

2. Tap Add a Timed Widget on the bottom of the screen.

   

3. Choose how long you want the Timed Widget to appear on the Home Screen on the next Window.

   

4. Tap Select Photo.

   

5. Customize the widget however you want, and then tap Selected Photo.

   

6. Tap Choose Photo.

   

7. Select the photo you want to appear in the widget.

   

8. Once you’re done playing around with the customization settings, tap Back.

   

9. Set the period you want the photos to stay on the Home Screen and tap Save.
   

   

10. If you want to add more widgets, tap the + icon and follow the steps in the previous section.

    

11. You’ll now see the Timed Widget on the Home Screen during the specified period.

    

Note: To be able to use all photo filters, styles, and themes, you’ll have to purchase the premium version of the app.