How to add widgets to your iPhone lock screen using a new app that everyone’s downloading

How to add widgets to your iPhone lock screen using a new app that everyone’s downloading


Top Widgets is the second most popular free app in Apple’s App Store.

Sofia Pitt

Apple’s iOS 16 iPhone update, released this week, lets iPhone users add widgets to the lock screen. That’s helped popularize Chinese app Top Widgets, which rocketed to the second most popular free app in the App Store behind social media app BeReal.

It’s an app I’ve never heard of, so I downloaded it to give it a try.

related investing news

We see strong orders for Apple's new iPhone 14 Pros cutting both ways

CNBC Investing Club
We see strong orders for Apple’s new iPhone 14 Pros cutting both ways

Top Widgets lets you personalize your home screen or lock screen with little squares or rectangles of information, like how much storage is left on your phone, pictures, the amount of steps you’ve taken, custom icons for apps and more. There’s a lot more than what Apple offers by default, which might be one reason it’s popular.

And it makes good use of the new always-on display on iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max, which still show widgets on the screen even when the phone is idle. Those phones launch on Friday.

Here’s what the app is like.

Top widgets for iPhone

Top Widgets app.

Sofia Pitt

To get started, just, just download Top Widgets from the App Store.

You don’t need the newest iPhone to use the app. But, you need to first make sure you’ve installed iOS 16 to get widgets on your lock screen. IOS 16 is available for iPhone 8 and newer. Home screen widgets have been available since last year.

Next, open the app and select the widget you want to add to your lock screen or home screen.

You can pick from lots of stuff, like quick toggles to turn cellular or Wi-Fi on and off, your calendar, screen brightness, photos, reminders and even little animated emoji. Browse under the “LockScreen” section for specific options that can be added to your lock screen.

Hit save after you’ve picked the ones you want.

As you can see from my background, my widget tells me how many steps I’ve taken, how much battery I have left on my iPhone, and even how much storage space my iPhone is using.

Top Widgets on my iPhone 14 lock screen.

Sofia Pitt

That’s all there is to it, the rest of the customization options are up to you.



Source

Rocket Lab stock jumps 8%, building on strong two-month rally
Technology

Rocket Lab stock jumps 8%, building on strong two-month rally

An Electron rocket launches the Baby Come Back mission from New Zealand on July 17, 2023. Rocket Lab Rocket Lab stock soared 8% Monday, building on a strong run fueled by space innovation. Shares of the space infrastructure company have nearly doubled over the last two months following a slew of successful launches and a […]

Read More
Meta CEO Zuckerberg says first AI data supercluster will come online in 2026
Technology

Meta CEO Zuckerberg says first AI data supercluster will come online in 2026

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears at the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 25, 2024. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday said he plans to invest “hundreds of billions of dollars” into artificial intelligence compute infrastructure, and that Meta plans to bring its first […]

Read More
Musk says he does not support a merger between Tesla and xAI but backs investment
Technology

Musk says he does not support a merger between Tesla and xAI but backs investment

Elon musk and the xAI logo. Vincent Feuray | Afp | Getty Images Elon Musk on Monday said he does not support a merger between xAI and Tesla, as questions swirl over the future relationship of the electric automaker and artificial intelligence company. X account @BullStreetBets_ posted an open question to Tesla investors on the […]

Read More