How to Add Widgets on iPad (2024)

> Apple

Trending Videos

This article explains how to add widgets to your iPad in iPadOS 15 and up. It also explains how to customize these handy tools to provide you quick bits of information and shortcuts to important features that make your iPad an even more powerful.

How Do I Add Widgets to My iPad Home Screen?

If you've added widgets on your iPhone, adding widgets to your iPad home screen will be very familiar. If not, don't worry: It's very easy. Here's what to do:

1. Tap and hold on any "empty" area of the iPad home screen (i.e., not the Dock and not an app).

2. When apps start to wiggle, tap + in the top left corner.

3. The widgets menu appears from the bottom of the screen. Browse widgets by swiping up and down on the left-hand list. You can also search for widgets in the Search Widgets bar.

4. Tap the widget you want to add.

5. Most widgets come in multiple sizes and shapes. This lets them to fit into different arrangements on your home screen and to show different content. Swipe side to side to see all of the variations and options for the widget you selected.

6. When you have the widget variation you want, tap Add Widget.

7. You can then add more widgets, move the location of the widget you just added (see the next section for more), or tap Done.

How Do You Customize Widgets on iPad?

By following those steps, you've added a widget to your iPad home screen. But you'll probably want to customize your widgets, or at least their location. If that's the case, here are your options:

• Moving Widgets. Just like you organize apps on the iPad, you can choose where on your home screen your widgets live. This is an improvement over iPadOS 14, where widgets only live in a column on the left. To move widgets, tap and hold > when apps starting shaking, let go > drag and drop the widget to your preferred location (to move to a new home screen page, drag off the edge of the screen) > tap Done.
• Customizing Widgets. Most widgets let you customize some of the data they display. To customize the iPad widget, tap and hold the widget > in the pop-out menu, tap Edit Widget > select from the available customization options > tap the home screen again to save.
• Deleting Widgets. Decided you don't want a widget anymore? Delete it by tapping and holding on the widget > in the pop-out menu, tap Remove Widget > in the pop-up window, tap Remove.
• Using Smart Stacks. Smart Stacks are a special kind of widget. They're not one widget; instead, they "stack" a bunch of widgets together in the space taken up by a single widget. You then swipe through the widgets in the stack. They're smart because the iPad tries to learn your habits and surfaces data and widgets to you dynamically. You add Smart Stacks in the same way as a normal widget except you select Tap the widget you want to add in step 4. With the Smart Stack on your home screen, customize it by tapping and holding > Edit Stack > drag and drop widgets to re-order them. Press the minus button, and then Remove, to remove a widget from the Stack.