How do you make your own widgets

Q: How do I make a custom picture widget?

Use the search field to find Photo Widget” and tap on it. Now, youll be able to customize the size of your widget. You can choose between 2×2, 2×4, and 4×4 grid styles for your widget. Once youve selected a preferred size, tap on Add Widget” to add it to the home screen.

In iOS 14, Apple introduced support for home screen widgets, meaning as an iPhone user you can tailor everything you want to see on your home screen. But do you know how to make custom widgets and app icons for your iPhone?

Table of Contents Show

How to make custom iPhone widgets in iOS 14 with Widgetsmith
How to make custom iPhone app icons in iOS 14 with shortcuts
How do you make your own widget on iPhone?
How can I create a widget?
How do I make my own widgets on my phone?
How do I make a custom picture widget?

While Apple has provided pre-made widgets for several of its native apps, there are plenty of third-party apps in the App Store designed for helping users with their iPhone home screens. Some apps even support theme creation, prompting people to share their Avatar the Last Airbender (opens in new tab), Animal Crossing (opens in new tab) and Microsoft Paint (opens in new tab)-inspired layouts.

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Users are certainly getting crafty, but they’re not doing it alone. The hot app for making custom widgets is called Widgetsmith. In fact, Widgetsmith’s personalized widgets and a little familiarity with iOS shortcuts are all you’ll need to start customizing your iPhone home screen.

Of course, there’s no need to transform your iPhone displays into a meticulously coordinated theme. (Although these iOS 14 home screen ideas might inspire you.) But if you want to show love to your favorite sports team or fandom, or just crave an aesthetically-pleasing presentation, we’ll show you how to make custom widgets and app icons for your iPhone’s home screen.

How to make custom iPhone widgets in iOS 14 with Widgetsmith

(Image credit: Future)

Wondering how to make the custom iPhone widgets you’re seeing all over social media? You won’t find them in Apple’s widget library. Instead, you’ll need to download Widgetsmith. Widgetsmith is free, although you can pay $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year for Widgetsmith Premium, which supports hosted data sources (like the weather and tidal information) and exclusive widget styles.

Download Widgetsmith for iOS (opens in new tab)

The free version of Widgetsmith offers widgets for your calendar, clock, reminders, activity (via Apple Health) and photos.

1. Open Widgetsmith on your iPhone. Choose whether you want to make a small, medium, or large widget. For reference, the small square widget is the size of 4 apps, while the large square widget is the size of 16 apps. The rectangular medium widget is the same size as 8 apps.

2. Click on the widget size you want. If you click on ‘Add Small Widget’ or ‘Add Medium Widget’ it will just duplicate the preset generic widget. Be sure to click on the image icon or ‘[Widget size] #1.’

(Image credit: Future)

3. Rename the widget to reflect its contents. For example, we’ll make a date widget and name the widget accordingly.

(Image credit: Future)

4. Click on the widget icon to begin customizing its purpose and appearance. We’re sticking with a date, but you can choose from time photos, custom text (say, for a motivational quote), calendar, reminder, activity and astronomy widgets, too. Weather and tide widgets require Widgetsmith Premium.

(Image credit: Future)

5. Customize your widget font, tint, background color and border color. There are several style options to choose from. If you’re going with a theme, try to match the aesthetic.

(Image credit: Future)

6. Click save and return to your iPhone home screen.

(Image credit: Future)

7. Long press on an app icon or your wallpaper. Click the plus icon in the top left corner of your iPhone display to open the widget menu. Select Widgetsmith from the widget menu.

(Image credit: Future)

8. Swipe left or right and select 'Add Widget' depending on what size widget you want to add (this should reflect the widget you made within the Widgetsmith app). Click done in the top right corner.

(Image credit: Future)

9. Long press your new widget. Click ‘Edit Widget.’

(Image credit: Future)

10. Select the name of the widget you made. Keep in mind this will only work if the size widget you added reflects the size widget you customized in the Widgetsmith app.

(Image credit: Future)

You should see your customized widget on your iPhone home screen. The steps above work for making all kinds of widgets, and there is no limit to how many widgets you can make with Widgetsmith.

How to make custom iPhone app icons in iOS 14 with shortcuts

(Image credit: Future)

Now that you have your widgets to your liking, you can make custom icons for all the apps on your iPhone. This means you can replace anything from the Facebook or TikTok logo to the icons of Apple’s native Settings or Mail apps with images of your choosing. Bonus points if you pick a collection of pictures that match.

Gather all the images you want to use to make your custom iPhone app icons. We’re going to use Apple’s Shortcuts tool.

1. Open Shortcuts on your iPhone. It’s one of the pre-installed Apple apps on your iPhone.

2. Click the plus ‘+’ sign in the top right of your screen.

(Image credit: Future)

3. Search for apps and actions.

(Image credit: Future)

4. Search ‘open app’ and click ‘Open App’ from the Actions menu.

(Image credit: Future)

5. Click ‘Choose.’ Search for the app you want to make a custom icon for. We’re using TikTok.

(Image credit: Future)

6. Click the ellipses ‘...’ sign.

(Image credit: Future)

7. Click Add to Home Screen.

(Image credit: Future)

8. Type in the name of the app and select the icon next to the text field to change the image.

(Image credit: Future)

9. Select ‘Choose Photo’ and choose a photo from your photo app. Select choose once you’ve cropped it to a square.

10. Click ‘Add’ to add your new icon to your iPhone home screen. It will appear in the first free space on your home screen.

(Image credit: Future)

Repeat the steps above for every app icon you want you customize. You can then add the original apps to a different folder or home screen and hide that home screen. Whenever you click on your new custom icons, Shortcuts will redirect you to the app you assigned.

How to add and edit widgets on your iPhone.

From the Home Screen, touch and hold a widget or an empty area until the apps jiggle..

Tap the Add button. in the upper-left corner..

Select a widget, choose a widget size, then tap Add Widget..

Tap Done..

Simply choose New > Widget > App Widget. In addition to the required basic components, if your widget needs user configuration you should implement the App Widget configuration activity. This activity allows users to modify widget settings (for example, the time zone for a clock widget).

How do I make my own widgets on my phone?

Add a widget.

On a Home screen, touch and hold an empty space..

Tap Widgets ..

Touch and hold a widget. You'll get images of your Home screens..

Slide the widget to where you want it. Lift your finger..

Use the search field to find “Photo Widget” and tap on it. Now, you'll be able to customize the size of your widget. You can choose between 2×2, 2×4, and 4×4 grid styles for your widget. Once you've selected a preferred size, tap on “Add Widget” to add it to the home screen.