Table of Contents
Learn how to Use Interactive Widgets on iPhone and iPad in this article. In the past, iOS updates have let you put widgets on your iPhone’s home and lock screens. With iOS 17, you can now use some of these widgets to control playback, check off to-dos, and manage smart phone devices without opening an app. Widgets let you see information at a glance that you would normally have to open an app to see. For instance, a reminders widget might show you your upcoming tasks so you can see them quickly. But widgets have been static up until now. For example, to check off the tasks in the Reminders widget, you had to open the app. That doesn’t make much sense.
This is different for some widgets in iOS 17, which makes them interactive. At first, only a few widgets will have this feature. Widgets for the Reminders and Home apps now have interactivity. You can also control playback with widgets built into apps like Music, Podcasts, Books, and News that have this feature. Two other widgets are also interactive in some way. The Safari widget lets you go straight to articles in your reading list, and when you tap on a contact in the Contacts widget, you get more information about that person. Here are the steps how to Use Interactive Widgets on iPhone and iPad.
What are interactive widgets?
Before iOS 17, iOS widgets were static views that showed information from an app, which is different from some of the best Android widgets. If you tapped on a widget, the app that went with it would open and take you to the right screen. With iOS 17, developers can now make widgets that are interactive and let users do things right from the widget without having to open the app. For example, from the Apple Music widget, you can change the song that is playing or control other playback options. From the Home app widget, you can control your HomeKit-compatible devices.
How to Use Interactive Widgets on iPhone
- Press the home screen for a long time until the icons and widgets start to move around.
- Then Tap + icon.
- Tap a widget that you can interact with, like Reminders.
- Swipe to see the options for the widget.
- When you find the one you want, tap + Add Widget.
- To move the widget, tap and hold it for a moment.
- Drag the widget to a different screen by moving it to the right or left, or all the way to the left to put it on the Today View screen.
- To put the widget anywhere on the screen, tap any empty space.
- You can interact with a widget by tapping it. For example, you can tap a reminder in the reminders widget to mark it as done.
How to Use Interactive Widgets on iPad
You can also use interactive widgets on an iPad to control your music, check your reminders, and do other useful things. These interactive widgets for the iPad work just like regular widgets, except that they let you interact directly with apps instead of just opening the app that goes with them. Here’s how to make interactive widgets on an iPad and use them:
- Press the home screen for a long time until the icons and widgets start to move around.
- Tap +.
- Tap a widget that you can interact with, like Podcasts.
- Swipe to see the different widgets that are available.
- Tap +Add Widget when you find the one you want.
- You can move the interactive widget by tapping and holding it.
- Move the interactive widget to a different screen and let go of it.
- Tap anywhere on the screen that isn’t occupied or tap Done.
- Now that the widget is ready to use, you can tap the play button on the Home Screen or Today View to start listening to a podcast without opening the Podcasts app.
Importance of widgets in enhancing user experience
- Quick Access: Widgets provide instant access to essential information and functionalities without the need to open an app. This saves time and effort.
- At-a-Glance Information: Users can glance at widgets to get a snapshot of crucial data, such as weather updates, calendar events, news headlines, and more, without navigating through apps.
- Customization: Widgets offer personalization by allowing users to choose what information they want to see on their home screen. This empowers users to tailor their digital environment to their preferences.
- Efficient Multitasking: With widgets, users can perform simple tasks directly from the home screen, reducing the need to switch between different apps for basic actions.
- Enhanced Interaction: Interactive widgets enable users to perform tasks like checking emails, replying to messages, or controlling smart devices without opening the respective apps.
Benefits of using widgets on iPhone and iPad
- Quick Information: Widgets let you see information at a glance without having to open an app.
- Customization: Users can make their home screens unique by putting widgets where they want them.
- Multitasking: Widgets let you check on different apps at the same time, which makes it easier to do more than one thing at once.
- Productivity: Being able to get to important information right from the widget saves time and makes people more productive overall.
- Interaction: Some widgets have interactive parts that let you do things without having to open the full app.
- Notifications: Widgets can show notifications in real time, so users can stay up to date without being interrupted.
What Are Interactive Widgets in iOS and iPadOS?
Interactive widgets are a new addition to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. They let users do things right from the widget without having to open the app. For example, in the Reminders widget you can mark a task as done, in the Music widget you can start or stop music, and in the Home widget you can control smart home devices. Just tap on an interactive widget to use it.
After that, the widget will open, and you can do what you want. If you tap on the Reminders widget, for example, you can mark a task as done by tapping on the switch next to the task. Interactive widgets are a great way to get to the information and functions you need quickly without having to open a bunch of different apps. They can also keep you organized and help you get things done.
Conclusion
With iPadOS 17, Apple has brought a notable change to the user experience by debuting interactive widgets. A major upgrade from past versions, these widgets not only present information but also allow users to engage with them directly, eliminating the need to open the respective app. If you want to know more information about this issue so you can visit Apple Official Website.
Conclusion
Interactive widgets let people looking at the page switch between measurements and dimensions without changing the information on the page. Make a Filter Widget that is interactive. The interactive filter widget manages the settings for other widgets’ filters in a flexible and dynamic way.
Widgets get a simple but important update in iOS 17: they can now be used to do things. This means that when you tap on a widget, it won’t automatically open the app that goes with it. Instead, you’ll be able to use it.
Touch and hold the Lock Screen until the Customize button shows up, then tap Customize. Choose “Lock Screen.” Click on Add Widgets. You can add widgets to the Lock Screen by tapping or dragging them.
The first question you might have is, “What are Android’s floating widgets?” Well, here’s the answer: “Floating widgets are simple action buttons that do something and always stay on top. They can float anywhere on the screen and can be moved around by dragging.