Here are six tips to help you make the most of the widgets on your iPad.
1. Set Up and Use the Shortcuts App and Widget
The Shortcuts app is by far one of the most useful apps on your iPad, and yet most people have never used it. Using the Shortcuts app, you can combine multiple steps across multiple apps and automate them into one simple shortcut.
For example, if you regularly commute to work on your bike, you can set up a shortcut to tell you the weather, the traffic conditions, and the time you need to leave if you want to make it to work on time.
The Shortcuts app works the same on iPad and iPhone, so take a look at some recommended shortcuts for your iPhone and then use these as inspiration to make your own.
Once you’re set up, add the Shortcuts widget to your iPad, and you’ll have easy access to your most used shortcuts from your Home Screen.
2. Create Widget Stacks to House Multiple Widgets
Certain widgets take up a lot of room on your Home Screen. If you’re the kind of person who likes to hide virtually everything on your Mac then a widget stack will be your best friend on the iPad. For example, you may have your Calendar, Maps, and Mail widgets in one stack. You can then swipe between the three widgets without them taking up three spots on your Home Screen.
To create a widget stack, all you need to do is drag one widget on top of another widget of the same size. You can add up to 10 widgets to a single stack, but there’s no limit on how many stacks you can create.
If you want to edit your widget stack, long-press and hold the stack and then tap Edit Stack. Here you can reorder the widgets in your stack by dragging them up or down the list and delete a widget from the stack by tapping the minus (–) button next to the widget.
If you want your iPad to suggest widgets you may find useful, then you can turn on Widget Suggestions, and if you want your widget stack to rotate automatically throughout the day, then turn on Smart Rotate.
3. Let a Smart Stack Do the Hard Work for You
If the widgets you use tend to change throughout the day, then you need to add a Smart Stack. A Smart Stack uses information such as your location, activity, and time of day to display widgets that it thinks you need at that time.
For example, when you wake up, it might show you the weather. If you commute, it may show you Maps. Then during your working hours, it may switch to Mail. When winding down on your commute home, the stack may show you YouTube or your favorite game.
To add a Smart Stack to your iPad, long-press an empty area of your Home Screen and then tap the plus (+) button in the top left of your screen—this will open the widget menu. Select Smart Stack from the list on the left, choose your widget size, and then tap Add Widget.
Your Smart Stack will be created using widgets that your iPad thinks you use or need the most. If it doesn’t seem very smart, then give it some time. Alternatively, you can remove widgets from your Smart Stack using the same method as for a regular widget stack, and you can also disable the Smart Rotate feature to turn it into a regular stack.
4. Use the Today View for Quick Access Widgets
Before iPadOS 15, the only way to access widgets on your iPad was to add them to the Today View and then pin it to the side of your Home Screen. While you no longer need to do this, the Today View is still a useful feature and is the perfect place to house quick-action widgets such as Notes and Reminders.
To access the Today View, swipe right on your iPad Home Screen or Lock Screen. If your view is empty, you can add to it by opening the Today View and then long pressing somewhere on the screen. When everything jiggles, tap the plus (+) icon in the top left-hand corner. Any widget you select now will be added to the Today View rather than your iPad Home Screen.
5. Make Your Own iPad Widgets
iPad Home Screen widgets are still relatively new, and some apps don’t have a widget option yet. While more widgets are being created every day, there’s still a big gap in the Apple market for iPad widgets, which is where widget customization apps and widget creator apps come in.
If you want more aesthetic iPad widgets, then apps like Widgetsmith and Color Widget will help you stick to a color theme. If you’re crying out for a widget with functionality you can’t find, then apps such as Widgy put you in charge of the creative process.
Download: Widgetsmith (Free, subscription available)
Download: Color Widget (Free, in-app purchases available)
Download: Widgy (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Set Up Focus Modes With Custom Pages (iPadOS 16 Only)
If you use your tablet for both work and play, then setting up Focus modes on your iPad will be a game changer. When set up correctly, Focus modes allow you to create entirely different iPad experiences depending on what you’re using your iPad for.
For example, in a Work Focus, you’ll only receive notifications from work-related apps, can mute incoming messages, and can set up a Home Screen displaying only work-related widgets. This can then be turned off when you’re out of the office or switched to another Focus mode.
To use Custom Pages in your Focus modes, you’ll need to manage your Home Screen pages first. Do this by adding widgets to new pages of your iPad Home Screen, one page for each Focus you want to create.
Next, go to Settings and then to Focus. Set up your Focus modes by following the on-screen instructions and ensure to tap Home Screen, then turn on Custom Pages. Here, you’ll be able to choose which pages you want to see during your Focus. If you want your home screen to change automatically at certain times, then you’ll need to set up a Focus schedule.
While scheduling your Focus modes will change your Home Screen and the widgets you see automatically, you can also switch between your Focus modes manually by using the Control Center. To do so, open the Control Center and then tap your current Focus mode to make a change. This is particularly handy if you have a Focus mode that you only use periodically.
A World of iPad Widgets Awaits!
Once you start using iPad widgets, you’ll never go back. With these tips, you should now be set up and ready to get the most from your widgets, not to mention you can also go forth and start creating your own.
If you still don’t like the idea of widgets, then maybe they’re not for you, and that’s fine too, but give these tips a try and see if they change your mind.
