It might not be tomorrow. It might not even be five years from now. But some day, Apple’s iOS platform will support home screen widgets. Apple’s unique iOS widget implementation is thought of by some as offering the best of both worlds. Widget support is there and it’s somewhat versatile, but widgets are buried off screen, forcing users to swipe to the right on either the lock screen or the first home screen in order to access the widget pane. On one hand, this allows iOS to support widgets without causing a big drain on the battery. On the other, it means zero-touch access to information, which is arguably the best thing about mobile widgets, is not possible.
Since iOS 10 widgets are hidden off screen, many people don’t even both using the feature. But we’re here to tell you that it’s time to give widgets another shot on your iPhone — and in this post, we’ll show you 10 iOS 10 widgets that should be installed on every iPhone.
A recent thread on Reddit made me realize how often I actually do use widgets. I was pretty skeptical of how useful iOS widgets would be when Apple first introduced them, considering how limited their utility was (and still is). Though they are indeed limited compared to Android widgets, iOS 10 widgets can still be incredibly useful.
Whether or not you currently use any widgets on your iPhone, you’ll find links to 10 different iOS 10 widgets that you should definitely check out below.
AirLaunch Pro
This is easily one of my favorite iOS 10 widgets. It allows you to create a wide range of custom actions that are all accessible with a single tap from within an AirLaunch widget. Examples of how I use the widget include accessing the iPhone’s hotspot and VPN features each with a single touch, and copying my address to the clipboard so I can quickly and easily paste it into an email or elsewhere. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg with this nifty app.
Nearby Traffic
Everyone uses the Google Maps app, but did you know there are a bunch of useful iOS 10 widgets baked in? The Nearby Traffic widget gives you instant access to information about traffic around your current location.
Nearby Transit
Another great iOS 10 widget baked into Google Maps is the Nearby Transit widget, which makes it insanely easy to find public transit nearby.
Fantastical 2
The best calendar widget in the App Store, hands down.
Copied
Copied is a great clipboard manager that saves things you copy to your clipboard so you can access more than just the last text you copied.
Workflow
Workflow is an endlessly useful automation app, and the widget is just as endlessly useful as the app itself.
Deliveries
This app makes it incredibly simple to track all of the packages en route to your home or office, and now you don’t even have to open the app to get updates.
Stocks Widget
This free widget lets you see what your entire portfolio is doing in near real time with a single swipe to your widget panel.
MiniStats
This nifty widget shows you information such as how much cellular data you’ve used in your current billing cycle.
Dark Sky
The best iOS weather app also packs one of the best iOS 10 weather widgets. Instead of blasting you with all kinds of weather data you don’t need, Dak Sky shows you the current weather conditions, the day’s high and low, and the likelihood of precipitation for the next hour.
BONUS
I didn’t list this among the 10 widgets above since not everyone has an August Smart Lock, but if you do have one, you absolutely must check out the widget. Instead of having to fumble with the app on your phone or your Apple Watch, the August widget lets you either lock or unlock your Smart Lock with a single tap.
