With the release of iOS 14, users were given the ability to customize their home screen with widgets. What are widgets? The widget is completely different from the app.Widgets come in different sizes and can show you the weather, photos, reminders, text, and much more. There are many Tools that provide more functionality and customization You can access your home screen without having to open the same service app. All you need to do is learn how to select specific images for iOS widgets.
Among the many smart widget features is the ability to place photos on your home screen. If you'd like to create an organized slideshow, read on!
Install smart widgets
Download the smart widget on your iPhone by clicking this link:
This app has three sizes of widgets, with all the same features resized according to their specific sizes:
- Small (4 x 4)
- Medium (2 x 4)
- Large (4 x 4)
Create a widget image
Once you've downloaded the smart tools, open the app and you'll be presented with the three sizes and tools you can create and customize. This guide will provide a small preview of the images, but you can follow along with any of the sizes.
Step 1: Click Add widget.
Step 2: Click on the default tool text.
You'll have several options to choose from, and several styles within those options. Scroll down until you see the "Photos" tab.
Step 3: Select the photos in the album. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see tabs. Click the tab titled "Select Album."
Step 4: Select Recents. Then click the arrow in the left corner to exit this menu.
Step 5: Click Save in the upper right corner of the screen.
You'll see your new photo widget in the list. Under the current selection, all photos in your Recents will be swapped through the widget. This may work for you if you don't have a large camera roll, but if you happen to save and take a lot of photos, you may be looking for a more streamlined feed. Follow the next part of our guide to formatting your widget image!
Our image selection and processing
Now that we know how to create Photo Widgets, we'll now select the photos we want to display.
Step 1: Open the Settings app, scroll down to Widgets, and tap on it.
Step 2: Click the Photos tab.
Step 3: Click on the selected images so that a blue check mark appears next to them.
Click Done once all your photos are selected.
Add new widgets to your home screen
So far so good! We've created our widget in Widgets, curated our slideshow, and now we need to show it.
Step 1: On your Home screen, find the page where you want to place this widget. From there, use 3D Touch to gently press your screen until your apps start to wiggle.
In the upper right corner of the screen, click the plus sign (+).
Step 2: In the search bar, type smart tools.
Step 3: Scroll to find the widget size you previously selected, then click Add Widget. This guide has chosen to create a small widget. The process is the same for all sizes, and the images used for reference will reflect that resolution.
Step 4: The widget will appear on your home screen, and you can move it around like any other app. Rearrange your newly found apps and widgets as you wish.
My phone is empty of widgets!
If you have set your widget on your home screen and notice that the images you selected are not showing up, and you have something similar to the image below, there is a solution for you.
Step 1: Click on your empty widget. This will open the Smart Widgets.
Step 2: Scroll to your blank widget, and select it.
Step 3: Click on the default widget text and press the Selected Album tab.
Look at the album you selected. Smart Tools filters the photos you selected earlier. Ask yourself if any of the photos fall into this category. For example, we have selfies selected in this guide, but all the photos selected through Settings were screenshots. So we either have to take selfies or change the album to Screenshots.
But what if you have images of all kinds that you want to display?
Then choose the largest modern album.
Can I create multiple slideshows with different widgets?
Yes, indeed. In the previous section, we changed the album settings to be very broad with the Recents album. You can select photos from each album category through the settings (Favorites, Selfies, Live Photos, etc.) and select each category using the Smart Tools app.
For example, you could have a slideshow featuring photos from your Favorites album and another slideshow featuring your Live Photos exclusively. These will all display different photos from each other unless there's overlap between your albums.
Personalize your home screen
Make your phone feel more comfortable and at home by choosing specific images for iOS gadgets. There are endless possibilities, and the more you play with these features, the more you'll discover about making your apps work for you.
