iPadOS 15 brings a host of exciting new features such as improved multitasking controls, an app library, and finally, the ability to add widgets to the home screen on the table. The ability to add widgets to the home screen was first introduced with iOS 14 last year and is now available on iPad as well. So, if you are an iPadOS 15 developer or a public beta user, you must be dying to learn all the ways to add and use widgets on your iPad. Well, read on because we have created a detailed guide to teach you how to use widgets in iPadOS 15.
Using Widgets on iPad Home in iPadOS 15 (2021)
This guide not only covers how to add widgets to your iPad’s home screen, but also gives you in-depth information on the new Smart Stack widgets, what they are and how you can play with them. Use the table below to jump to a specific feature.
New Widgets Introduced in iPadOS 15
Along with the existing widgets you can now add to the iPad home screen, iPadOS 15 brings some new widgets in tow. Apple now lets you add new bigger widgets on the home screen, which also supports new features. Some of the new widgets in iPadOS 15 are:
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Game Center Widgets
Newly added Game Center widgets monitor and display your most recent games across devices. Moreover, “Friends Playing” widget Shows the games your friends are currently playing to expand your game exploration.
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App Store Widget
The App Store widget shows all newly updated stories and collections of apps that you can download to improve your iPadOS 15 experience. This data is taken from the Today tab of the App Store and is refreshed regularly.
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People Tab
To help users access contacts with ease, iPadOS 15 introduced a new Contacts widget that opens a separate menu when tapped. This includes all the details of the person and any media you share with them. Pretty handy for sending messages quickly, right?
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Mail Widget
The new Mail widget in iPadOS 15 displays the latest emails from mailboxes that you can select when adding the widget to the home screen. The Mail widget is another useful widget that helps users stay up to date with their work mail, essential updates, and more.
How to Add a Widget to the Home Screen on iPad
Adding widgets to the iPad’s home screen is easy enough in iPadOS 15. Follow the steps below to learn how it works:
1. Press and press and hold on an empty space on your iPad’s home screen until all the icons start to flicker.
2. Now, Tap the plus sign in the upper left corner of the screen to open the widget panel.
3. The entire widget directory is now at hand. You can use the left sidebar to access widgets for a particular app, or Search Widgets top box. Then click a widget you want to add to the iPad home screen.
4. On the next screen various sizes and styles for the widget. Choose from the available options by swiping left and right.
5. After making a decision, Tap the Add Widget button or drag and hold the widget to place it anywhere on the home screen. You can place a widget between app icons, just like you would on your iPhone.
And that’s it. You have now successfully added your first widget to the home screen in iPadOS 15. You can repeat the above steps and add the widgets you want. If you want to move the widgets on the iPad’s home screen, tap and hold the widget and then drag it to where you want it.
How to Customize or Edit Widgets on iPad
Most of the widgets on your iPad are easily customizable depending on the options they have. The level of editing will differ from widget to widget. To edit a widget, follow these steps:
1. Go to the home screen of your iPad with widgets.
2. Next, touch and hold a widget and context menu will open.
3. Tap “.Edit Widget” and you are ready to customize the widget to your liking.
In our case, you can see that the People widget has its own customization options. Here you can choose which contacts appear in the widget on your iPad. Each widget will have different customization options. For example: You can change your location in the Weather widget and your mailbox for the Mail widget.
How to Add Widgets to Today View on iPad
Prior to iPadOS 15, only Today’s Look of the iPadAccessible by swiping on the home screen.
While you can now add widgets to the home screen, you may want to keep using the Today View and still want to pin additional widgets or keep the home screen clutter-free. In any case, follow the steps below to add widgets to the iPad’s Today View.
1. Swipe right from the first page of your iPad’s home screen and The Today View panel will open. Press the “Edit” button.
2. A “Plus” button and a “CustomizePress the ” button on the next screen.
3. Tap the Plus button to open the widget panel. Select the desired widget and tap on “.Add Widgets” at the bottom of the screen. You can repeat this process to add as many widgets as you want to the Today View.
4. To add more widgets at a later date Customize Press the button and a list of widgets will open. here, press Green “Plus” signature to add a widget Red “Minus” signature To remove a widget from Today View, you can also reorder Widgets by tapping and holding the three horizontal-lined hamburger button next to them.
And that’s it! Now you know how to use, remove, and reorder widgets in the iPad’s Today View. So go ahead and try to make certain features available quickly.
How to Remove a Widget on iPad
It’s also easy to delete widgets to make room for more. Follow the steps below to remove any widget from your iPad’s home screen.
1. Go to the widget you want to remove. Then, a context menu opens.
2. In the context menu, tap “.Remove Widget“, then tap “Uninstall” in the checkbox. And you have successfully removed the widget.
Alternatively, you can tap and hold any blank spot on the iPad’s home screen; The icons start to shake. At that time, Tap the “Minus” button Tap Uninstall at the top left of the widget and then tap on the checkbox.
In iPadOS 15, you can use these two ways to remove any widget from the iPad home screen and place new ones to refresh the experience.
What is Smart Widget Stack in iPadOS 15?
Smart Stack is a new feature added to iPadOS 15. Simply put, Smart Stack widget collection displaying information based on various factors. This includes the time of day, location and activity you are currently doing. Smart Stacks supports two nifty features – Smart Rotation and Widget Suggestions.
- Smart Rotation: Smart Rotation automatically rotates between various widgets in a Smart Stack based on the above factors. You can turn this feature on or off according to your preferences.
- Widget Suggestions: Recommendations are based on time and the type of activities you currently do or are doing. Certain widgets will stay there until you complete the activity and then disappear. You can also choose to have it on/off.
A Smart Stack can be prebuilt With widgets from your most used apps or combine several widgets yourself to create one. We detail both ways below.
How to Create Smart Stack Widgets in iPadOS 15
There are two ways you can follow to create a Smart Stack. Use whatever method feels comfortable to you:
Method 1: Use Prebuilt Smart Stack
This method involves adding a pre-built Smart Stack to your home screen from the widgets panel. To learn how to use the Smart Stack widget on iPad, follow these steps:
1. Press and hold an empty area on your iPad’s home screen until all the icons start to vibrate.
2. Now, tap . Plus Press the button in the upper left corner of the screen.
3. Next, select Smart Stack from the left sidebar or search for it.
4. Choose your favorite style and size from the available options. Faucet “Add Widgets” or drag and drop the widget stack like any other widget on your home screen.
And that’s it. You can see other widgets by swiping up and down on a Smart Stack.
Method 2: Make Your Own Smart Stack Vehicle
If you don’t want to add the suggested Smart Stack and create your own, follow these steps to do so:
1. As mentioned above, press and hold an empty area until all the icons on the home screen start to flicker.
2. Now, long press a widget on the home screen and drag it to another widget. And as shown in the GIF below, Automatically combine to create a Smart Stack.
3. You can continue to add other widgets by dragging them onto the existing stack to create a complete Smart Stack.
You can create multiple stacks using the methods above. Smart Stacks is no different from other widgets and instead helps to avoid clutter on the home screen. Widgets are constantly updated with new information.
How to Edit Smart Stack Widgets in iPadOS 15
You can change the order of the widgets that appear in the Smart Stack. You can also add or remove any widget from the stack depending on your needs. We will show you how to easily edit a Smart Stack, so follow these steps:
1. Go to your iPad’s home screen with the Smart Stack widget. Tap and hold until context menu appears.
2. In the context menu, click “Edit Stack” and the edit menu will open.
3. Here you can see several options to organize your Smart Stack. You can touch and hold a widget and then move it to adjust the order.
You can also remove any widget by pressing the minus button. If you don’t need the Smart Stack to give suggestions or change the order during the day, turn off the Smart Rotation and Widget Suggestions options that appear at the bottom of the edit menu.
Use Widgets on Your iPad Like a Pro
We hope this guide will help you introduce the new widget system in iPadOS 15 and the steps to add/remove them from the home screen. Alongside the new widgets, the iPadOS 15 update comes with a brim of new app features. You can watch movies with your friends on FaceTime, share your screen on FaceTime with a colleague, and even install Safari extensions on your iPad. Also, if you like to write random ideas, check out how to use Quick Note in iPadOS 15. Need help with any of the steps? Let us know in the comments section below!