How to Add Widgets on Android – 2022 Guide
Using a phone is all about accessibility and ease. This is why phone companies invest heavily in designing their phones to be sleek and customizable. One aspect of this is widgets. Android phones feature all kinds of widgets that you can add to your phone to further customize it to your needs.
In this article, we’ll talk about how to use widgets on android, how to add them, and how to further customize your screen to fit your needs.
What are widgets?
Widgets are customizable icons that you can add to your phone screens. Widgets are used to display information, without needing you to open up the application separately. You can display your clock app, the weather, or photos of your choosing on your home screens
Widgets can also be arranged depending on your preference. This will also involve moving around the existing icons of your other applications.
You can find a ton of widgets for Android devices on the Play Store that will enable you to accomplish your goals and customize the home screen however you like.
How to add widgets on android
- Go to your home screen and tap on any available space where you want to add your widget
- Select the “Widgets” option
- Choose the application you want to make a widget out of
- Arrange the widgets on your home screen
The widgets that you can add to your home screen are based on the apps available on your phone. You can also resize them depending on how big or small you want them to show up as.
The steps and how your widget options are displayed will vary differently based on the phone you are using. Samsung Galaxy phones won’t have the same interface as Sony phones or Google phones. However, they essentially follow the same steps we’ve talked about above.
Besides widgets, there are other ways for you to customize and organize your Android apps. You can also add shortcuts and folders to your home screens to make your browsing experience more convenient.
How to arrange apps on android
If you want to learn how to add an app to your home screen, simply drag your chosen application icon to your chosen home screen. You can mix and match widgets with your other apps on your home screens.
The other alternative way to add an app to your home screen is by doing the following:
- From the bottom of your home screen, swipe up
- Select the app you want to add
- Tap and drag the app’s icon to the home screen you want to add it to
How to make a shortcut on android
Besides widgets, shortcuts are another feature of Android that helps make the user experience much more enjoyable and convenient. Shortcuts are used to access applications on your phone quickly, without having to fully navigate your home screens. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of apps.
This is how to create a shortcut on android:
- Touch the app. Hold your finger down on the icon, and then lift it. You’ll see a list if the program has any shortcuts.
- Simply tap and hold the shortcut.
- Drag the shortcut to wherever you want to place it.
For other android phones, you can also just hold on any free space on your home screen. You can access an icon labeled as “Shortcuts,” where you can access any app without having to go through all of your other applications.
How to add folders on android
Folders are used to group together applications easily. If you have a lot of applications on your phone, using folders can help you declutter and organize your screen. This will help you in going about your day much easier.
Folders are usually used to group together applications that have similar functions. For example, you can group together your entertainment apps like Netflix or YouTube so that you can separate it from your work & productivity apps such as Microsoft Word or Google Sheets.
This is how to organize apps on android tablet or phone using folders:
- Touch and hold a shortcut or application.
- Drag that shortcut or application over another. your finger up.
- Drag each one over the group to add more.
- Tap the group to give it a name. Once it’s editable, type in your chosen folder name.
You can either input the name you want to use or tap one of the suggested names at the top of the keyboard. In grouping apps under folders, your Android phone also provides it a default folder name depending on what your apps do. You can either keep this or change it.
How to remove any widget, shortcut, or folder.
If you made a mistake in the middle of customizing your home screens, you can easily remove any changes you made to them. Simply tap on and hold the icon of your choosing. This can be a widget, shortcut, or folder.
Then, when an “X” button on its top right corner shows up, press it to remove the icon from your screen. Some phones only require you to drag the icon above or below the home screen to delete it.
Removing these icons will not remove the application its obtained information from, so don’t worry about losing your data!
Learning how to create a widget for android, as well as using other features like shortcuts and folders, can seem like a small, meaningless task. But, it’s not menial at all. It can greatly help in getting you comfortable with your phone. These are also important features in enhancing your productivity and user experience. Make use of everything your android phone has to offer and follow these steps on how to use widgets!
