Widgets not only add an aesthetic appeal to your Android smartphone’s home screen, they also make your device more functional by letting you view information at a glance without even opening the app itself. These widgets cover various use cases, meaning there’s one (if not many) for everyone. So, if you’ve been looking for some decent Android widgets to spruce up your device’s home screen, check out this list of 15 useful Android widgets that you should try.
If you have never used widgets on Android before, check out how to add widgets on Android home screen. It will help you get started with widgets.
1. KWGT Kustom Widget Maker
Starting this list with KWGT, a custom widget maker that allows you to let your creativity wild and make your own Android widget. You can find a bunch of preset options within the app itself, or you can head to the Play Store to find more presets made by developers that you can install and use with this app. It lets you play around with the widgets to make it your own.
It has a bit of a learning curve, but once you get a hang of it you can make a widget that blends well with the aesthetics of your home screen. However, you will need to buy the Pro version to unlock the complete capability of this app. I’ve been using the KWGT custom widget maker for a while now and I can tell you with complete confidence that once you start using it, you’ll feel the need to install it on every Android device that you use.
Pros Cons Create your own custom Android widget Most of the features require the Pro version Widgets can be of different types and functionality Can be a bit confusing for beginners Bunch of presets already available in the app Has a large community of third-party presets
2. Google Calendar
Next up is the Google Calendar widget, another useful widget perfect for those who need to keep up with their schedule. Having this widget on your home screen is a lifesaver as it helps you stay up to date on all the important dates, meetings, events, and special days of your loved ones.
The Google Calendar app offers two widgets, both can be quite handy but I feel the Calendar schedule one is the way to go. The most handy part about using these widgets is that you can easily add to your schedule by just tapping on the date within the widget, eliminating the need to first open up the app and then scroll to the specific date. This is one widget that has to be a must on everyone’s device.
Pros Cons Lets you view important events at a glance No customization options Can choose between schedule and month-view styles Add a new schedule by tapping on the widget
3. TickTick
TickTick is what you call a jack of all trades. The app itself lets you do all sorts of things like add events to your calendar, create a list of tasks, help you develop habits, and calculate your focus. And you bet it has a widget for every occasion coming at around 23 widgets in total. It’s not just about the number either, all of these widgets look clean and provide helpful information while keeping track of your goals and schedule.
Most of TickTick’s features are free to use, with only some accessibility options and themes requiring you to upgrade to their premium membership. It is a good app that can help you stay on track with your goals and develop habits.
Pros Cons Large library of interactive widgets Themes and quality-of-life features require subscription Widgets available for multiple use cases Lets you change the theme and style of the widgets Change widget theme, opacity, font size
4. Battery Widget
If there is one widget that I am happy Android took from iOS then it will be the battery widget. It shows the current battery status of all your connected devices right from your home screen. Given how TWS and smart wearables have become so common, this widget has become a must. I can check the battery level for my smartwatch or earbuds without even opening the app.
Thanks to it, you’ll know when one of your connected accessories is about to run out of juice so you can give it a charge before heading out. The best part is that you do not need a separate app for this widget, as it comes pre-installed with Android phones. This is one widget that I make sure to add to my home screen on every single one of the smartphones that I use.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Shows battery level of all connected devices | Doesn’t alert you when device reaches low battery |
| Makes it easy to learn when you need to charge an accessory | |
| Comess pres installed with Android |
5. Google Keep
Google’s popular note-taking app – Keep – also has a few really useful widgets that you should use on your Android device. The first widget displays five shortcuts that will allow you to add a new note, a new list, a new voice note, a new handwritten note, and a picture. The second widget, apart from featuring the aforementioned shortcut, also displays some of your recent notes. The third one lets you pin individual notes.
As you can see from the image above, the widget displays two of my most recent notes. This helps me keep track of the important things I have to do by taking a look at my home screen. However, it does not let you add or edit the list right from the widget itself which is a bit annoying.
Pros Cons Features three useful widgets Cannot edit the note directly from the widget First one offers five accessible shortcuts Second one lets you view your recent notes Third one lets you attach individual notes
6. Google’s At a Glance Widget
The ‘At a Glance’ widget was introduced with Pixel Launcher but is now baked into the Google app. As a result, now you can use this minimal weather and calendar widget on any Android device. As the name suggests, it shows you relevant information at a glance. With this widget, you can readily access the Calendar and real-time weather information on your home screen.
It can also show you your upcoming reminders, tasks, schedules, or travel details fetching them from your emails. You can tap on the widget to get more details about those things. This widget is available under the Google app option in the widget selection menu. Besides this, there are other Pixel-exclusive features you can get on your Android device.
Pros Cons Shows calendar and weather information The widget is not resizeable Can be customized for dark and light themes Looks clean and matches with wallpaper theme
7. Digital Wellbeing Widget
Smartphone addiction is a serious concern among many as most of us spend our entire days glued to our screens. Google’s Digital Being widget helps you stay aware of your smartphone consumption as it shows you your top three most used apps and how long have you used them in the form of bubbles. The larger the bubble, the more you are consuming the said app.
This not only helps you learn about your smartphone habits but also alerts you which app you should stop consuming just by a glance. I have seen this widget on the home screens of several of my coworkers and they say that it helps them to be vigilant about how they spend their time as well. So you should give this widget a try if you think you have been using your phone a lot lately.
Pros Cons Shows most used apps and time used in for of bubbles Helps too improve your smartphone use habits Helps to improve your smartphone use habits Comes built into Android
8. Todoist
Next up, we have another popular task management app called Todoist. Chances are many of you are already using this app. It includes a few handy widgets that will allow you to keep track of your to-do list items right from your home screen. There are a total of three widgets. The first one shows a progress bar to track your productivity, and the second one includes a to-do list.
The smaller widget, on the other hand, is just a 1×1 icon that lets you quickly add a new task to your to-do list, without requiring you to open up that app. I enjoy that the app lets you change background transparency of the widget. However, like TickTick, some of the themes are locked behind a paywall. These widgets will help you keep tabs on your goals every time you check your Android phone.
Pros Cons Lets you customize widget opacity and theme Limited selection of widgets Interactive widget to track your goal progress Some widget themes are locked behind Pro subscription Shows to-do list items at a glance
9. ColorNote
Remember sticky notes from earlier Windows days? Well, you can get a similar feature on your Android device too with ColorNote. It allows you to create notes and you can set them on your Android screen using colorful widgets. It works exactly like the Windows Sticky Notes and I am happy that you can organize and edit notes on the fly.
The best part about ColorNote is its resizable widget which is completely free, unlike other apps. Apart from that, you can also sync your notes online and the notes are encrypted before uploading to the server. All in all, you can think of ColorNote as a watered-down version of Google Keep widgets that are great if you don’t want large widgets taking up your entire home screen.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Quickly add small or large notes | Looks outdated compared to other apps |
| Easy to use and simple design language | |
| Widgets are resizeable and take up less space |
10. IFTTT
IFTTT is a great automation app that lets you create applets that can do a predefined action with a single tap or when a defined parameter is true. The app, in itself, is quite handy as it lets you automate several mundane tasks like switching on the WiFi when you get to work. It also features three different widgets where you can assign an applet to quickly launch it from the home screen.
The IFTTT widget applets are some of the most handy widgets that I’ve used so far and I will recommend you to check out the app if you wish to streamline some repetitive tasks on your smartphone.
Pros Cons Assign custom applets to widgets Limited functionality in widgets Widgets available in varying sizes Can be used to trigger applets from home screen
11. Breezy Weather
Breezy Weather is an open-source weather app that is free of ads and heavy in widgets. This app is clean and shows you all the essential data you would need about the weather in your area. Not only is it a good weather app that you might not want to switch from ever again but also features 13 different widgets.
These widgets come in all shapes and sizes that you can add to your home screen based on your preference. They all support Material You theming, select items that you want to see, and change position from left to right. If you are in search of a competent weather app then surely try out Breezy Weather.
Pros Cons Clean and elegant weather app with detailed info Not available on the Google Play Store Features 13 different widget styles Open-source and ad-free Customize widget size and items that appear
12. Countdown Widget
If you need to keep track of the days till a special event like your anniversary, someone’s birthday, or an important meeting then this widget is a must-have. Countdown widget is a simple app that does one job, lets you add a countdown widget to your Android phone’s home page. You can choose between four different sizes but they all do the same thing – add a countdown timer.
You can change the colors and different aspects of the widget but its functionality remains the same. Some theming options like font styles, drop shadows and the option to remove ads are locked behind the Pro version. Still, if you want a countdown timer widget, then do check it out.
Pros Cons Choose between four different widget sizes Some customization options are available in Pro version Can change color and other aspects of the widget Adds an easily glanceable countdown timer to your homescreen
13. GlassWire
Data does not come cheap and if you are on a plan with limited mobile data threshold then you might want to use GlassWire. This app lets you see how much data you have used, and how much you have got left from your current plan. It also includes three widgets that can bring these details to your home screen.
This helps you stay vigilant about your data consumption. You can even use it to track how much data you consume over WiFi on your device. Another one of the widgets has a GlassWire Firewall toggle that you can turn on if you are nearing your monthly data cap. However, the widgets cannot be stretched out vertically taking only a single row. This is great for space but makes it harder to see the actual data. This is surely a handy app that even I have started to use now.
Pros Cons Shows consumed and leftover data in mobile plan Cannot stretch out widgets vertically Widget to toggle on GlassWire Firewall to save data Lets you monitor mobile and WiFi data consumption Resizeable minimal widgets
14. Google TV
With so many streaming platforms out there nowadays, it can be a chore to find what to watch and which platform is it available on. The Google TV app lets you browse and find movies and TV shows from different genres, shows their Rotten Tomato ratings, and which platform they are streaming on. Its widget also does the same, allowing you to check the latest movies and shows you can on your homescreen.
The widget itself is 3×4 in size taking up a lot of space but in turn. There is also a shortcut in the widget to quickly access Google TV remote that you can use to control your paired Google or Android TV device. I only wish that I could continuously scroll on the widget to see more suggestions.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Shows suggestions for latest movies and TV shows | Takes up significant space on the homescreen |
| Browse content across different streaming services | Only shows up to 8 suggestions |
| Shortcut for Google TV remote and search | |
| Matches Material You wallpaper theming |
15. Apple Music
Yes, I know it is odd to mention Apple Music in a list of widgets for Android smartphones but hear me out. Apple Music is a pretty good option when it comes to music streaming services and I enjoy its selection of widgets. I use it for myself regularly and compared to Spotify, I like how they designed their widget to be more functional and informative.
There are four widgets in total, one shows you currently playing track, the other one is for recently played, the third one is the recommendations and the fourth is the Top charts that I use. Apart from the first one, all the other are 3×2 in size. I think if you use Apple Music as a service then you’re missing out if you are not using its widgets.
Pros Cons Supports Material You wallpaper theming Recommendable for Apple Music subscribers only Four different widget options to choose from Most widgets take up a lot of space on home screen Skip tracks or browse new songs from the widget
That rounds up our list of the 15 most useful widgets for Android. I recommend you to try the widgets for yourself and I’m pretty sure you’ll be amazed by all that you can achieve right from your smartphone’s home screen. KWGT and Google Keep are my favorite out of the lot as they allow me to completely customize the look of my smartphone’s home screen.
Which one of these Android widgets have you tried already? Do you have any favorites? Let us know in the comments section below.
