Apple today released iOS 17 to the public after months of beta testing, meaning the new operating system update is available to all iPhone users. iOS 17 makes widgets much more useful than before, adding a new interactive element that lets you use them from the lock screen, home screen, or StandBy interface without having to open an app.
We’ve put together a list of apps that take advantage of interactive widgets so you can update your widget workflow. Keep in mind that interactive widgets work on iPhone, iPad, and will even be accessible on Mac when macOS Sonoma releases, thanks to the new interconnectivity between iOS and macOS.
WidgetSmith (Free, Premium subscription)
WidgetSmith has several interactive widgets to choose from, including a range of photo galleries that you can tap to browse your photos and multi-function widgets that let you tap between things like photos and step counts, hiding useful information behind images.
The app also includes a music widget that lets you browse music albums and playlists, a weather widget that lets you swipe through the upcoming weather forecast without having to open the app, a calendar widget so you can see the day’s upcoming events, and a tile for adding numbers. game.
Spark Mail (Free, Premium plan)
Spark’s interactive widgets allow users to delete emails or mark them as completed for archiving without having to open the Spark app. Spark also has options to view emails from different categories (People, Priority, Newsletters, Notifications, and All Emails) directly in the Spark widget.
Spark also gets new drag-and-drop features on the iPad for adding attachments, and app shortcuts for creating calendar events, opening a priority list, and more.
Sleep tracking app Rise has widgets that can be used to manage alarms and sleep sounds without opening the app. The app also includes outdoor light exposure monitoring so you can see how light exposure affects sleep, and there’s a dedicated iPad app.
Copilot (free, premium subscription
Budgeting and money tracking app Copilot has added a transaction monitoring widget that lets you view and confirm all your purchases without having to open the app. With Copilot you can track all your expenses and investments in one place.
Launcher (Free, several premium unlocks)
App launcher app Launcher has interactive folder widgets, so you can nest several actions in one folder and access them with one tap without having to go to the Launcher app. There are also widgets for multiple contacts, so you can quickly contact a friend, for example, and there are options for music controls.
Other apps with interactive widgets
- TripIt (Free, Premium Subscription) – Trip planning app TripIt has interactive widgets that let you browse your entire itinerary from the lock screen or home screen.
- Calendars ($30) – Calendars include new widgets such as a Load Indicator widget, current date icon, and monthly calendar options, all of which can be used without opening the app. There is also support for StandBy mode.
- Focus (Free, Premium subscription) – Interactive widgets in the Focus productivity app let you start a timer with a tap from the home screen or lock screen. There’s also a StandBy Focus widget and a redesigned Apple Watch app.
- Timery for Toggl (Free, Premium subscription) – Time tracking app Timery, which is designed to work with Toggl, has interactive widgets that can be used to quickly set timers, track time, and view report details. There is a StandBy widget and a new design for the Apple Watch.
- Chronicling (Free, Premium subscription) – Event tracking app Chronicling has interactive widgets for recording events from the home screen or lock screen, as well as a new watchOS app and StandBy support.
- SmartGym (free, premium subscription) – Fitness app SmartGym has an interactive widget that allows you to switch between different metrics during your workouts, such as heart rate and calories burned. There’s also a redesigned Apple Watch app and support for StandBy mode on iPhone.
- Liftin’ (Free, Premium subscription) – Weightlifting app Liftin’ has interactive widgets to start a workout, plus widgets optimized for the Apple Watch Smart Stack and Live Activities.
- Home Widget (Free, Premium Upgrade) – HomeKit app Home Widget offers a selection of widgets that can be used to control smart home devices from the lock screen or the home screen.
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Do you find an app with interactive widgets that we haven’t mentioned here? Let us know in the comments below.