Do more with widgets

Get info at a glance, rather than opening apps or web pages

Widgets offer a quick way to look up information with a couple of clicks and taps, rather than going to a web page or an app. They appear in the Today view in both macOS and iOS, and Apple’s operating systems come with a bunch of useful basics: a world clock, weather, and what’s coming up on your calendars and reminders lists, to name just a few popular favorites.

To reach the Today view on a Mac, click Notification Centre’s icon at the far right of the menu bar, then the Today tab. On iOS, swipe right on the Lock screen, the leftmost Home screen, or in Notification Centre.

To customize the widgets shown in the Today view, scroll to the bottom of the view and click Edit. You can remove existing widgets, add new ones (including those bundled with apps), and drag widgets up and down to put them in your preferred order.

Here are eight useful examples of third–party widgets that can save you time and effort, and another that’s really just for fun the next time you find yourself waiting for the bus. Get them from the App Stores.