One of the most apparent and standout features of Apple’s iOS 10 is the addition of a vastly improved lock screen — which includes a Spotlight section that shows off customizable widgets.
Previous versions of iOS had widgets, too. But they were only available on the Notifications and Today panes that were accessed by swiping down on the Home screen.
iOS 10 takes widgets to the next level. Instead of just being stuck in one place, widgets are now accessible no matter which screen you’re on.
This gives iOS widgets an extra level of usefulness, as you’ll be able to see information you think is important — like the weather, news, stock prices, etc. — without having to unlock your phone.
To add or customize the widgets on your Lock Screen:
- Access the Spotlight pane by swiping right on your Lock Screen.
- Scroll down, and tap the Edit button.
- From here, you can manage your widgets. Tapping and holding the three lines allows you to drag the widget up or down — letting you customize which widgets are viewable first.
- You can also swipe left on a particular widget and tap the Remove button to get rid of it.
- Scroll down to the More Widgets section, and tap on the green plus button to add more widgets.
- When you’re done customizing your Lock Screen, just tap the Done button in the top right to save your changes.
Like in previous iOS versions, widgets are included with many native and third party applications. So there’s no need to install anything special to make them work for you.
iOS 10 is currently in public beta, so you can download it and see all of the new features for yourself. It’s expected to be officially released later this fall.