How-To

How to Use Apple Watch Widgets in watchOS 10

By Adam Davidson

Updated January 19, 2024

Widgets are one of the biggest changes to the Apple Watch interface in years. Learn how to use Apple Watch widgets in watchOS 10 here.

The Apple Watch seems to have been around forever—it’s hard to believe that it was only introduced in 2015. In that time, there have been a lot of hardware changes, such as the introduction of an ECG, temperature sensing, and blood oxygen measurement.

While new native apps have been added, the way that you interact with your Apple Watch has remained the same (mostly). All of that is changing in watchOS 10, with the introduction of widgets, a brand-new way to interact with your Apple Watch.

You can learn how to use Apple Watch widgets in watchOS 10 (and what you can do with them) below.

What Are Apple Watch Widgets in watchOS 10?

Widgets on Apple Watch allow you to quickly access a smart stack of Apple Watch actions, information, your favorite Apple Watch apps, or app controls with a single swipe. Part of the reason for introducing widgets was to allow Apple Watch users to quickly access apps and information without having to clog up the watch face with complications. Even with the most minimal watch faces, you can access your widgets with one swipe.

Apple Watch widgets represent a huge change in the way that Apple Watch works. So much so that some common gestures are now completely different. It means that using widgets can take some getting used to. You’ll also need to learn a new way of bringing up the Control Center. Instead of swiping up from the bottom of the screen, you’ll need to press the side button.

To access the app, which was previously opened by pressing the side button, you’ll need to double-click the digital crown.

How to Use Apple Watch Widgets in watchOS 10

Apple has made accessing your widgets incredibly simple. Once you know how to proceed, it quickly becomes second nature.

To use Apple Watch widgets:

1. On any watch face, swipe the screen up.
2. You can also access your widgets by rotating the digital crown upwards.
3. You’ll see the time and date, and the first widget in your Smart Stack.
   
4. Keep swiping up or rotating the digital crown to see the other widgets in your Smart Stack.
   
5. You can tap any widget to open the associated app or run the associated action.
6. The final widget in the stack contains up to three small complications that you can tap to open the associated apps.
   
7. If you keep swiping or scrolling past the final widget, you’ll access the app grid or list.
   
8. Conversely, you can access your widgets by clicking the digital crown to open the app grid or list and then swiping or rotating the digital crown down.

How to Edit Apple Watch Widgets in watchOS 10

You can edit your widget smart stack to add or remove widgets, change the order of the widgets, or pin your favorite widgets to the top of the stack.

To edit the widgets on Apple Watch:

1. Swipe down or rotate the digital crown to access your widgets.
2. Tap and hold on to any widget.
3. To remove a widget, tap the minus (-) icon at the top-left of the widget.
   
4. To add a widget, tap the plus (+) icon.
   
5. Select one of the featured widgets, or swipe up and tap an app.
   
6. Tap the widget you want to add. Some apps will have multiple widgets you can choose from.
   
7. The widget will be added to your stack.
8. To pin a widget to the top of the stack, tap the Pin icon.
   
9. You can rearrange the order of pinned widgets by tapping and holding one and dragging it above or below the other pinned widgets.
10. If you want to delete a pinned widget, you’ll need to unpin it by tapping the Pin icon again before you can delete it.
11. To change the complications in the final widget, tap the minus (-) icon on a complication you want to replace.
    
12. Click the plus (+) icon to select a new complication.
    
13. Select a complication from the featured options, or scroll down to select an app.
    
14. Choose a complication; some apps have more than one option available.
    
15. The complication will appear—repeat the steps to change any other complications you want to replace.
16. Tap Done to finish.
    

Managing Your Apple Watch Settings

Knowing how to use Apple Watch widgets in watchOS 10 allows you to quickly access your favorite apps or complications without needing to clog up your beautiful new Snoopy watch face. There are plenty of other ways that you can get more out of your Apple Watch.

You can learn how to free up storage on your Apple Watch if it’s getting filled up. You can learn how to fix Apple Watch battery drain if you’re not getting enough life out of your Apple Watch. And if you’re a runner, you should check out some of the best running apps for Apple Watch.