For over a decade, the iPhone Home Screen was nothing more than a static, rigid grid of square app icons. To see the weather forecast, check your upcoming calendar appointments, or view your current battery percentage, you had to physically tap an icon and open an app. With modern versions of iOS, Apple completely redesigned the Home Screen by introducing Widgets. These are larger, dynamic blocks that live alongside your apps, constantly updating in real-time to show you glanceable information.
How to Enter Jiggle Mode
To modify your Home Screen layout, you must first unlock the grid.
- Unlock your iPhone and navigate to the Home Screen where you want the new widget to live.
- Find an empty space between the apps, or simply tap and hold your finger firmly on any empty area of the background wallpaper.
- Hold your finger there for about two seconds until the phone vibrates slightly and all the app icons begin to shake (this is affectionately known as “Jiggle Mode”). You will also notice a minus (-) symbol appear in the corner of your apps.
Adding and Placing the Widget
Now that the grid is unlocked, you can access the Widget library.
- Look at the extreme top-left corner of your screen. Tap the + (Plus) button that has appeared.
- A new menu will slide up from the bottom, displaying a searchable gallery of all available widgets.
- Scroll through the list and tap on the app you want (for example, tap Weather).
- You will now see a preview of the widget. Most widgets come in three different sizes: a small square, a medium rectangle, or a large square. Swipe left and right on the preview to choose the size that best fits your screen.
- Tap the blue Add Widget button at the bottom of the screen.
The widget will immediately drop onto your Home Screen, pushing your regular app icons out of the way to make room. While the icons are still jiggling, you can click and drag the widget around the screen to perfectly position it. When you are satisfied with the layout, tap the Done button in the top right corner (or simply press the Home button on older iPhones) to lock the grid in place.