The modern pace of life requires instant access to up-to-date information, and weather conditions play a key role here. Instead of opening a browser or launching a separate application each time, users prefer to see the forecast directly on home screen their smartphone. This eliminates unnecessary clicks and allows you to assess the situation in a split second, just by looking at the display.
The operating system Android provides ample opportunities for customizing the interface, and widgets are one of the most popular tools in this regard. Among the many available solutions, the widget from Yandex stands out for its accuracy of forecasts, detailed precipitation by hour and intuitive design. However, the installation process may not seem obvious to those who are faced with a similar task for the first time or have changed the device model.
In this article we will examine in detail all the nuances of integrating the weather module into the workspace of your gadget. You'll learn not only basic installation techniques, but also how to troubleshoot potential problems if the widget doesn't display or shows incorrect data. Correct setup will ensure you comfortable use of your smartphone in any conditions.
Preparing the device and installing the application
The first and most important step is to have the software installed on your device. The widget cannot function autonomously; it requires an “engine” in the form of a full-fledged application that will collect data and transfer it to the desktop. Make sure that you have an active Internet connection, as the software is downloaded through official stores.
Open the store Google Play Market on your smartphone and enter the query "Yandex Weather" in the search bar. In the search results, select the official application from the YANDEX developer. Pay attention to the number of downloads and rating - this is a guarantee that you are downloading safe and proven software.
Press the button Install and wait until the download process is completed. After installation, the system will automatically prompt you to open the app, but this is not necessary yet. It is only important to make sure that there is enough free space on the device and access rights to geolocation are not blocked at the system level for new apps.
⚠️ Attention: If you download an application not from the official store, but through an APK file from third-party sources, the Android system may issue a security warning. Installing apps from unknown sources carries the risk of infecting the device with malware.
After successful installation, do not rush to immediately add the widget. Run the app at least once so it can detect your location and download raw weather data. Without this initial stage, the widget may display a blank screen or standard values that do not correspond to reality.
☑️ Ready to install the widget
Adding a widget through the desktop settings
The most common and universal way to place weather information on the screen is to use the built-in widget menu of the Android shell. This method works on the vast majority of smartphones, regardless of the manufacturer, be it Samsung, Xiaomi or Pixel. The interface may differ slightly, but the logic of actions remains the same.
Go to the main screen of your smartphone, find a free space where there are no icons of other apps. Tap on an empty area of the screen and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears or the interface begins to vibrate. In the list of options that appears, select Widgets.
A long list of all widgets available on the device will open, sorted alphabetically or by frequency of use. Scroll down the list to the letter “I” and find the “Yandex Weather” section there. Clicking on this section will reveal a list of available sizes and display styles that you can choose from.
- 🌡️ Compact widget: displays only the current temperature and weather conditions icon, ideal for saving space.
- 📅 Expanded widget: shows the forecast for several days ahead, humidity and wind speed, occupying a larger area screen.
- 🌧️ Widget with a precipitation map: allows you to visually assess the movement of clouds and rain directly from the desktop.
- 🎨 Thematic widgets: change the background color depending on the time of day and weather conditions.
Select the option you like, click on it and, without releasing your finger, Drag the item to a free area of the home screen. You can change the position of the widget by moving it between application icons, and also change its size by pulling the special markers along the edges of the frame, if the selected widget model supports this.
If the widget overlaps application icons, try changing the screen grid in the desktop settings or moving the shortcuts to another folder to free up space.
Customizing the display and personalization
Just adding an element to the screen is not enough - for comfortable use it must be configured correctly. The default settings may not take into account your personal preferences regarding units of measurement or forecast granularity. Fortunately, the Yandex Weather application offers flexible tools for customization.
Click on the installed widget to open the display settings, or go to the main application and go to the widget settings section. Here you can choose what information to see on the main screen. This can only be temperature, or it can be an expanded block with pressure and the probability of precipitation.
Particular attention should be paid to the choice of units of measurement. By default, the system may use Fahrenheit or other unusual values if the region was defined incorrectly. Go to the settings and make sure that the scale is selected Celsiusand the wind speed is displayed in meters per second or kilometers per hour, whichever is more convenient for you.
| Settings parameter | Function description | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature units | Selecting a heat measurement scale | Degrees Celsius (°C) |
| Time format | Time display forecast | 24-hour format |
| Detail | Forecast depth on the widget | Hourly + for 3 days |
| Background style | Visual design dies | Transparent or dark |
The function of changing design themes is also available. If you use a dark theme throughout your smartphone, it is logical to switch the widget to the appropriate mode so that it does not stand out from the general interface style at night. This is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also helps save battery power on AMOLED screens.
Creating a shortcut for quick launch
Sometimes the user needs not just static information on the screen, but the ability to instantly launch an application to study the details. For such cases, it is possible to create a special shortcut that works faster than searching for a app in the general menu.
The process of creating a shortcut is almost identical to installing a widget, but has its own differences in the final result. Press and hold an empty space on your desktop, select menu Widgets and find the Yandex Weather section. However, in this list you will see not only information blocks, but also an element labeled as a “Shortcut” or application icon.
Drag this element onto the screen. Unlike the information widget, the shortcut does not show the temperature or forecast, but serves solely as a launch button. When you click on it, the application will open instantly, immediately going to the full screen with a detailed analysis of the weather situation.
This method is especially useful for owners of smartphones with a small screen, where every pixel counts. By placing the shortcut within easy reach of your thumb, you reduce app access time to a minimum. This is relevant in situations where you urgently need to check the start of rain before going outside.
⚠️ Attention: Do not confuse the launch shortcut and the information widget. Removing the shortcut will not delete the application, but deleting the widget will deprive you of the ability to see the weather without opening the app.
You can combine both elements: place a compact widget with the temperature at the top of the screen for constant monitoring, and put a bright and visible launch shortcut in the bottom quick access bar. This approach ensures maximum ergonomics of use.
How to delete a shortcut or widget?
To delete an element, hold it with your finger on the screen and drag it to the top of the display, where the trash can icon or the inscription “Delete” will appear. Release your finger and the item will disappear from the desktop, but will remain in the widget menu for reinstallation.
Solving problems with display and updating
Despite the ease of setup, users may encounter a situation where the widget stops updating, shows dashes instead of temperature, or disappears after rebooting the phone. Most often, the reason lies in an aggressive power saving system that limits background running of applications. Modern Android skins, such as
Modern Android skins such as MIUI, OneUI or ColorOS, strive to maximize battery life by forcibly closing processes that are not in use right now. For the widget to work correctly, you need to add the application to the list of exceptions or allow it to autostart.
Go to Settings phone, then to the section Applications and find Yandex Weather in the list. Go to "Battery Saver" or "Battery" and select the "Unlimited" or "Allow background running" option. This will give the system a command not to kill the weather update process.
- 🔄 Check your geolocation permission: without access to GPS, the widget will not be able to determine the city.
- 📶 Make sure you have Internet access: the widget does not update data in offline mode.
- 🔋 Disable super-energy saving mode: it often blocks all widgets.
- 🧹 Clear the application cache: sometimes accumulated errors prevent correct rendering.
If the widget displays the wrong city, check the settings geolocations within the application itself. It's possible that location access was only allowed "while using the app" but the widget requires "always" permission. Change this setting in the system privacy settings.
The main reason for the widget not working is the system prohibiting the application from running in the background. Allowing autorun solves 90% of problems with updating data.
Features of working on different versions of Android
The interface and capabilities of widgets may vary significantly depending on the version of the operating system. Google is constantly updating Material Design standards, and what works on one version may look different or have limitations on another.
On older versions of Android (below 10), a list of widgets can be brought up via a long press on an empty space, but design options will be limited to standard rectangular shapes. On new versions, starting with Android 12 and higher, support for widgets with rounded corners has appeared, which automatically adapt to the style of the icons of your system.
Owners of smartphones with pure Android (for example, Motorola or Nokia) may notice that widgets occupy a strictly fixed number of grid cells. At the same time, on smartphones with custom shells from Chinese manufacturers, the function of resizing the widget on the fly is often available in half-cell increments, which gives more freedom in screen layout.
⚠️ Attention: The interfaces of manufacturers' shells (Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme) are regularly updated. The location of menu items may vary. If you do not find the described item, use the search inside the phone settings.
It is also worth considering that on very old devices, installing a large number of heavy widgets with live animation can lead to a noticeable decrease in system performance and increased battery consumption. In such cases, it is recommended to choose static versions of widgets without precipitation animation.
Why did the widget turn black after a system update?
After major Android updates, themes are sometimes reset. Go to the widget settings and manually switch the theme from “System” to “Light” or “Dark” to return the display.
Why does the widget show the weather of another city?
Most likely, automatic geolocation is disabled in the application settings, or you manually added another city to your favorites, which has become the main one by default. Go to the widget settings and select the "My location" option or remove unnecessary cities from the list of priorities.
Is it possible to change the size of the widget after installation?
Yes, this is possible on most modern smartphones. Hold the widget with your finger, wait for the frame to appear, and then drag the special dots (markers) along the edges or corners. If there are no markers, then this type of widget has a fixed size.
The widget disappeared after rebooting the phone, what is the reason?
This can happen if the application was installed on an SD memory card that is slowly mounted when turned on, or if the system killed the process due to lack of memory. It is recommended to move the application to internal memory and allow autorun.
How to make a widget transparent?
Transparency depends on the specific version of the widget and the theme. In the settings of the widget itself (via a long press) there is often a “Transparent background” switch. If it is not there, try installing a third-party launcher that supports customization of transparency.
Does the widget consume a lot of battery?
The widget itself consumes a minimum of energy, since it is just an interface. The main expense goes to the process of updating data via the Internet and GPS operation. If you set the update every 30-60 minutes, the impact on the battery will be unnoticeable.