How to change widgets on Android Samsung: from basic settings to hidden features

Widgets on smartphones Samsung Galaxy are not just desktop decoration, but a powerful tool for quick access to information and device management. However, many users limit themselves to standard weather or clock widgets, not even realizing that One UI offers much more opportunities for customization. From minimalistic weather panels to interactive smart home controls, properly configured widgets can radically change the experience of interacting with your phone.

In this article, we will analyze not only the basic operations - how to add, move or delete a widget, but also dive into hidden settingsthat Samsung does not advertise. You'll learn how to get back lost widgets after an update, why some elements don't display correctly, and how to bypass system restrictions to install third-party solutions. We will pay special attention to compatibility problems on new models Galaxy S23/S24 and Galaxy Z Fold/Flip, where the widget interface has unique features.

If you have ever asked questions like "Why is the weather widget not updated?", "How to make the widget transparent?" or "Is it possible to change the size of widgets to Samsung?" —here you will find answers with detailed instructions and visual examples. And for those who like experiments, we have prepared a section with unobvious life hacksthat go beyond standard guides.

1. Basic operations with widgets: adding, deleting, moving

Let's start with the basics, which will be useful for beginners. Even if you have been using Samsungfor a long time, some nuances of the interface One UI 5.0/6.0 may surprise you. For example, did you know that on new models widgets can be added not only to the main screen, but also to lock screens?

To add a widget:

• 📱 Long press on an empty space on the desktop → select Widgets at the bottom menu.
• 🔍 Scroll the list or use the search (magnifying glass icon) to find the widget you need.
• 🖱️ Click on the widget and, without releasing, drag it to the desktop. On some models (Galaxy Z Fold4 and newer), you can first select a size.
• ⚙️ Once placed, some widgets (for example, Samsung Weather or Google At a Glance) will offer additional settings - do not skip this step!

Deleting and moving is even easier:

• 🗑️ To delete a widget, hold it and drag it up to the trash (Delete), which will appear at the top of the screen.
• 🔀 To move, just hold the widget and drag it to a new location. On Galaxy Z Flip you can even place widgets on external display (Cover Screen).

Make sure there is free space on your desktop (minimum 1x1 cell)

Update your firmware to the latest version (some widgets require One UI 5.1+)

Disable the mode Easy mode in the settings (it hides some widgets)

Check whether restrictions are set via Parental Controls

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It is important to understand that not all widgets support resizing. For example, a widget Samsung Health has fixed proportions, while widget Google Keep can be stretched to fill the entire screen. If, when you try to change the size, the widget “jumps” back, this means that its dimensions are rigidly set by the developer.

2. Where to find all the available widgets on Samsung

Many users are surprised to learn that their phone has dozens of widgets installed that they didn’t even know existed. The fact is that Samsung by default it hides some elements so as not to overload the interface. Here's how to access ALL available widgets:

Main sources of widgets:

• 📦 Samsung standard widgets: weather, clock, calendar, notes, health, smart home (SmartThings). Found in the main list when added.
• 🤖 Google Widgets: search bar, At a Glance (weather + events), Google Fit, Drive. Often hidden in the folder Google.
• 📱 Third-party application widgets: Spotify, Telegram, Yandex, banking applications. Their availability depends on the installed apps.
• 🔧 Hidden system widgets: for example, Device Care (memory monitoring) or Digital Wellbeing. To see them, sometimes you first need to open the corresponding application.

Widget type	Where to look	Features
Weather (Samsung Weather)	Main list → Samsung	Supports animation and themes (dark/light)
Google At a Glance	Google folder → Widgets	Shows events from Calendar and weather
SmartThings	Main list → Samsung	Smart home control (requires setting up devices)
Bixby Routines	Only after the first launch of Bixby	Quick start of automation
Bank widgets (SberBank, Tinkoff)	Appears after installing the application	May require unlocking to view the balance

If you do not find the desired widget, check:

1. Is the corresponding application installed (for example, for the widget Spotify you need to download the application itself Spotify).
2. Are widgets disabled in the application settings (go to Settings → Applications → [application name] → Widgets).
3. Are not used Secure Folder — widgets from the protected folder are not displayed on the main desktop.

How to return missing widgets after an update?

If after an update One UI widgets have disappeared (especially important for transitions from Android 12 to 13/14), try:

1. Restart the phone in Safe mode (hold the power off button → "Safe Mode").

2. Clear application cache Samsung Experience Home (Settings → Applications → Three dots → Show system → Samsung Experience Home → Memory → Clear cache).

3. Reset desktop settings: long press on the desktop. → Desktop settings → Reset settings.

Attention: this will return the standard icon layout!

3. Changing the size and customizing the appearance of widgets

One of the most common questions is Is it possible to resize widgets on SamsungAnswer: yes, but with reservations. Most widgets support dynamic resizing, but some (especially from third-party developers) have fixed dimensions. Here's how it works:

To resize:

1. Long press on the widget → a blue icon will appear. frame with markers in the corners.
2. Drag the markers to change the width or height. On some models (Galaxy S22 Ultra and newer), you can change the dimensions independently horizontally and vertically.
3. Release your finger to save the changes. If the widget “bounces” back, its size. fixed.

For deeper customization of appearance:

• 🎨 Themes and styles: widgets Samsung Weather and Clock support changing themes via Settings → Appearance → ThemesSome themes (for example, Material You in One UI 5+) automatically adjust widget colors to match the wallpaper.
• 🖼️ Transparency: widgets Google At a Glance and Samsung Free (news feed) have transparency settings. Hold the widget → Widget settings → Style → Transparency.
• 📏 Desktop Grid: The default grid is 5x5, but can be changed to 4x4 or 6x6 in Desktop Settings → Desktop LayoutThis affects how the widgets will be positioned relative to the icons.

Special attention is deserved adaptive widgetsthat appeared in One UI 4.0 and later. They automatically adjust to the available space. For example, a widget Samsung Calendar can show either only the current date (in a compact form) or a weekly schedule (if stretched into 4x2 cells).

⚠️ Attention: On some models (Galaxy A-series with 4 GB of RAM) when using too much a large number of dynamic widgets (for example, animated weather + news feed) can be observed increased battery consumption. You can track "gluttonous" widgets in Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Usage.

4. Problems with widgets and their solutions

Even such well-functioning devices as Samsung Galaxyoccasionally have problems with the display or operation of widgets. Let's look at the most common cases and ways to fix them.

Problem 1: The widget is not updated (stuck on old data)

• 🔄 For the weather widget: delete it and add it again. If this does not help, clear the application cache Samsung Weather.
• 📡 Check your Internet connection (widgets Google and Yandex require a stable connection).
• ⏳ For news widgets (Samsung Free) enable Auto-update in the widget settings.

Problem 2: The widget disappeared after updating

• 📥 Make sure that the application to which the widget belongs is updated to the latest version in Galaxy Store or Google Play.
• 🔧 Reset your desktop settings (see spoiler in the previous section).
• 🛠️ If the widget was from a third-party developer, check whether it was deleted from the system (for example, after a factory reset).

Problem 3: Widget is not added (gray when dragging)

• 📵 Check if it is enabled Power saving mode —it may block the installation of new widgets.
• 🔒 Make sure there is enough space on the desktop (even if there is a seemingly free cell, some widgets require backup space).
• 📱 Reboot the phone - sometimes it helps with interface glitches One UI.

Symptom	Possible cause	Solution
The widget is displayed as an empty rectangle	Failure Samsung Experience Home	Clear the application cache Samsung Experience Home
The weather widget shows the wrong city	Settings are lost geolocation	Go to widget → Settings → Update location
Widgets do not move (stick)	Activated One-handed mode	Disable in Settings → Advanced → One-handed mode
The bank widget requires unlocking every time it is opened	Application security settings	Disable in the banking application settings (section "Widget")

⚠️ Attention: If after all the manipulations the widget still does not work, check if it is related to beta version of One UI. Users of beta firmware often encounter widget bugs that are fixed only in the final releases. You can roll back to the stable version via Smart Switch (but this will lead to data reset!).

5. Hidden capabilities of widgets on Samsung

Now let's move on to those features that Samsung is not talked about in the official instructions. These tricks will help you get the most out of your widgets and make them truly useful.

1. Widgets on the lock screen

Starting from One UI 3.1on Samsung Galaxy you can place widgets directly on the lock screen. To do this:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Widgets.
2. Select up to 2 widgets (for example, Clock and Weather).
3. Customize the information displayed (for example, for the weather widget, you can hide the details and leave only the temperature).

Important: Widgets on the lock screen display limited information for security reasons. For example, widget Samsung Health will not show details of your activity, but the widget Calendar hides the names of events.

2. Interactive widgets for a smart home

If you have devices SmartThings (lamps, sockets, thermostats), widget SmartThings allows you to control them directly from the desktop:

• 💡 Add your favorite devices to Favorites in the application SmartThingsso that they appear in widget.
• 🔄 You can add on/off buttons, brightness or temperature adjustment buttons to the widget.
• 🏠 The widget supports scenes (for example, "Leaving for work" or "Evening cinema").

3. Widgets with Bixby shortcuts

Widget Bixby Routines allows you to run automations with one click. For example, you can create a widget for:

• 📵 Do not disturb mode with notifications turned off and vibration turned on.
• 🔋 Activation of the energy saving mode when the battery is low.
• 🎧 Automatic connection to Galaxy Buds at startup Spotify.

4. gamers

On phones with support Game Launcher (for example, Galaxy S23 Ultra), you can add widgets for:

• 🎮 Quickly launch your favorite games.
• 📊 Monitoring FPS and temperature processor during the game.
• 🔇 Disable notifications and block physical buttons.

How to create a widget for your own automated script?

1. Open the application Bixby Routines.

2. Create a new routine (for example, “Worker”). mode").

3. Add conditions (time, location) and actions (sound mode, Wi-Fi, brightness).

4. Save the routine and return to the desktop.

5. Long press → Widgets → Find Bixby Routines and select the created scenario.

Now with one click on the widget you will activate the entire set of actions!

6. The best third-party widgets for Samsung

Standard widgets One UI are good, but sometimes you want something more functional or stylish. Let's consider top third-party solutions optimized for Samsung Galaxy.

1. Widgets for productivity

• 📝 Widgetsmith (iOS style on Android): customizable widgets for date, time, weather, reminders. dynamic themes (changes color depending on the time of day). data-i="281">dynamic themes
• 📊 Chronus: universal widget with information about the weather, calendar, tasks, system data (CPU, RAM). Has dark mode and transparency settings.
• 📌 Another Widget: minimalistic widgets for notes, to-do lists and calendar. Fits perfectly into Material You design.

2. Widgets for media and entertainment

• 🎵 Musixmatch: displays the lyrics of the song that is currently playing (works with Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music).
• 🎮 GameSpace: widget for quickly launching games with performance monitoring (compatible s Galaxy Store).
• 📺 Twitch Widget: shows online streams from your list of subscriptions directly on the desktop.

3. Widgets for health and fitness

• 🏃 Google Fit: alternative Samsung Health with more flexible settings for displayed metrics (steps, calories, pulse).
• 💤 Sleep as Android: widget for tracking sleep with an alarm clock by sleep phases. Integrates with Samsung Health.
• 🍽️ MyFitnessPal: widget for quickly adding food and water meals.

4. Widgets for customization

• 🎨 KWGT Kustom Widget Maker: widget constructor for advanced users. Allows you to create unique designs with animation, interactive elements and data from the API.
• 🖼️ UCCW (Ultimate Custom Widget): a simplified version KWGT for those who want to quickly customize the widget without deep diving.
• 🔧 Tasker + KWGT: combo for creating widgets with unique logic (for example, a widget that shows distance to the nearest gas station when the battery charge is below 20%).

⚠️ Attention: When installing third-party widgets from Google Play pay attention to the permissions they request. For example, weather widgets often require access to location, and health widgets - to sensor data. If an application asks for access to SMS or calls for no obvious reason, this is a reason to be wary.

7. Widgets on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold/Flip: features and lifehacks

Folding smartphones Samsung Galaxy Z have unique capabilities for working with widgets, but also have their limitations. Let's take a look at how to make the most of widgets on Fold4/Fold5 i Flip4/Flip5.

Features Galaxy Z Fold:

• 📱 External screen (Cover Screen): supports widgets up to 2x2 in size. Compact widgets for weather, time or quick contacts are ideal.
• 📺 Internal screen: you can use full-size widgets (up to 5x5), including interactive panels SmartThings or DeX.
• 🔄 Continuity of widgets: when opening the phone, widgets from the external screen can be “transferred” to the internal screen (long press → Move to the main screen).

Features Galaxy Z Flip:

• 📱 Cover Screen: limit to 1 widget of size 1x1 or 2x1. The best widgets are Clock, Weather or Bixby Routines.
• 🔧 Configuration via Always On Display: widgets on the external screen can be configured in Settings → Lock screen → Always On Display → Widgets.
• 🎨 Themes for widgets: on Flip widgets on the external screen automatically adjusts to the color of the case (if an official Samsung accessory is used).

Life hacks for folding models:

• 🔄 Quick switching of widgets: on Fold you can create separate desktops for the internal and external screen with different sets of widgets.
• 📊 Multi-window mode: hold the widget and drag it to the top of the screen to open in pop-up window (works with SmartThings, Calendar, Notes).
• 🖼️ Transparent widgets: on Fold5 widgets on the internal screen can be made translucent for better readability against the wallpaper background.

💡

On Galaxy Z Fold widgets on the internal screen support horizontal orientation. Rotate the phone to see an expanded version of the widget (for example, Calendar will show a week instead of one day).

8. Creating your own widgets using KWGT

For those who want to go beyond standard solutions, KWGT Kustom Widget Maker is a powerful tool for creating unique widgets from scratch. Let's look at the basic steps and capabilities.

Step 1: Installation and configuration

1. Download KWGT from Google Play (there is a free version with limitations and a Pro version for ~300₽).
2. After installation, add the widget KWGT to your desktop (sizes from 1×1 to 6×6 are available).
3. When you first start, select New project or download a ready-made template from Play KWGT (built-in template store).

Step 2: Basic elements of the widget

The KWGT widget consists of layers, to each of which you can add:

• 📝 Text: display of time, date, weather, information from sensors.
• 🖼️ Images: static pictures or dynamic (for example, weather icons).
• 📊 Graphs: visualization of data (for example, a graph of battery charge per day).
• 🔗 Interactive elements: buttons for launching applications or executing commands.

Step 3: Examples of useful widgets

• 🔋 Battery widget displaying:
  • Current charge in percentage and volts.
  • Estimates of remaining operating time.
  • Battery temperature.