It’s been almost four years since iPhone widgets were redesigned with iOS 14, although, to the dismay of many, it took until iOS 17 for them to become interactive. In other words, we can get features with them that are not just informativeas many of them are affected, the only thing they do is open the application in question.
Since I started beta testing iOS 17 almost a year ago, I’ve tested a multitude of apps that create interactive widgets. While it is true that I don’t always have them all configured and inevitably have to omit some, I have selected those that, in my opinion, are ten of the most useful interactive widgets to always have at hand on the iPhone screen.
Reminders
You don’t even need to download an app to set it up, since Apple’s redesigned “Reminders” app brought with it a very useful widget for quickly completing tasks without having to open the application. In my particular case, multiple widgets from the same app are stacked, allowing me to cross off items from different lists: routine tasks, sporadic tasks, shopping list items, etc.
Reminders
With the Reminders app, it’s never been easier to remember what you need to do. You can use it to write down any of your daily tasks, such as your shopping list, work projects, etc.
Shortcuts
Another native application, and it is already the last of this compilation, which I find very useful thanks to its interactive widgets. And I speak in the plural because supports the ability to have one, two, four or eight shortcuts actionable from the home screen. Personally, I usually always have two recurring ones on hand: the one to share the Wi-Fi key with a QR and another that gives me quick access to iCloud keychain passwords.
Shortcuts
Siri Shortcuts provide a quick way to complete tasks with your apps with a tap or by asking Siri.
Albums
This is a Apple Music player whose widget even improves that of the native application. Concretely, it does this with several widgets that not only offer the possibility of pausing or playing the song like the native song, but also of moving to the next or previous song, as well as changing albums. The app itself also has some cool things for discovering new groups, but personally I only use it for the widget and it pays off for me.
Albums – album-focused player
Albums is the Apple Music player that puts you in control of your music. Whether you just want to start shuffling albums or spend hours meticulously sorting and filtering your collection.
Pocket castings
I’ve been fascinated by the Overcast app for years and know it has an interesting widget. However, Pocket Casts is my favorite podcast player and I find there an interesting interactive widget with which pause or start playing an episode quickly and with a background that varies depending on the program.
Pocket Casts: podcast player
Pocket Casts is the world’s most powerful podcast platform, an app designed by and for listeners.
Calculator 17
Yes, I know the iPhone has a calculator and even has quick access from the Control Center. However, it does not offer a widget like Calculator 17. The calculator literally takes us to the home screen. There is no other explanation and the truth is that, if you do calculations relatively frequently, it is a luxury to have a widget.
Calculator 17
Introducing Calculator 17, the ultimate tool for all your math needs on the go!
NordVPN
It’s been my favorite VPN connection tool on iPhone for years and one of the first to feature an interactive widget. A simple widget with which quickly connect to a VPN or temporarily suspend the connection. If you also use this service and for security reasons you often use connections of this type, taking advantage of its widget is almost an obligation.
NordVPN – Online Privacy
Get the world’s fastest VPN and enjoy a private, secure, hassle-free connection on your Mac. The NordVPN app is easy to use and protects all your connected devices.
Dark noise
Natively there are ambient sounds hidden in iOS, but personally I find this application much more complete. An application that allows us play some relaxing sounds
Dark noise: green sounds
Dark Noise is a simple but powerful way to stream ambient noise to help you sleep, focus, or relax.
Voice Memos – Email Me
Neither the application nor its widget are recommendations that I make to everyone, since it costs around 35 dollars per year with a subscription and is aimed at a very specific audience. Who? Well, he who loves send quick notes by email. Personally, I find it a good way to send myself quick notes and having access to them from the home screen is a joy (both for writing and for sending voice notes). Of course, I warn you that in general the widgets supported by iOS are interactive, but to a certain extent and in applications like these you will not find the possibility of writing directly in the widget, although you will have a quick access to these two functions.
Voice Memos – Email Me
Email Me is designed to be the fastest way to save your ideas, thoughts, tasks and follow-ups while you’re away from home.
WaterMinder
Drinking a few liters of water a day (without overdoing it) is a good recommendation from health experts and it’s a new habit that I acquired largely thanks to the WaterMinder app and its widget. The app offers a series of daily drinking goals, not only water, but also coffee or soft drinks. In your widget we can mark the amount each time we drink so that this is reflected in the daily statistics.
WaterMinder® ∙ Water Tracking
Get help with our water tracker: WaterMinder, a simple and intuitive app to track your water consumption.
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