I didn’t expect widgets to replace my apps; I just wanted my home screen to feel less cluttered.
But after I added a few widgets, things changed pretty quickly. I didn’t need to open my to-do app anymore because my tasks were already there. Even small things, like notes or photos, were there when I needed them.
The best part was that I was not spending time jumping between apps and getting distracted along the way.
At some point, I noticed I wasn’t opening some of my most-used apps anymore. The widgets were doing the job better, and going back now feels like extra work.
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I used to open Google Photos only when I needed to find a screenshot or free up storage. It wasn’t something I checked for fun anymore.
That changed after I added the Photos widget to my home screen.
To add it, long-press on your home screen, go into Widgets, find Google Photos, and you’ll get a couple of options:
- People & pets lets you pick specific faces (from the ones Google has already tagged).
- Your memories pulls from Google’s automatic highlights.
Instead of digging through my library, I started seeing old pictures surface on their own, whether it was random trips and photos that would’ve otherwise stayed buried.
The Photos widget cycles through selected images, and I’ve set it to show pictures of family and pets.
That means I’m not opening an app or searching for anything. I glance at my home screen, and there’s something new (or old, technically) waiting there.
Google Drive actions are now one tap away
The Google Drive quick actions widget has become one of the most useful things on my home screen. I didn’t think much of it at first, but after I started using it regularly, it replaced repetitive steps.
Instead of opening the app every time, I now have shortcuts for opening Drive, searching for files, uploading, and scanning documents.
The scanning option is the one I use the most. I tap the camera icon, take a picture of a document, and it instantly turns into a scanned file that I can upload to Drive.
It feels significantly faster than using the app, and I find myself using it more often because it’s readily accessible.
The upload shortcut is just as practical. If I want to save a file quickly, I can send it straight to Drive without opening the app and navigating through folders.
I’ve always used Google Keep for quick notes, but opening the app every time I wanted to jot something down felt like an extra step.
Now I have a small Keep widget on my home screen with shortcuts to create a note, checklist, drawing, or voice note. If something pops into my head, I tap and start writing.
There’s also a widget that shows your existing notes, which is just as useful. I can pin a single note, like a grocery list or quick reminder, and it stays visible without me having to open the app.
I used to occasionally open Digital Wellbeing to see how much time I was spending on apps. But it always felt like something I wouldn’t go out of my way to open.
But that changed when I added the widget to my home screen. Instead of digging into settings to see my screen time, the numbers were on my home screen every time I unlocked my phone.
I could see how long I’d been using it and which apps were taking up most of my time. Having that information constantly visible makes it harder to ignore.
I added Days To on a whim, mostly to track an upcoming event, and it ended up sticking around.
The idea is simple: You set a date, and the widget shows a live countdown on your home screen. Having the countdown visible at all times alters your perspective, as it does not stay hidden within a calendar.
I use it for upcoming trips, deadlines, and even small personal milestones. Instead of vaguely knowing something is “coming up,” I can see how close it is, which makes it feel more real (and harder to ignore).
You can customize the widget with various styles, colors, and layouts based on your preference for minimalism or detail.
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Switching to widgets cleaned up my home screen and changed how I use my phone in small but noticeable ways.
I’m opening fewer apps, tapping through fewer menus, and spending less time getting distracted. Everything I need is already in front of me: tasks, notes, reminders, and even quick actions like scanning documents or checking a countdown.
It’s not that apps are gone completely. I still use them when I need to. But for a few tasks, widgets have taken over my home screen.
