The Ultimate Guide to Widget Stacks for a Smarter Home Screen
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Your iPhone home screen doesn’t have to be a cluttered mess of apps and folders. Apple gave us a secret weapon in iOS: widget stacks. When used properly, they can turn your phone into a streamlined, context-aware dashboard that shows you exactly what you need, when you need it. No more swiping between screens or digging through endless folders.
This guide will show you what widget stacks are, why they’re so powerful, and how to set them up in a way that makes your iPhone genuinely smarter.
What is a Widget Stack?
A widget stack is a group of widgets layered on top of each other in one spot on your home screen. Instead of scattering multiple widgets across your pages, you can swipe up or down on a stack to cycle through them. Even better, you can enable Smart Rotate, which uses Apple’s intelligence to automatically display the most relevant widget based on the time of day and your habits.
Think of it as having a digital assistant built directly into your home screen.
Why Widget Stacks are a Game-Changer
Save Space – One stack can replace four or five widgets, keeping your screen clean.
Contextual Awareness – See your calendar in the morning, reminders at lunch, and fitness stats in the evening, all without lifting a finger.
Speed and Efficiency – Information is available at a glance instead of being buried inside apps.
Custom Control – You decide what’s in each stack, and when Smart Rotate doesn’t get it right, you can manually swipe.
How to Create a Widget Stack
Long Press Your Home Screen – Enter edit mode until the icons jiggle.
Add a Widget – Tap the “+” in the top left and select the widget you want.
Drag Another Widget on Top – Place one widget directly over another of the same size to create a stack.
Customise – Hold the stack, tap Edit Stack, and arrange or remove widgets.
Enable Smart Rotate – Allow your iPhone to surface the widget it thinks you’ll want most throughout the day.
The Best Widget Stacks to Try
Here are a few practical widget stack ideas that instantly make your home screen smarter:
Productivity Stack: Calendar, Reminders, Notes, and Mail.
Wellness Stack: Fitness Rings, Sleep Tracking, Water Reminder, and Headspace or Calm.
Travel Stack: Maps, Weather, Wallet (for tickets), and Translate.
Money Stack: Stocks, Banking, Spending Tracker, and Wallet.
Smart Home Stack: Home controls, Weather, and Shortcuts.
Each one is focused on a different part of your day, meaning you only see the info that’s useful at that moment.
Pro Tips for Smarter Widget Use
Don’t overload every stack. Two to five widgets per stack is the sweet spot.
Pair stacks with Focus Modes. For example, when you switch to Work Focus, your Productivity Stack appears front and center.
Use third-party widgets. Apps like Things 3, Fantastical, or Carrot Weather take widget stacks to another level.
Final Thoughts
Your iPhone is capable of much more than being an app launcher. By building smart widget stacks, you’re essentially designing a personal dashboard that works with your lifestyle, not against it.
If you’ve ever felt your phone slows you down, try this approach. Once your home screen is tailored to your routine, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
