Skip to main content

How to install widgets in iOS 8

install widgets ios 8 header
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Among the most visible of the new features in iOS 8 is the addition of Today Widgets, helpful app extensions that can be used directly from your notification tray. Since iOS 8 just came out, the use of this nifty new extension is pretty limited, but as more of your favorite games and applications support it, you’ll want to know how to install the widgets. Thankfully, like most new iOS software updates, it couldn’t be any easier.

iOS Widgets install 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

To open your notification tray, swipe down the from the top of the screen, where you can select either “Today” or “Notifications”. At the bottom of the “Today” tray, tapping the button that says “Edit” will allow you to easily customize the tray.

iOS 8 widgets install 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

From this menu, you can select which widgets you want to show in your notification panel, and hide the apps you don’t use by swiping left on them and clicking delete. Tapping on the green plus next to the apps below will add them to your active widgets, at which point you can drag them around to rearrange them. Installing widgets will unlock all sorts of functionality right at your fingertips, from checking the weather to responding when your friend makes a move in your game of online chess. As iOS 8 is installed on new and old devices, we hope to see developers make good use of the functionality.

What would you like to see the Today widgets be used for? Let us know in the comments!

Editors' Recommendations

Brad Bourque
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad Bourque is a native Portlander, devout nerd, and craft beer enthusiast. He studied creative writing at Willamette…
Nomad’s new iPhone case and Apple Watch band may be its coolest yet
Nomad Glow 2.0 Sport Case and Apple Watch Sport Band in daylight.

Though the world of Apple accessories is a dime a dozen, one of the better brands that you can buy is Nomad. Nomad has a variety of amazing leather Apple Watch bands and cases, as well as non-leather options, too. In August 2023, Nomad released a one-of-a-kind Glow in the Dark Apple Watch band that sold out in about 12 hours.

Since that Glow in the Dark band was a limited edition, no one was sure if Nomad was going to re-release it, and this explains the high resale prices you’ll find on eBay. But Nomad just released the Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Sport Band as well as a new Glow 2.0 Sport Case for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And, yes, they're just as wonderful as before.
The new and improved Glow 2.0

Read more
An Apple insider just revealed how iOS 18’s AI features will work
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying face-down outside, showing the Natural Titanium color.

As Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) inches closer, the chatter around the company’s AI work has taken a feverish turn. In a year when smartphone and computing brands have focused solely on AI niceties, Apple has been uncharacteristically silent around the AI hype — eliciting concern about the brand missing the train.

However, a new report has given us a closer look at how Apple's AI dreams may come to fruition with its iOS 18 update later this year.
New details on Apple's AI plans

Read more
Best iPhone deals: Save on iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro Max and more
iPhone 13 Pro in blue.

The Apple iPhone is likely the most popular smartphone of all time, and even older models are still seeing impressive sales. This popularity can make it difficult to find iPhone deals, but there are quite a few hanging around out there right now and some of them could be considered among the best phone deals currently taking place. And while you can always shop refurbished iPhone deals to ensure some savings, we think we’ve found some iPhone deals worth taking a look at right now. They include the newest model iPhone 15, so whether you’re looking for the latest and greatest or an iPhone that simply gets the job done, read onward and start shopping the best iPhone deals going on right now.
iPhone 15 128GB (AT&T) — $730, was $830 (plus up to $700 off w/ trade-in)

The Apple iPhone 15 finally brings with it Dynamic Island which we’ve only previously seen on the Pro range. It’s a real game changer at times and is very convenient. Alongside that, the Apple iPhone 15 has the Ceramic Shield front to keep it more protected while its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display promises to be up to two times brighter than the iPhone 14 in the sun. There’s also a 48MP main camera with 2x telephoto lens to help you take great shots. The A16 Bionic chip has plenty of processing power to aid with software adjustments.

Read more