An iPhone gives you two places for widgets, and they do different jobs. A Home Screen widget is a small dashboard you see every time you unlock. A Lock Screen widget is a single number you see every time you pick up the phone, often without unlocking at all. Choosing well is mostly about how often you need the number, and who else might see it.
The sizes at a glance
| Where | Size | What it is good for |
|---|---|---|
| Home Screen | Small | One number, big and readable |
| Home Screen | Medium | A few headline numbers side by side |
| Home Screen | Large | Several sources with all their details |
| Lock Screen | Rectangular | A few short headline numbers under the clock |
| Lock Screen | Circular | One short number |
In WidgetDash, the Small widget and the round Lock Screen widget show one source. Medium and the rectangular Lock Screen widget show up to 5 sources, one headline number each. Large shows your sources with every metric, grouped by category.
When the Home Screen is the right place
Use the Home Screen for numbers that need context. A Large widget can show MRR next to signups and churn, your server's disk and last backup, or a whole project at once. It is the place for the second glance: you unlocked the phone anyway, and now you see how things stand.
It also handles detail well. A status badge like "Up to date" in green, a progress bar for a disk at 68%, or a full-width row for a long value such as a show title all fit on a Large widget.
When the Lock Screen is the right place
Use the Lock Screen for the one number you want to absorb without trying. You see it when you check the time, when a notification arrives, and on iPhones with an always-on display, all day long. That makes it ideal for:
- a daily target, such as signups today or steps;
- a health check, such as uptime or the time since the last backup;
- a single price you follow, such as Bitcoin.
The rectangular widget fits a few short values, one per source. The circular one is best for a single short number or a percentage.
Think about privacy first
The Lock Screen is visible to anyone who can see your phone. Revenue, balances or customer counts may be fine on your Home Screen and not on a phone lying on a café table. A good rule: if you would not put it on a sticky note on your laptop, keep it on the Home Screen.
Each widget can show different sources
You do not have to choose one set of numbers for everything. With WidgetDash, long-press any widget, tap Edit Widget, pick a Source, and add more under More Sources. A common setup:
- Home Screen, Large: your business numbers, such as MRR, signups and churn.
- Home Screen, Medium: your infrastructure, such as servers and backups.
- Lock Screen, rectangular: one health number, like uptime.
Getting a number onto either one
The numbers come from you. Any script, server or automation can send them with one request:
curl -X PUT https://api.widgetdash.app/api/v1/data/uptime \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_WRITE_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"display_name": "Uptime",
"icon": "server.rack",
"metrics": [
{ "label": "API", "value": "99.98%", "type": "percentage" },
{ "label": "Status", "value": "Up", "type": "status" }
],
"color_rules": { "Status": [ { "equals": "Up", "color": "green" }, { "color": "red" } ] }
}'Then add the widget where it belongs. For the Home Screen, long-press an empty spot, tap + and search for WidgetDash. For the Lock Screen, long-press it, tap Customize, choose the Lock Screen, tap the widget area and pick WidgetDash. The full walkthrough is in How to put your SaaS metrics on your iPhone Home Screen, and there are ready-made examples for server uptime and daily steps.
How fresh are they?
Both kinds refresh the same way. WidgetDash asks iOS for a refresh about every 5 minutes, and iOS decides exactly when to redraw. For a number that has to move within seconds, such as orders during a launch, WidgetDash Pro adds Live Activities, which update on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island as soon as you push.
FAQ
Can the same number be on both screens?
Yes. Every widget reads the same sources, so a number can sit on a Home Screen widget and a Lock Screen widget at once.
Why is my Lock Screen widget gray?
iOS draws Lock Screen widgets in a single tint that matches your clock, so colors like green and red show only on Home Screen widgets.
Do Lock Screen widgets cost extra?
No. All widget sizes are free. The free plan covers 5 sources; Pro is $4.90 a month or $29.90 a year for unlimited sources and Live Activities.