Whether it was Windows Vista, KDE Plasma, or Android—I’ve never been a fan of widgets. That changed with Samsung’s One UI 7 update to my Galaxy Z Fold 6. Now when you look at my homescreen, widgets are all you see.
Why I Disliked Widgets
I don’t like clutter. I detest clutter in my home, and I’m even more vehement about keeping it off my screen. When my colleague wrote abouthow he spreads icons all across his computer desktop, I didn’t judge, but I did have to suppress a gag. I can’t even.
For years, I’ve kept my PC backgrounds pristine.
My phones haven’t been that different. I’ve often removed everything except for a single search bar across the top or bottom, using Nova launcher to help me get the spacing just right (those were the days). Then, when I startedusing my phone as my PCandI discovered Niagara Launcher, it felt like a perfect match.
Samsung One UI 7 Changed That
I got my start in this industry back when smartphones were still finding their bearings. Each new version of Android ushered in a major visual redesign, with new iconography and different ways of interacting with our devices. Then things stabilized, and the software has felt static for a decade, with a series of iterative updates masking how much better our phones are now than they were ten years ago.
It’s hit the point now where I can’t tell you which version of Android I’m using without diving into the settings menu to check, and I write about Android devices every week.
Samsung’s One UI 7 update was thefirst mobile update I’d been excited about in years. I loved the visual changes Samsung introduced—the new icons, the translucency, and the spacing. Now that it has arrived, the attention to detail feels next level, and that includes the widgets.
My Homescreen Is Now Only Widgets
While I’m experiencing this on a Samsung device, many of the improvements to widgets are shared across Android in general. Widgets are better spaced now than they used to be. It’s easier to craft a homescreen that doesn’t look like all the bits of information are crammed together. Samsung’s widgets have round corners and are typically transparent, allowing the background to peep through.
The widgets available have also harmonized with the way I now use my device. They give me the flexibility to tailor my phone to my needs in a way no designer can predict on their own. It makes the phone feel more personal than a grid or folders full of apps.
When my phone is closed, I now have five pages of widgets. When my phone is open, it’s two and a half.
Here Are Some of My Favorites
I journal withSamsung Notesdaily, and it’s helpful having several notes accessible directly from my homescreen. Through the use of widget stacks, I can even keep several notes tucked inside a single widget, which is a handy way to organize projects.
I keep mySamsung Calendarevents andSamsung Remindertasks visible at a glance. These two apps integrate well together. Not only do the widgets share the same vibe, but the apps are interrelated. Tasks can show up in my calendar, and I can create tasks from the calendar app.
I can see important budget categories I’ve created inYNAB, helping me keep an idea of the money available before I spend it. I don’t need to know the current state of my mortgage category, since we spend that amount all at once each month, but it’s helpful to keep tabs on how much is left for groceries or how much I can put toward graphic novels.
I have a section dedicated to work, where I can see the pitches I need to work on over the coming week. We useAsanahere at How-To Geek, which happens to provide a competent widget. I’ve placed aSamsung Voice Recorderwidget next to it, since I occasionally want to get ideas down while I’m walking or driving.
I also keepSamsung Musicaccessible. I have alarge collection of Lo-Fi musicI’ve purchased that I listen to while I work or just to vibe out wherever I am or no matter what I’m doing.
I don’t pitch my list of widgets as a list of the best widgets out there. These are some of the ones I use, and most of them come preinstalled on Samsung phones. One of my colleagues has created a similarlist of his favorite Android widgets, except his consists of the Google versions instead.
