Home Screen Widgets

Add AppFlowy widgets to your iOS or Android home screen for quick access to your workspace

Overview

AppFlowy offers home screen widgets for both iOS and Android, giving you instant access to your most important pages without opening the app. Widgets update automatically to show your latest content.

Widgets are available on iOS (v0.9.8+) and Android (v0.9.9+). Make sure you’re running the latest version of AppFlowy.

Available Widgets

Recent Pages

iOS & Android

Displays your most recently viewed pages for quick access. Updates automatically as you work.

Favorites

iOS & Android

Shows pages you’ve marked as favorites. Perfect for frequently accessed documents and databases.

Quick Page Access

iOS only (v0.9.9+)

Create a dedicated widget for a specific page. Tap to jump directly to that page.

Adding Widgets on iOS

1. Enter edit mode

   Long-press on an empty area of your iOS home screen until the apps start jiggling.

2. Add widget

   Tap the + button in the top-left corner of the screen.

3. Find AppFlowy

   Scroll down or search for AppFlowy in the widget gallery.

4. Choose widget type

   Swipe left and right to see the available widgets:

   • Recent Pages: Shows recently viewed pages
   • Favorites: Shows favorited pages
   • Quick Page Access: Direct link to a specific page
5. Select size

   Choose your preferred widget size (Small, Medium, or Large). Different sizes show different amounts of content.

6. Add to home screen

   Tap Add Widget to place it on your home screen.

7. Position the widget

   Drag the widget to your preferred location and tap Done.

Configuring iOS Widgets

1. Long-press the widget

   Long-press the AppFlowy widget on your home screen.

2. Edit Widget

   Tap Edit Widget from the context menu.

3. Configure settings

   For Quick Page Access widgets, select which page the widget should open.

   Other widgets update automatically based on your usage.

4. Done

   Tap outside the widget to save your changes.

Adding Widgets on Android

1. Long-press home screen

   Long-press on an empty area of your Android home screen.

2. Select Widgets

   Tap Widgets from the menu that appears.

3. Find AppFlowy

   Scroll through the widget list or search for AppFlowy.

4. Choose widget type

   Select the widget you want to add:

   • Recent Pages: Shows recently viewed pages
   • Favorites: Shows favorited pages
5. Drag to home screen

   Long-press the widget and drag it to your preferred location on the home screen.

6. Resize (optional)

   Release the widget and use the resize handles to adjust its size.

Configuring Android Widgets

1. Long-press the widget

   Long-press the AppFlowy widget on your home screen.

2. Tap settings icon

   Tap the settings/gear icon that appears.

3. Configure options

   Adjust available settings for the widget. Options vary by widget type.

4. Save

   Tap outside the widget or press Done to save changes.

Widget Sizes & Content

iOS Widget Sizes

Size	Recent Pages	Favorites	Quick Page Access
Small	2 pages	2 pages	1 page icon
Medium	4 pages	4 pages	1 page with title
Large	8 pages	8 pages	1 page with preview

Android Widget Sizes

Android widgets are flexible and can be resized after placement:

• Minimum: Shows 2-3 pages
• Default: Shows 4-5 pages
• Maximum: Shows up to 8-10 pages depending on screen size

Larger widgets show more pages but take up more home screen space. Start with a medium size and adjust based on your needs.

Managing Favorites

To make the most of the Favorites widget, you need to mark pages as favorites in AppFlowy:

1. Open AppFlowy

   Launch the AppFlowy mobile app.

2. Navigate to a page

   Open the page you want to favorite.

3. Tap the star icon

   Tap the star icon in the page header or use the more menu (•••).

4. Confirm

   The page is now added to your favorites and will appear in the Favorites widget.

You can also favorite pages from the desktop app. Favorites sync across all your devices.

Widget Updates & Refresh

Automatic Updates

Widgets refresh automatically when:

• You open a page in AppFlowy (updates Recent Pages)
• You add or remove favorites (updates Favorites)
• You return to the home screen
• The system refreshes widgets (varies by platform)

Manual Refresh

If a widget isn’t showing the latest content:

iOS:

1. Open the AppFlowy app
2. Navigate through a few pages
3. Return to the home screen
4. The widget should update within a few seconds

Android:

1. Open the AppFlowy app
2. Make changes to relevant pages
3. Return to the home screen
4. Swipe down on the widget to refresh (if supported by your launcher)

Background Refresh (iOS)

For best widget performance on iOS:

1. Open iOS Settings

   Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Find AppFlowy

   Scroll down and tap AppFlowy.

3. Enable Background Refresh

   Turn on Background App Refresh.

Troubleshooting

Widget not appearing in gallery

Solution:

1. Make sure you’re running the latest version of AppFlowy
2. Restart your device
3. Reinstall AppFlowy if the issue persists

Widget shows “No content”

Recent Pages:

• Open AppFlowy and browse a few pages
• The widget will populate as you use the app

Favorites:

• Mark some pages as favorites in AppFlowy
• Open the app to trigger a widget refresh

Quick Page Access (iOS):

• Long-press the widget and tap Edit Widget
• Select a page from the list

Widget not updating

iOS:

1. Ensure Background App Refresh is enabled for AppFlowy
2. Remove and re-add the widget
3. Open the AppFlowy app to trigger a refresh

Android:

1. Check that AppFlowy isn’t restricted by battery optimization:
   • Settings > Apps > AppFlowy > Battery
   • Select Unrestricted or Optimized
2. Remove and re-add the widget
3. Restart your device

Widget opens wrong page

Quick Page Access (iOS):

1. Long-press the widget
2. Tap Edit Widget
3. Select the correct page

Recent Pages/Favorites:

• This can happen if pages were deleted or moved
• Remove and re-add the widget
• Update your favorites list

Widget looks blurry or pixelated

1. Remove the widget
2. Restart your device
3. Re-add the widget
4. If the issue persists, check for app updates

Best Practices

Use multiple widgets: Add both Recent Pages and Favorites for maximum flexibility.

Organize favorites strategically: Keep your Favorites list curated to 5-10 most important pages for the cleanest widget experience.

Try different sizes: Experiment with widget sizes to find what works best for your workflow and screen layout.

iOS Quick Page Access: Create dedicated widgets for your top 2-3 pages you access daily.

Privacy & Security

• Lock screen privacy: Widgets can appear on your lock screen. Consider this when deciding what to favorite.
• Widget content: Widgets only show page titles and icons, not page content.
• Offline access: Widgets display cached data, so they work even when offline.

If your device is locked with a passcode, widgets may show limited or no information until unlocked, depending on your device settings.

What’s Next?

iOS App

Learn more about AppFlowy for iOS features

Android App

Explore AppFlowy for Android capabilities

Sync

Understand how content syncs to your widgets