How to add a Left widget on your iPhone Home Screen

Your Left countdowns and progress widgets can live right on your iPhone Home Screen, updating throughout the day. Here's how to add them in a few taps.

Step 1 — Set up your event in Left

Before adding a widget, create or customise the event you want to display:

1. Open the Left app on your iPhone.
2. Tap + to create a new event, or tap an existing one to edit it.
3. Give it a name, set the date, and choose a display style — countdown, since, or percentage.
4. Tap Save.

Step 2 — Add the widget to your Home Screen

1. Go to your iPhone Home Screen and long-press on any empty area until the icons start to jiggle.
2. Tap the + button in the top-left corner.
3. Search for "Left" in the widget gallery, or scroll to find it.
4. Swipe through the available sizes — small, medium, and large — and tap Add Widget on the one you want.
5. Drag the widget to your preferred Home Screen position, then tap Done.

Step 3 — Choose which event the widget shows

1. Long-press the newly added Left widget.
2. Tap Edit Widget.
3. Select the event you want to display, or leave it on Smart to let Left pick the most relevant upcoming event automatically.
4. Tap anywhere outside the widget to save.

Changing the widget size

Left supports three Home Screen widget sizes:

• Small (2×2) — shows the event name and primary countdown number
• Medium (4×2) — shows the event name, days/hours breakdown, and an optional progress bar
• Large (4×4) — shows full detail including a visual progress ring and multiple units

To change the size, remove the widget and re-add it in the new size, or use the widget editing flow if your iOS version supports resizing in place.

Tips

• Widgets update periodically — iOS controls the exact refresh frequency to preserve battery. For the most current time, open the Left app directly.
• You can add multiple Left widgets pointing to different events across multiple Home Screen pages.
• For a countdown that's visible even when your phone is locked, see the Lock Screen widget guide.