Yes, Snapchat does have a widget that can be added to the home screen on Android and iOS devices. The Snapchat widget allows users to quickly view their friends’ stories and see recent chats without having to open the full Snapchat app.
What is a Widget?
A widget is a small app extension that runs on the home screen of a smartphone. Widgets allow users to quickly view key information from an app without having to launch the full app.
Widgets sit on the home screen alongside app icons and can display information like weather forecasts, calendar events, news headlines, social media updates, and more. They provide tiny snippets of information in a condensed format so users can conveniently see brief updates without the need to load a full app.
Types of Snapchat Widgets
Snapchat has two main widget options on iOS and Android devices:
Friends’ Stories Widget
The Friends’ Stories widget shows thumbnails of friends’ stories available to view. By tapping on a friend’s thumbnail, the user can jump directly into that friend’s story without needing to open the Snapchat app.
This provides easy access to view friends’ shared stories, without all the extra taps needed to get into the Stories section within Snapchat.
Quick Chat Widget
The Quick Chat widget displays a list of recent chats within Snapchat, making it simple to jump back into ongoing conversations.
Tapping on a contact’s name in the Quick Chat widget opens up the chat screen with that user, eliminating the need to navigate through the Chats section first.
How to Add Snapchat Widgets
Adding Snapchat widgets to your home screen is easy and just takes a few steps:
On Android
1. Long press on an empty area of your home screen
2. Tap on Widgets
3. Scroll down and select Snapchat
4. Choose either the Friends’ Stories Widget or Quick Chat Widget
5. The widget will be added to your home screen
On iOS
1. Long press on an empty area of your home screen
2. Tap on the + icon to open the widgets menu
3. Scroll down and tap on Snapchat
4. Select either the Friends’ Stories Widget or Quick Chat Widget
5. The widget will be added to your home screen
Once added, you can access the widgets with just one tap without opening Snapchat.
Benefits of Snapchat Widgets
There are a few key benefits to using Snapchat’s home screen widgets:
Faster Access
The widgets provide quicker access to Snapchat’s core social features compared to launching the full app. You can instantly view friends’ stories or resume chats without all the loading time.
Glanceable Information
With bite-sized info and thumbnails, the widgets give just enough details to stay updated without getting sucked into the app. The snapshots of information allow you to quickly check in without disrupting your focus.
Convenience
Placing the widgets on your home screen puts Snapchat’s key features just a tap away. Rather than digging through folders and home screens to find the Snapchat icon, the widgets offer direct access without burying the app.
Curation
The widgets showcase the most recent and relevant information from Snapchat. You see your closest friends’ stories up top and your most recent conversations first, prioritizing the people and content you care about most.
Customizing Snapchat Widgets
To tailor the widgets to your preferences, Snapchat offers a few customization options:
Stories Widget Settings
In Snapchat, you can edit the Stories widget to only show certain friends by:
1. Going to your profile
2. Tapping the gear icon
3. Selecting Friend Widgets
4. Choosing which friends to display
This lets you curate a widget with just your best friends’ stories if you prefer.
Quick Chat Widget Settings
The Quick Chat widget settings allow you to:
– Toggle between showing 3 or 4 most recent chats
– Choose whether to display friends’ names or just icons
– Show read receipts or not
Adjusting these gives you more privacy or more context depending on your needs.
Widget Order
On iOS, you can hold and drag Snapchat widgets to reorder them how you prefer on your home screen. Put the one you use most on top.
On Android, the widget order is determined by when they were added, with the newest on top. Removing and re-adding widgets can reorder them.
Widget Size
The widgets come in set sizes – usually 2×2 or 4×2. You can’t adjust their dimensions, but you can add multiple sizes of the same widget if you want.
Limitations
Snapchat’s widgets do have a few limitations to note:
Not Interactive
The widgets are view-only, meaning you can’t reply to chats or post stories directly from them. Interactions require launching the full Snapchat app.
Basic Information
You only see a preview of content, not full stories or complete chat histories. The widgets serve primarily as quick view companions to the main app.
Limited Options on iOS
On iOS, you can only pick one Snapchat widget type per home screen rather than having both available at once. You’ll need to swap between the Friends and Chat widgets.
Android Exclusive Features
Certain widget features like customizing which friends to show are currently exclusive to Android devices. iOS users have fewer widget customization abilities.
Troubleshooting Snapchat Widgets
If you’re having trouble with Snapchat widgets, here are some troubleshooting tips:
App Out of Date
Make sure Snapchat is updated to the latest version. Outdated app versions may not support widgets.
Restart Device
If widgets suddenly disappear or stop working, try restarting your Android device or iPhone. This will refresh the home screen.
Remove and Re-Add
Deleting the widget and adding it back again can often fix minor glitches. Make sure to fully remove it first.
Clear App Cache
On Android, clearing the Snapchat app cache in your device settings can help widgets start working properly again if issues persist.
Check Notifications Settings
Ensure notifications are enabled for Snapchat so that widgets can receive live updates. Check in Snapchat notification settings.
Contact Snapchat Support
For ongoing widget problems, it may help to reach out to Snapchat customer support for additional troubleshooting help.
Snapchat Widget FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Snapchat’s widgets:
Is there a Snapchat widget for iOS?
Yes, Snapchat offers home screen widgets for both iOS and Android devices. However, iOS has fewer widget customization options currently.
Do Snapchat widgets use extra battery life?
The widgets may decrease battery life slightly since they run in the background, but the impact is minimal compared to actively using the Snapchat app. Closing background apps can help.
Do the Snapchat widgets work on tablet devices?
Yes, Snapchat widgets are available on both smartphones and tablets running Android or iOS. Just add them the same way you would on a phone.
Can the Snapchat widgets be resized?
Unfortunately no, Snapchat’s widgets currently come in fixed sizes like 2×2 or 4×2 that can’t be adjusted or resized. You’re limited to the default dimensions.
Is there a Dark Mode for the Snapchat widgets?
As of now, there is no dedicated dark mode for Snapchat’s widgets. They dynamically adapt to light/dark mode based on your device system settings.
Conclusion
Snapchat’s customizable home screen widgets provide quick access to view friends’ stories and recent chats without opening the app. While they have some limitations, the widgets offer convenient glanceable updates to complement the full Snapchat experience. With their streamlined bite-sized information, Snapchat widgets can become a seamless part of your Android or iOS device’s home screen.