A to-do list widget is the cheapest productivity upgrade on your phone: no new habit to learn, no app to remember to open. Your next three tasks sit on the home screen next to the clock, and ticking one off takes a tap. Here is how to set one up on Android and iPhone, and what the My Tasks widgets can do.
Why a widget beats opening the app
Most to-do lists fail for a boring reason: you stop looking at them. The app is one swipe and one tap away, and that is far enough for a busy day to go by without a glance. A widget removes the gap. Every unlock is a reminder, and because the list is already visible, you start noticing the small tasks you can clear in a minute. Pair a "today" widget with a recurring morning routine and the list runs itself.
How to add a to-do list widget on Android
- Install My Tasks from Google Play and open it once so your lists exist.
- Long-press an empty area of the home screen and tap Widgets.
- Scroll to My Tasks and expand it to see the available widgets.
- Long-press the widget you want (Today is the best first pick) and drop it on the home screen.
- Drag the corner handles to resize — the list shows more tasks as it grows.
On Samsung phones the Widgets button is in the same long-press menu; on Pixel it is labeled Widgets as well. If My Tasks is missing from the widget list, restart the phone once after installing — some launchers only scan for new widgets on boot.
How to add a to-do list widget on iPhone
- Install My Tasks from the App Store and open it once.
- Long-press an empty area of the home screen until the apps jiggle.
- Tap the + button in the top corner (on newer iOS versions tap Edit, then Add Widget).
- Search for My Tasks, swipe between the widgets and sizes, and tap Add Widget.
- Tap Done. Tap a task in the widget to jump straight to it in the app.
The same widgets work on iPad. Widgets are available on iOS and iPadOS 15.6 or later, which is the minimum version for the app.
The widgets in My Tasks
| Widget | What it shows | Android | iPhone / iPad | Free or premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | Everything due today, including recurring tasks | Yes | Yes | Free |
| Tasks | Your task list, ticked off from the home screen on Android | Yes | Yes | Free |
| Favorites | Starred tasks you want in view all week | Yes | Yes | Premium |
| Lists | A checklist (groceries, packing) you can tick through | Yes | Yes | Premium |
| Notes | Your notes, pinned to the home screen | Yes | Yes | Premium |
| Habit heatmap | Completion streak for a recurring task, GitHub-style | Yes | Yes | Premium |
| Calendar | A month grid with your tasks and events | Yes | Android first | Premium |
All of them follow the theme you pick in the app, so a dark, coral or handwritten-font setup carries over to the home screen. Changing the look is covered in our customizable to-do list app guide.
Widget tips that stick
- Start with Today, not Tasks. A full task list on the home screen is noise; today's three items are a plan.
- Put the grocery list widget on the second screen. It is there when you shop and out of the way when you don't.
- Use the heatmap for one habit at a time. A single visible streak is more motivating than five competing ones.
- Make recurring tasks do the work. "Take out the bins — every Tuesday" shows up in the Today widget automatically; you never re-add it.
- Resize before you judge. The medium size is usually the sweet spot between glanceable and useful.
Widget not updating? The usual fixes
Android
- Battery optimization. Settings → Apps → My Tasks → Battery → Unrestricted. This is the cause nine times out of ten.
- Launcher cache. Remove the widget and add it again; on some launchers that resets a stuck view.
- App restricted in the background. On Android 15 and newer, check the app isn't marked as restricted in App info.
iPhone
- iOS refresh budget. Apple limits how often widgets redraw; opening the app refreshes them immediately.
- Low Power Mode. Background refresh slows down; the widget catches up when you charge.
- Re-add after an update. If a widget shows a blank tile after an iOS update, remove and re-add it.
Other to-do apps with widgets
Most major task apps ship widgets now. Google Tasks has a simple list widget on Android and iPhone; Microsoft To Do offers list and My Day widgets; Todoist and TickTick have polished widgets on both platforms, with some TickTick calendar widgets tied to Premium; Apple Reminders has excellent iPhone widgets but no Android app. What sets My Tasks apart is breadth — notes, checklists and a habit heatmap alongside the task widgets — with the Tasks and Today widgets free and the rest available as a one-time premium purchase rather than a subscription. For a full comparison of the apps themselves, see our Android roundup or the iPhone roundup.
FAQ: free widgets, iPhone sizes, lock screen and themes
Is the to-do list widget free in My Tasks?
The Tasks and Today widgets are free on both Android and iPhone, with no account needed. The Favorites, Lists, Notes, habit heatmap and calendar widgets are part of the premium tier, which can be bought once (lifetime) instead of as a subscription.
Does the My Tasks widget work on iPhone?
Yes. My Tasks ships WidgetKit widgets for iPhone and iPad: Tasks and Today (free), plus Favorites, Lists, Notes and a habit heatmap with premium, in small, medium or large sizes depending on the widget. Long-press the home screen, tap the plus button (or Edit, then Add Widget on newer iOS versions), search for My Tasks and pick a size.
Can I tick a task done from the widget?
On Android, yes — the task widgets mark a task complete directly from the home screen, and the Lists widget ticks list items. On iPhone, tapping the widget opens that view in the app, where you complete the task with one tap.
Why does my widget show old tasks?
On Android this is almost always battery optimization pausing background updates — exempt My Tasks in Battery settings, and on Android 15 or newer make sure the app is allowed to run in the background. On iPhone, widgets refresh on a schedule set by iOS; opening the app forces a refresh immediately.