How to add a Gmail widget to the iPhone home screen (iOS 14)
Google has finally updated Gmail with support for the iOS 14 homescreen widgets feature. Version 6.0.201101 or later version allows users to add the Gmail widget on the iPhone home page layout. All you have to do is update the app and add the look of the “Add a widget” menu.
The new Gmail widget comes with visible information that tells you how many unread messages are available in your inbox, along with three quick actions: Search in emails, compose and Mailbox. Due to the current limitations of iOS 14, you cannot interact with the widget. The only option is to tap on any of the available sections and you will be taken to that specific part of Gmail.
How to add a Gmail widget to the home screen
Before you start, make sure you’re using the latest version of Gmail for iOS. use this App Store direct link to update if needed. If an update was needed, make sure to run the Gmail app at least once before continuing, this will activate the Gmail widget for iOS 14.
- Long press an empty spot on the Home screen until the app icons or widgets start to move and you enter the Edit mode.
- Press the ‘+’ icon, available in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Scroll or search Gmail in the Add widgets sign.
- At the time of writing this article, only one widget type and size is available. It’s called Quick actions by email. Press on Add Widget.
- Drag and drop the widget to the desired location on the home screen and press Finished.
Made: Now you can find, write, and receive email updates faster right on your iPhone’s Home screen.
How to edit a Gmail account
Due to current limitations, the Gmail widget can only provide information about one email account. Unlike the Gmail app itself which you can configure to display All mailboxes, the gaze assigns your primary Gmail account to the widget by default.
You can change the account you want to use with the Gmail widget by long pressing the gaze. To select Edit widget. Press on Account and choose one available from the list.
Point: The list displays all the accounts you have added to the Gmail app on iPhone. To fill it, open the app, tap your account icon, in the upper right corner and use the Add another account option. You can also use the ‘Manage accounts on this device’ option to enable or disable the accounts you want to use.
Tower: If you need to use multiple accounts, you can add multiple Gmail widgets and select different accounts for each.
How to Fix Gmail Widget Not Updating
One of the issues we spotted is that the new Gmail widget doesn’t always display the correct value for Unread mails. There are several reasons for this:
1. Set up the correct Gmail account
Make sure you are using the correct Gmail account. You can take a look at this by checking the account icon displayed at the end of the Search in messaging field.
2. Multiple accounts
If the badge on the Gmail icon shows a different, higher number than the Unread field, that’s not necessarily wrong. This is because the Gmail badge shows the total number of unread messages on all Gmail accounts configured in the app, while the widget shows the unread number for a single account.
3. iOS 14 limitations
Unfortunately, the Gmail widget cannot update automatically when new messages are received. We noticed that the Unread value is updated every time you open the Gmail app. It’s not intuitive to the user, but that’s how widgets currently work in iOS 14.
Are you using the Gmail widget on the iPhone home screen? Share your comments using the comments section. Do not hesitate to ask for help.
Related: You might also be interested in adding the Search Goolge widget to your home screen. For even more widgets, you can check out this top 10 collection, along with over 100 additional widgets for iOS 14!