What's New for Widgets in iOS 27 (and How to Use Them)

Q: Which apps support the Extra Large widget in iOS 27?

Apple's Calendar, Photos, Music and Weather support it, plus third-party apps. WidgetLoft supports it too and fits up to 77 apps with small icons on one full Home Screen page.

Q: Can iOS 27 widgets show notification counts?

Not counts. With the new Shortcuts Notification trigger, WidgetLoft can show a dot on an app's tile. The dot clears when you open the app from the widget. Reading a notification only on the Lock Screen or Apple Watch does not clear it, and websites, Shortcuts tiles and contacts cannot have dots.

Quick answer: iOS 27, released September 14, 2026, brings three widget-related changes: an Extra Large widget size that fills a full Home Screen page, a Notification trigger for Shortcuts automations, and a compact clock mode on the Lock Screen. App launcher widgets like WidgetLoft (formerly FolderMini) use the first two: one Extra Large widget holds up to 77 apps, and tiles can show a dot when an app gets a notification.

iOS 27 is not a widget overhaul, but its changes are practical. Here is what is new, what it means for app launcher widgets, and how to set it up.

What changed for widgets in iOS 27

Extra Large widget size. The new size fills a full Home Screen page, a 4×6 grid area. Apple's Calendar, Photos, Music and Weather support it, and third-party apps can support it too.

A Notification trigger in Shortcuts. Shortcuts automations can now run when an app delivers a notification. That also lets widget apps react to your notifications.

Compact clock on the Lock Screen. Compact clock mode shows a smaller time at the top, next to the date and your widgets.

What it means for app launcher widgets

WidgetLoft turns groups of apps into Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, and a tap on a tile opens the app directly. iOS 27 adds two things to that:

Extra Large holds up to 77 apps. With small icons, one full-page widget fits 77 tiles (54 with medium icons, 40 with large, 24 with extra large). On iPad, the wide Extra Large holds up to 72.
Notification dots on tiles. WidgetLoft uses the new Notification trigger to put a dot on an app's tile when that app gets a notification. It is a dot, not a count, and it clears when you open the app from the widget.

WidgetLoft 2.1.0 also adds two features that pair well with a big widget:

Dark icons for every app. Popular apps come with ready-made dark icons and Apple's apps use Apple's real dark icons. Apps you add by App Store search now get a dark icon made right on your phone. Nothing is uploaded.
One-tap Dynamic Island. With the Quick Launch bar turned on, apps in the Dynamic Island open in one tap, directly.

Step-by-step: use the new iOS 27 widget features

Update to iOS 27. Open Settings → General → Software Update and install iOS 27.
Add an Extra Large widget. In WidgetLoft, create a group in the Groups tab and add your apps. Then long-press the Home Screen, tap +, search for WidgetLoft and choose the Extra Large size.
Set up one notification dot. In WidgetLoft, open Settings → Notification Dots. In Shortcuts, go to Automation → Apps → Notification, pick the app, keep Automation on and Notify off, and add the WidgetLoft action Show Notification Dot for the same app. It takes about a minute per app.
Customize the Lock Screen. Long-press the Lock Screen, tap Customize, switch to the compact clock, and add a WidgetLoft widget with one row of up to 4 apps (3 with large icons).

iOS 27 widget changes at a glance

| iOS 27 change | What you can do with it | | --- | --- | | Extra Large widget size | Put up to 77 apps on one Home Screen page with WidgetLoft | | Calendar, Photos, Music and Weather support Extra Large | Give a full page to the Apple app you check most | | Shortcuts Notification trigger | Show a dot on a WidgetLoft tile when that app gets a notification | | Lock Screen compact clock | Keep the time small next to your widgets, including a row of your top apps |

Apple's widgets mostly show information. WidgetLoft uses the same new size and trigger to open your apps, and it still works on iOS 18 and later. For the full dot setup, read our guide to notification badges on widgets.

Common questions

Which apps support the Extra Large widget in iOS 27? Calendar, Photos, Music and Weather, plus third-party apps. WidgetLoft fits up to 77 apps in one.

Can iOS 27 widgets show notification counts? Not counts. WidgetLoft shows a dot, which clears when you open the app from the widget. Reading a notification only on the Lock Screen or Apple Watch does not clear it, and websites, Shortcuts tiles and contacts cannot have dots.

Do I need iOS 27 to use WidgetLoft? No. WidgetLoft works on iOS 18 and later. Only the Extra Large size and notification dots need iOS 27.

Ready to fill a full page with your apps? Download WidgetLoft on the App Store and get the most out of iOS 27 widgets.