# Photo Widget — The Best One — Photo home screen widgets

> Home screen widgets for displaying personal photos and albums. (iPhone/iPad app by Sindre Sorhus.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget-the-best-one/id1532588789 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Sindre Sorhus](https://appshunter.io/developer/328077650)
- Category: Lifestyle, Photo & Video
- Price: $6.00
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 684 App Store ratings · 200 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 7 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2020-09-21
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget-the-best-one/id1532588789/reviews.md

## What is Photo Widget?

Put photos on your home screen using widgets. It also works great with StandBy.

Create as many photo widgets as you like with one or more photos per widget. If you choose more than one photo, it will change photos on a time interval (which can be customized in the settings). Each widget can have separate photos. You can also show photos from an album in your photo library.


■ Features

- Widgets with a single photo.
- Widgets with multiple photos that change on an interval (slideshow).
- Widgets showing photos from an album in your photo library (slideshow).
- Three widget sizes.
- Import photos from the photo library or the file system.
- Tapping a widget can either show a larger preview of the photo, open a URL, or run a shortcut.
- The “Album” widget has a setting to show a random photo only from the most recent `n` photos in the album, where `n` is the number you choose.


■ How it works

First, decide whether you want to select the individual photos to show (1) or just choose an existing album from your photo library (2).

1. Add photos to the app which you can later choose from in a widget. Then add the “Photo Widget” widget with the “Photos” type and edit the widget to pick the photos to show.

2. Add the “Photo Widget” widget with the “Album” type and edit it to choose the album.


■ Limitation

If you make two or more widgets of the same size where all of them are set to show all the photos or the same album, they will show photos in the same order. This is a limitation in the iOS widget system. You can work around this by giving the widgets unique names in the widget configuration.


■ Tip

If you have a widget that cycles between photos and you want to force it to skip to the next photo, long-press the widget, select “Edit Widget”, and then close the edit view. The widget should now have a new photo.


■ FAQ

〉 How do I add a widget to the home screen?

When on the home screen, long-press on the background (not on any icons), press the top-left “+” button, and select “Photo Widget”.

〉 How do I edit a widget?

When on the home screen, long-press on the widget, and select “Edit Widget”.

〉 Why can I only add 100 photos to the app?

This is because of a technical limitation in the iOS widget system. Hopefully, it can be increased in the future. It should be enough for most users though.

If you use the “Album” widget, there’s no limit to the number of photos.

〉 How can I hide the name of the app shown below the widget?

This is not possible. App developers have no way to hide it.

〉 How is this different from the built-in “Photos” widget?

The built-in widget only shows photos from “Memories” and “Featured Photos” in your photo library. There is no way to customize it or pick the photos to be shown.

〉 Can I show an animated GIF in a widget?

This is not possible.

## Key features

- Single photo widgets
- Slideshow widgets with customizable intervals
- Album widgets
- Multiple widget sizes
- Import from photo library or file system
- Widget tap actions (preview, URL, shortcut)

## Chart rankings

- #200 in Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

## What do users think of Photo Widget?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive
- 👍 Great way to personalize iPhone homescreen
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Beautiful widget design
- 👍 No ads or subscriptions
- 👍 Allows selecting photos from albums
- 👍 Lets you control photo rotation
- 👍 Useful for displaying vaccine/ID cards

**Cons**

- 🐛 Photos don't always change as expected
- 🐛 Issues with photo transfer between devices
- 🐛 Widget doesn't always display properly
- 🐛 Limited to 100 photos per widget
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with album selection

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Photos not displaying after widget removal and re-addition
- Widget not working on iPad with iOS 16
- Constant prompts for photo permissions
- Slideshow interval not working as expected

**Most requested features**

- Allow selecting entire albums instead of individual photos
- Add option to adjust photo fit within widget
- Provide preview of widget layout before adding
- Enable deleting photos from within the app
- Add support for remote image URLs

## Recent user reviews (10 of 200)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-widget-the-best-one/id1532588789/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Perfect!

*2026-07-20, version 2.3.2*

A thank you to the developer! 
This app is great! Does just what I need it to with a simple interface.

### 5/5 — Love this widget

*2026-07-15, version 2.3.2*

Hopefully this will support XL widgets coming in iOS 27!  Been using this widget flawlessly for years cant live without it.

### 5/5 — Awesome

*2026-06-30, version 2.3.2*

Love this app !
Thanks !!

### 5/5 — Very Nice App

*2025-12-22, version 2.3.2*

Simple and intuitive and a great way to make your iPhone homescreen lively and personalized. 5/5

### 5/5 — Excellent and beautiful

*2025-12-13, version 2.3.2*

Very easy to use and I love how the widget has time options to change to the next photo on the widget. Totally recommend.

### 4/5 — Good app just one annoyance

*2025-11-24, version 2.3.0*

I really like it the only thing that’s kind of annoying is the pictures will change sometimes even when I don’t tap to change

### 5/5 — free no ads

*2025-11-14, version 2.2.1*

separate albums would be nice

### 3/5 — iPhone gut, iPad leider nicht

*2025-10-18*

Funktioniert auf dem iPhone super, aber leider nicht auf dem iPad (beides iOS 18.7.1).
Habe in beiden Fällen dieselben Einstellungen für das Widget ausgewählt (All Photos, Tap Action: Show Photo) aber leider wird das Widget auf dem iPad, auch nach Neustart, nur als weiße Kachel angezeigt.

### 4/5 — Could be better

*2025-09-29, version 2.2.1*

Yes, seemingly the best photos app with the least privacy intrusions, but while it suggests you can use your full photos collection, that’s not the case. You have to manually select what you want to show.
How is it possible windows phone got this right, but 10 years later, no one has managed it again?

### 1/5 — 英語表記でよくわからない

*2025-03-20*

日本語対応にしてください
設定方法がわけわかりません
あと1分間隔に設定したのに
いつまでもおなじ写真。意味ない。

**Developer response:** The language of the app is clearly listed on the App Store page. The app also clearly explain why 1 minute interval may not always work.

## Frequently asked questions about Photo Widget

### How do I add a widget to my home screen?

To add a widget, long-press on your home screen background, tap the '+' button in the top-left corner, and then select 'Photo Widget'. You can then choose the widget type and configure its settings.

### How do I edit an existing widget?

To edit a widget, long-press on the widget you wish to modify on your home screen, and then select 'Edit Widget'. This will allow you to change the photos, albums, or other settings.

### What are the limitations on the number of photos?

There's a technical limitation of 100 photos per widget when selecting individual photos. However, if you use the 'Album' widget type, there is no limit to the number of photos displayed from your chosen album.

### How is this app different from the built-in Photos widget?

The built-in Photos widget primarily displays photos from 'Memories' and 'Featured Photos' with no customization options. This app allows you to select specific photos or albums and customize slideshow intervals.

### Can I show animated GIFs in a widget?

No, this application does not support displaying animated GIFs in widgets. It is designed to show static images from your photo library or selected albums.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.3.3 — 2026-08-12

- Bug fixes.

### 2.3.2 — 2025-12-07

- Bug fixes.

### 2.3.1 — 2025-12-02

- Bug fixes.

### 2.3.0 — 2025-11-12

- The app now requires iOS 26.

### 2.2.1 — 2025-07-21

- Bug fixes.

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## More apps by Sindre Sorhus

- [Blear](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blear/id994182280)
- [Pasteboard Viewer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pasteboard-viewer/id1499215709)
- [Refined GitHub](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refined-github/id1519867270)
- [Plain Text Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-text-editor/id1572202501)
- [Actions](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actions/id1586435171)

All apps by Sindre Sorhus: https://appshunter.io/developer/328077650

## Related topics

[photo widget change](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-widget-change) · [photo widget changing](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-widget-changing) · [animated photo widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/animated-photo-widget) · [photo widget draw](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-widget-draw) · [photo widget share](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-widget-share) · [photo widget maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-widget-maker)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*