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Overview

AppFlowy offers home screen widgets for both iOS and Android, giving you instant access to your most important pages without opening the app. Widgets update automatically to show your latest content.
Widgets are available on iOS (v0.9.8+) and Android (v0.9.9+). Make sure you’re running the latest version of AppFlowy.

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Available Widgets

Recent Pages

iOS & AndroidDisplays your most recently viewed pages for quick access. Updates automatically as you work.

Favorites

iOS & AndroidShows pages you’ve marked as favorites. Perfect for frequently accessed documents and databases.

Quick Page Access

iOS only (v0.9.9+)Create a dedicated widget for a specific page. Tap to jump directly to that page.

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Adding Widgets on iOS

1

Enter edit mode

Long-press on an empty area of your iOS home screen until the apps start jiggling.
2

Add widget

Tap the + button in the top-left corner of the screen.
3

Find AppFlowy

Scroll down or search for AppFlowy in the widget gallery.
4

Choose widget type

Swipe left and right to see the available widgets:
  • Recent Pages: Shows recently viewed pages
  • Favorites: Shows favorited pages
  • Quick Page Access: Direct link to a specific page
5

Select size

Choose your preferred widget size (Small, Medium, or Large). Different sizes show different amounts of content.
6

Add to home screen

Tap Add Widget to place it on your home screen.
7

Position the widget

Drag the widget to your preferred location and tap Done.

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Configuring iOS Widgets

1

Long-press the widget

Long-press the AppFlowy widget on your home screen.
2

Edit Widget

Tap Edit Widget from the context menu.
3

Configure settings

For Quick Page Access widgets, select which page the widget should open.Other widgets update automatically based on your usage.
4

Done

Tap outside the widget to save your changes.

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Adding Widgets on Android

1

Long-press home screen

Long-press on an empty area of your Android home screen.
2

Select Widgets

Tap Widgets from the menu that appears.
3

Find AppFlowy

Scroll through the widget list or search for AppFlowy.
4

Choose widget type

Select the widget you want to add:
  • Recent Pages: Shows recently viewed pages
  • Favorites: Shows favorited pages
5

Drag to home screen

Long-press the widget and drag it to your preferred location on the home screen.
6

Resize (optional)

Release the widget and use the resize handles to adjust its size.

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Configuring Android Widgets

1

Long-press the widget

Long-press the AppFlowy widget on your home screen.
2

Tap settings icon

Tap the settings/gear icon that appears.
3

Configure options

Adjust available settings for the widget. Options vary by widget type.
4

Save

Tap outside the widget or press Done to save changes.

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Widget Sizes & Content

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iOS Widget Sizes

SizeRecent PagesFavoritesQuick Page Access
Small2 pages2 pages1 page icon
Medium4 pages4 pages1 page with title
Large8 pages8 pages1 page with preview

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Android Widget Sizes

Android widgets are flexible and can be resized after placement:
  • Minimum: Shows 2-3 pages
  • Default: Shows 4-5 pages
  • Maximum: Shows up to 8-10 pages depending on screen size
Larger widgets show more pages but take up more home screen space. Start with a medium size and adjust based on your needs.

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Managing Favorites

To make the most of the Favorites widget, you need to mark pages as favorites in AppFlowy:
1

Open AppFlowy

Launch the AppFlowy mobile app.
2

Navigate to a page

Open the page you want to favorite.
3

Tap the star icon

Tap the star icon in the page header or use the more menu (•••).
4

Confirm

The page is now added to your favorites and will appear in the Favorites widget.
You can also favorite pages from the desktop app. Favorites sync across all your devices.

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Widget Updates & Refresh

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Automatic Updates

Widgets refresh automatically when:
  • You open a page in AppFlowy (updates Recent Pages)
  • You add or remove favorites (updates Favorites)
  • You return to the home screen
  • The system refreshes widgets (varies by platform)

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Manual Refresh

If a widget isn’t showing the latest content: iOS:
  1. Open the AppFlowy app
  2. Navigate through a few pages
  3. Return to the home screen
  4. The widget should update within a few seconds
Android:
  1. Open the AppFlowy app
  2. Make changes to relevant pages
  3. Return to the home screen
  4. Swipe down on the widget to refresh (if supported by your launcher)

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Background Refresh (iOS)

For best widget performance on iOS:
1

Open iOS Settings

Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2

Find AppFlowy

Scroll down and tap AppFlowy.
3

Enable Background Refresh

Turn on Background App Refresh.

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Troubleshooting

Solution:
  1. Make sure you’re running the latest version of AppFlowy
  2. Restart your device
  3. Reinstall AppFlowy if the issue persists

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Widget shows “No content”

Recent Pages:
  • Open AppFlowy and browse a few pages
  • The widget will populate as you use the app
Favorites:
  • Mark some pages as favorites in AppFlowy
  • Open the app to trigger a widget refresh
Quick Page Access (iOS):
  • Long-press the widget and tap Edit Widget
  • Select a page from the list

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Widget not updating

iOS:
  1. Ensure Background App Refresh is enabled for AppFlowy
  2. Remove and re-add the widget
  3. Open the AppFlowy app to trigger a refresh
Android:
  1. Check that AppFlowy isn’t restricted by battery optimization:
    • Settings > Apps > AppFlowy > Battery
    • Select Unrestricted or Optimized
  2. Remove and re-add the widget
  3. Restart your device

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Widget opens wrong page

Quick Page Access (iOS):
  1. Long-press the widget
  2. Tap Edit Widget
  3. Select the correct page
Recent Pages/Favorites:
  • This can happen if pages were deleted or moved
  • Remove and re-add the widget
  • Update your favorites list

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Widget looks blurry or pixelated

  1. Remove the widget
  2. Restart your device
  3. Re-add the widget
  4. If the issue persists, check for app updates

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Best Practices

Use multiple widgets: Add both Recent Pages and Favorites for maximum flexibility.
Organize favorites strategically: Keep your Favorites list curated to 5-10 most important pages for the cleanest widget experience.
Try different sizes: Experiment with widget sizes to find what works best for your workflow and screen layout.
iOS Quick Page Access: Create dedicated widgets for your top 2-3 pages you access daily.

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Privacy & Security

  • Lock screen privacy: Widgets can appear on your lock screen. Consider this when deciding what to favorite.
  • Widget content: Widgets only show page titles and icons, not page content.
  • Offline access: Widgets display cached data, so they work even when offline.
If your device is locked with a passcode, widgets may show limited or no information until unlocked, depending on your device settings.

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What’s Next?

iOS App

Learn more about AppFlowy for iOS features

Android App

Explore AppFlowy for Android capabilities

Sync

Understand how content syncs to your widgets

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