Add Shortcuts to Open Your Favorite Apps Instantly from Your iPhone's Lock Screen - Gadget Hacks

Widgets tin show indispensable accusation from an app close connected your iPhone's Lock Screen, but there's an adjacent bigger crushed you should beryllium utilizing them: accelerated entree to your most-used apps.

Thanks to iOS 16, you tin adhd 1 widget supra the clip connected the Lock Screen and up to 4 tiny ones beneath the time. And you tin bash that for each of your Lock Screen wallpapers. So you tin person at-a-glance app details connected each your Lock Screens, matching like-minded widgets with the themes and focuses of your wallpapers.

When you person a Lock Screen widget set, tapping it volition unfastened up the app connected your iPhone, astir apt consecutive to immoderate the widget displays. For example, erstwhile you adhd a awesome widget for the Stocks app, tapping it volition unfastened Stocks straight to immoderate banal you assigned.

• Don't Miss: This Hidden Trick Lets You Bold Text successful Your iPhone's Status Bar for a Heavier Look System-Wide

That's portion of the reply to accelerated entree to your favourite apps. But what if you privation the app to unfastened to its location leafage alternatively of a circumstantial view? Some apps whitethorn springiness you widgets that bash that, but astir bash not, and there's a bully accidental the app you privation a shortcut to doesn't adjacent enactment Lock Screen widgets.

Adding Lock Screen Shortcuts for Any App

Unfortunately, Apple has not created immoderate Lock Screen widgets for its Shortcuts app, which would astir apt beryllium the champion solution for opening apps from your Lock Screen. Until that happens, determination are third-party apps that tin capable the gap. One of those is Launchify.

• App Store Link: Launchify: Lock Screen Widgets

While Launchify is free to install, it does bug you to subscribe to a paid monthly oregon yearly plan. However, the app lets you make 2 app shortcuts for the Lock Screen for free. Similar apps whitethorn outgo more, portion others whitethorn springiness you much escaped app shortcut widgets. Here are a fewer alternatives you tin cheque out:

• LockFlow·Lock Screen Launcher: No bounds connected the fig of escaped app shortcut widgets you tin make, and you tin adjacent make a widget for a folder that houses immoderate fig of app shortcuts. However, it costs $2.99 per month, $9.99 per year, oregon $32.99 erstwhile to unlock different features, similar opening and selecting apps from a folder straight connected the Lock Screen. The icons it automatically assigns apps are ever off, and you tin lone swap them retired with different symbols oregon representation uploads.
• Top Widgets: There doesn't look to beryllium a bounds connected escaped app shortcut widgets, and determination are a fewer antithetic styles to take from. However, you're stuck utilizing Top Widgets' icon designs. The interface is beauteous cluttered, truthful it's visually hard to find and prime something, and determination are ads. But you tin region ads and unlock different features for $1.49 per month, $3.49 per quarter, oregon $8.49 per year.
• Lock Launcher - Screen Widget: Like Launchify, you're constricted to 2 app shortcut widgets earlier you person to wage up. There are much customization options for the widget design, and you tin usage URL schemes to unfastened unsupported apps for your 2 escaped app shortcuts. The app's pro version, which unlocks everything, costs $4.99 once, truthful there's nary subscription. Currently, it's connected merchantability for $0.99.
• Widgetable: Lock Screen Widget: As with Top Widgets, determination doesn't look to beryllium a bounds connected escaped app shortcut widgets. It chooses a user-submitted icon for you, but you tin alteration it to a symbol. The interface is besides beauteous cluttered and precise akin to Top Widgets' design, truthful it's visually hard to find and prime something, and determination are ads. You tin region ads and unlock different features for $1.99 per period oregon $19.99 per year, and determination is simply a escaped three-day trial.
• Widgetsmith: If you tin get past the clunky and confusing UI, you tin astir apt adhd arsenic galore escaped app shortcut widgets arsenic you want, but you request to cognize the URL strategy arsenic it doesn't connection immoderate prepopulated options. You tin prime from your ain photos, symbols, oregon a predesigned theme. Some themes necessitate the pro mentation for $1.99 per period oregon $19.99 per year. There are ads that the pro mentation removes too.
• ScreenKit- Widget, Themes,Icon: As seems to beryllium the norm, the UI is beauteous confusing to use. Free app shortcut widgets look endless, but you're constricted successful their designs. One chill diagnostic lets you usage GIFs, though. ScreenKit charges to unlock assorted themes, ranging from $2.99 erstwhile to $49.99 per year.

While Steps 1 to 3 beneath connected designing your widgets volition beryllium antithetic from app to app, Steps 4 to 7 volition beryllium precise akin erstwhile it comes to really adding them to your Lock Screen. However, astir of them usage URL schemes to unfastened apps, and you tin taxable your ain if you can't find 1 for your app; Visit my URL schemes lists for Apple apps and third-party apps to explore.

Step 1: Choose an App

In Launchify, pat the positive (+) motion connected the Apps tabs, past take "App." You'll past spot the implicit database of apps supported by Launchify, and you tin usage the hunt instrumentality to find your app faster. Launchify uses URL schemes to motorboat apps, truthful immoderate app that assigns itself a strategy name volition work.

Don't spot your app listed? You tin pat "Add App" to adhd 1 yourself, but this is simply a premium feature. If that doesn't fuss you, sojourn my URL schemes lists for Apple apps and third-party apps to find the app you want.

Step 2: Assign an Icon

After you prime a URL drawstring for the app you want, pat "Add icon" and take a mode to adhd an image. To support the aforesaid app icon, take "App" from the menu, hunt for the app, and prime the icon, which is pulled consecutive from the App Store. You tin besides upload your ain picture, take an icon from Apple's SF Symbols library, oregon prime an representation from Launchify's icon pack.

When done, deed "Save," and you're acceptable to adhd Launchify's widget.

Step 3: Repeat for More Apps (Optional)

Before adding Launchify's widget, retrieve that Launchify lone allows 2 escaped app shortcuts earlier you person to wage for a subscription. So if you privation a 2nd app icon connected your Lock Screen, repetition Steps 1 and 2 above. If you privation much than two, Launchify charges $0.99 per period oregon $7.99 per year.

Step 4: Open the Lock Screen Editor

To adhd a Lock Screen widget, long-press the Lock Screen to unfastened the Lock Screen selector. Note that you request to authenticate yourself earlier the Lock Screen selector opens. Next, prime the due Lock Screen if you person much than one. Then, take "Customize" underneath it, and unfastened the exertion for the Lock Screen.

Step 5: Add Launchify's Widget

Tapping the spot supra the clip lets you adhd a tiny widget, but Launchify does not enactment this space. Instead, pat the widget enactment beneath the time, past take Launchify from the list. In the preview, pat oregon resistance the widget into spot to adhd it to the bottommost widget row. The Launchify widget should beryllium blank since you haven't assigned an app yet.

Step 6: Assign Your App to the Widget

Tap the blank Launchify widget to bring up the app picker. The app shortcuts you created successful Steps 1 to 3 volition amusement here. Select the 1 you want, and its icon volition regenerate the blank one. Tap "Done" to finish, past prime the Lock Screen to load it.

Step 7: Launch Your App from the Lock Screen

Back connected the Lock Screen, pat 1 of the app shortcut widgets you added with Launchify to unfastened the app. Because of iOS 16's information features, the Launchify app volition unfastened archetypal with a punctual letting you cognize that Launchify wants to unfastened the app you chose via the URL scheme. Tap "Open" to proceed.

In the future, you won't person to authorize Launchify again to unfastened that peculiar app. However, the information punctual volition look whenever you unfastened a caller app with Launchify.

Once the assigned app opens, you'll announcement that Launchify is listed successful the apical near arsenic a back-to-the-previous app button. Your iPhone volition amusement this backmost fastener each clip you unfastened an app from Launchify's Lock Screen widget since it technically uses the Launchify app to telephone up the URL strategy to power to the assigned app. This is an iOS diagnostic that cannot beryllium disabled.

Keep Your Connection Secure Without a Monthly Bill. Get a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited for each your devices with a one-time acquisition from the caller Gadget Hacks Shop, and ticker Hulu oregon Netflix without determination restrictions, summation information erstwhile browsing connected nationalist networks, and more.

Buy Now (80% off) >

Other worthwhile deals to cheque out:

• 41% disconnected a location Wi-Fi analyzer
• 98% disconnected a larn to codification bundle
• 98% disconnected an accounting bootcamp
• 59% disconnected the XSplit VCam video inheritance editor

Cover photograph and screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks