Custom Music Widgets on iPhone & iPad

This guide walks you through creating custom music widgets for your iPhone or iPad Home Screen and Lock Screen. You’ll learn how to use Apple’s built-in WidgetKit with the Shortcuts app to display your favorite playlists, albums, or even a specific song’s artwork — no third-party apps required. By the end, you’ll have a personalized widget that shows your music at a glance.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 or later (for Home Screen widgets) or iOS 16 / iPadOS 16 or later (for Lock Screen widgets).
The Shortcuts app (pre-installed on your device).
A music library or Apple Music subscription (for artwork and playlists).
Optional: a photo of your own for a custom background.

Step-by-Step

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap the + in the top-right corner to create a new shortcut.
Add an action: Tap Add Action and search for “Get Current Song”. Select it. This action will grab the song currently playing.
Add another action: Tap the + below the first action and search for “Get Artwork”. Select it. This will pull the album artwork for the current song.
Add a final action: Tap + again and search for “Open App”. Select it. Tap the blue “App” text and choose “Music”. This makes the widget open the Music app when tapped.
Name your shortcut: Tap the shortcut name at the top and rename it to something like “Music Widget”. Tap Done.
Add a widget to your Home Screen: Press and hold any empty area on your Home Screen until the icons jiggle. Tap the + in the top-left corner.
Search for the Shortcuts widget: Scroll down or use the search bar to find “Shortcuts”. Tap it, then choose a widget size (small, medium, or large). Tap Add Widget.
Assign your shortcut to the widget: Tap the newly added widget on your Home Screen. A menu will appear; select your “Music Widget” shortcut. The widget will now display the album artwork of the currently playing song.
For Lock Screen widgets (iOS 16+): Press and hold the Lock Screen, then tap Customize. Tap the Lock Screen to edit it, then tap the Add Widgets area (usually above or below the clock). Search for “Shortcuts” and add a small widget. Tap it and select your “Music Widget” shortcut.
Test it: Play a song in the Music app, then check your widget. The artwork should update automatically. If it doesn’t, you may need to wait a few minutes or restart your device.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong action: Make sure you use “Get Current Song” and not “Get Song” — the latter requires you to specify a song manually and won’t update automatically.
Forgetting to rename the shortcut: If you leave the default name, you might confuse it with other shortcuts when assigning to the widget.
Adding the widget before creating the shortcut: The widget needs an existing shortcut to display; create the shortcut first.
Expecting live updates: Widgets don’t update in real-time. They refresh periodically, so don’t panic if the artwork doesn’t change instantly.
Using a third-party music app: This method works only with the built-in Music app and Apple Music. Spotify and other apps won’t work with “Get Current Song”.

Tips

Add a custom background: In the Shortcuts app, add a “Set Wallpaper” action before “Get Current Song” to use a photo as the widget’s background. This creates a more personalized look.
Use multiple widgets: Create several shortcuts for different playlists or albums and assign each to a separate widget. You can even stack them using the Smart Stack feature.
Make it interactive: Add a “Play/Pause” action after “Open App” to control playback directly from the widget when tapped.
Optimize for battery: Widgets that update frequently can drain battery. Set your widget to update only when needed by keeping the shortcut simple.
Experiment with sizes: A large widget can show more info, but a small one takes up less space. Try different sizes to see what fits your screen best.

Troubleshooting

Widget shows “Shortcut” instead of artwork: This usually means the shortcut isn’t running correctly. Open the Shortcuts app, tap your shortcut, and hit the play button to test it. If it fails, check that you have the correct actions and that a song is playing.

Artwork doesn’t update: Widgets refresh on a schedule. Try removing and re-adding the widget, or restart your device. Also, make sure the Music app is playing a song — the widget won’t show anything if nothing is playing.

Widget is blank: This can happen if the shortcut returns no artwork. Ensure the “Get Artwork” action is set to “Current Song” and that the song has artwork (some local files might not).

Can’t find the Shortcuts widget: Make sure you’re on iOS 14 or later. If you’re on an earlier version, you won’t have widgets. Also, check that you’re looking in the right widget gallery — search for “Shortcuts” specifically.

Shortcut doesn’t appear in the widget list: When you tap the widget, you should see a list of your shortcuts. If yours isn’t there, go back to the Shortcuts app and verify the shortcut is saved and not hidden. You can also try renaming it to something unique.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this with Spotify?

No, the “Get Current Song” action only works with the built-in Music app and Apple Music. Spotify doesn’t expose its playback info to Shortcuts.

Will the widget show lyrics?

No, the widget only displays album artwork. For lyrics, you’d need a different widget or the Music app’s full-screen player.

Can I make the widget open a specific playlist?

Yes, instead of “Get Current Song,” use “Get Playlist” and select a specific playlist. Then use “Get Artwork” on that playlist (it will show the playlist’s cover). The widget will always show that playlist’s artwork.

Why does my widget update slowly?

Widgets are designed to update infrequently to save battery. They typically refresh every few minutes or when you interact with them. If you need faster updates, you can’t force it — it’s a system limitation.

Can I add a widget to my Mac?

Yes, macOS Sonoma and later support iPhone widgets on the Mac desktop. You can add the same Shortcuts widget to your Mac’s desktop.

Do I need a paid Apple Music subscription?

No, the widget works with any music in your library, including songs you’ve purchased or imported. However, some features like Apple Music’s curated playlists require a subscription.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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