Widgets and controls
With the Focus one widgets you see your tasks without opening the app and capture new ones with a tap. You choose which list and which Area a widget shows. All widgets and controls are free.
The widgets at a glance
The widget gallery offers three Focus one widgets:
| Widget | Shows | Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Task Count | Number of open tasks in a list | Home Screen: small · Lock Screen: circular and inline |
| Task List | The top tasks of a list | Home Screen: small, medium, large · Lock Screen: rectangular |
| Focus one (“Add Task”) | A plus for capturing | Home Screen: small · Lock Screen: inline, circular, rectangular |
There are also two controls (iOS 18 or later) for Control Center, the Lock Screen and the Action button:
| Control | Effect |
|---|---|
| Add Task | Opens Focus one with Quick Add |
| Open List | Opens the list (and optionally the Area) you choose when adding it |
On iPhone there is also an Add Task quick action when you long-press the app icon.
Choose the list and Area
Task Count, Task List and the “Open List” control have two settings:
- List: Inbox, Focus, Next or Scheduled. The default is “Next”.
- Area: “All Areas” or one specific Area. Without a choice, the widgets show “All Areas”. The Inbox always spans all Areas, so the Area choice has no effect there.
To change it:
- Touch and hold the widget on the Home Screen and tap Edit Widget.
- Choose List and Area.
- Tap outside the widget to apply the setting.
The “Focus one” capture widget has no settings. One tap opens Quick Add.
Special case: the “Open List” control. If you haven’t chosen an Area, Focus one stays in the Area you’re currently in. Only if you explicitly choose “All Areas” does the app switch to all Areas.
Combine several widgets. You can add the same widget more than once, for example a “Next” task list for the Office Area and one for Home, plus an Inbox count as a reminder to process it.
What the widgets show
Header. Symbol and name of the list in the list’s color. Medium and large widgets show the number of open tasks on the right. If you chose an Area, its name appears below in the Area color (in the large widget with the Area symbol).
Tasks. The order is the same as in the app. How many rows fit depends on the size:
| Size | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Small | 3, title only |
| Medium | 4, project on the right (with “All Areas” also the Area) |
| Large | 8, with Area and project on a second line |
| Lock Screen rectangular | 2 |
Date and deadline. In the “Scheduled” list the date appears on the right. A deadline only shows once it has been reached: an orange flag for “Today”, a red exclamation mark for overdue (“Yesterday”, “3 days ago”). In the app’s Monochrome mode (Pro), the hints appear in bold instead of color.
Empty or not loaded. If the list is empty, the widget says “No tasks”. If it says “Open Focus one to load your tasks”, the app hasn’t provided any data yet. Open it once.
Tapping
- A task in a medium or large widget: opens Focus one in that list and selects the task. With “All Areas”, the app switches to “All Areas” so the task is visible.
- The plus symbol (medium and large): opens Quick Add.
- Anything else, including the whole small widget and the Lock Screen widgets: opens the list (in the chosen Area).
Updating
Focus one refreshes the widgets after every change in the app and again after midnight, because “Next” and “Scheduled” depend on today’s date. iOS decides when a widget is actually redrawn, so a change can take a few seconds to show. Changes from another device appear once Focus one has picked them up via iCloud. Tasks you create with Siri or a shortcut only appear once Focus one has imported them (see Siri and Shortcuts).
Add to the Home Screen
- Touch and hold an empty spot on the Home Screen.
- Tap the + at the top.
- Search for Focus one and choose a widget and size.
- Tap Add Widget and then Done.
- If needed, choose list and Area (see above).
Add to the Lock Screen
- Touch and hold the Lock Screen and tap Customize.
- Tap the widget area above or below the clock.
- Choose Focus one and the shape you want: circular (count or plus), rectangular (two tasks or plus) or inline (one line of text).
Add to Control Center (iOS 18 or later)
- Open Control Center and tap + at the top left.
- Choose Add a Control and then Focus one.
- Choose Add Task or Open List. For “Open List” you set the list and Area.
You can also place the same controls on the Lock Screen instead of the flashlight or camera and assign them to the Action button (iPhone 15 Pro and later): Settings → Action Button → Controls.
On iPad and Mac
iPad offers the same widgets. On the Mac the widgets are available in Notification Center and on the desktop in the small size, the Task List also in medium and large. Lock Screen widgets and controls exist only on iPhone and iPad.
Tips
- Focus count on the Lock Screen: A circular widget with the “Focus” list shows how many tasks you’ve committed to without unlocking.
- One widget per Area: Add two “Next” task lists, one for Office and one for Home, and put them in a widget stack. You swipe between Areas.
- Open List on the Action button: One press takes you straight to “Next” in the Area you need.
See also: Capturing tasks, Siri and Shortcuts, The standard lists, Areas.