Best widgets for two screens

Widgets on the iPhone Duo have two homes: the 5.4-inch outer display when the phone is closed and the 7.6-inch inner display when it's open, per TidBITS. Here's how Apple's Home Screen handles both, then six widget options with a price as of Nov 7, 2026 and one catch each.

How widgets work on the two Home Screens

Apple says that when iPhone Duo is open, the display shows two Home Screen pages with Today View, which it calls "a vertically scrolling list of customizable widgets," per its iPhone Duo announcement. MacRumors reports that Today View and your widgets sit on the left of the inner display.

TidBITS says the Home Screen you see on the outside fades in on the right side of the inner screen as you open the phone, and you can swipe for more full-width Home Screen pages. Engadget notes that the extra room means more apps at once or larger widgets.

Closed, the outer display follows the sideways layout of iOS 27 on Duo. Apple says the Dock on the Home Screen moves to the side, and TapSmart reports that it runs down the right edge.

Separate or shared layouts?

Apple hasn't said whether the outer and inner Home Screens can hold different widget arrangements. TidBITS' description of the outer page reappearing on the right half of the inner screen suggests the two share one layout, with Today View as the inner display's extra column, but that's an inference rather than something Apple has documented.

Widget sizes on the inner display

iOS 27 adds an extra-large widget that stretches to a 4x6 grid, up from the 4x4 large size, and it works on any size iPhone, according to 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac also counts more than 15 new built-in widgets across 11 Apple apps, including Calendar, Music, News, Photos and Weather.

Federico Viticci writes in the MacStories iOS 27 review that it's fair to assume extra-large widgets were designed for the Duo's inner display, and 9to5Mac makes the same guess, but Apple hasn't said so. TapSmart says the inner display has room for extra large widgets next to its two Home Screen pages, which likely means one extra-large widget can fill one of those pages.

StandBy on either display

Apple says the Duo enters StandBy on either the outer or inner display when you set it down, working as a photo frame, widget hub or clock. New Calendar and Weather faces join the Clock and Modular faces, Photos can show Shared Albums, and Apple says every face gets new colors, fonts and complications.

TapSmart says StandBy on Duo can show widgets, including large widgets from your apps such as a countdown or sports scores, and that you touch and hold a face to change it. The no-charger setup steps are in the iPhone Duo tips guide.

The widget apps

Each pick below either names iPhone Duo in its own release notes or comes from Apple. Prices are US App Store listings as of Nov 7, 2026. None of these have been tested here, so the notes reflect what developers and Apple say.

Apple's built-in widgets

The new iOS 27 widgets for Calendar, Weather, Photos, Music and News come with the phone at no extra cost, per 9to5Mac's rundown, and Apple's StandBy faces add Calendar and Weather views on top. The catch: 9to5Mac's rundown doesn't say which of the new built-in widgets come in the extra-large size.

Widgetsmith

The Widgetsmith App Store listing says version 9.0 adds iPhone Duo support with full-screen views on the inside display, along with a reworked widget editor and a gallery of designs. Version 8.6 earlier added extra-large Home Screen widgets. Widgetsmith is free, with Widgetsmith Premium in-app purchases listed at $1.99, $3.99, $19.99 and $29.99 as of Nov 7, 2026. The catch: the listing doesn't say which of those prices is monthly or yearly, and the Duo note describes the app's own screens rather than new widget layouts.

MoYo - widgets & wallpaper

MoYo's App Store release notes say version 7.3.3 is "fully adapted and optimized for the iPhone Duo," and version 7.3.7 adds iOS 27 extra-large Calendar, Countdown and Photos widgets plus an animated Icon Launch widget. MoYo is free, with in-app purchases listed from $7.99 for Subscription Monthly to $20.99 for Lifetime as of Nov 7, 2026. The catch: the listing shows six overlapping plans with similar names, so check which one you're buying.

CARROT Weather

The CARROT Weather listing shows version 6.9.2 added iPhone Duo support and multi-window support, with expansive weather maps and side-by-side radar, and an earlier update let you add its widgets to StandBy. CARROT is free, with CARROT Premium at $4.99 a month or $19.99 a year and Premium Ultra options up to $39.99 as of Nov 7, 2026. The catch: Lock and Home Screen widgets are a Premium feature, and the weather maps widget needs Premium Ultra.

Fantastical

Apple's October newsroom post on Duo apps says Fantastical shows calendars, tasks and menus together on the Duo's larger display, and Fantastical 4.2.4's release notes add iPhone Duo support. Fantastical is free, with Flexibits Premium listed at $6.99 and $56.99 and Premium for Families at $10.49 and $89.99 as of Nov 7, 2026. The catch: neither the notes nor the description detail Duo-specific or extra-large widgets, so the Duo work appears to be in the app rather than its widgets.

Things 3

Cultured Code's Things release notes say version 3.25, released Oct 21, 2026, tailors Things for iPhone Duo with a layout that adapts to every orientation, multiple windows and a sidebar when unfolded in landscape. The Things 3 listing says its widgets show lists on the Home and Lock Screens, and version 3.24 added an extra-tall widget for longer lists. Things 3 costs $9.99 as of Nov 7, 2026. The catch: the Duo changes cover the app, not its widgets, and the notes don't mention the iOS 27 extra-large size.

Which setup fits you

For most people, Apple's built-in widgets and the new StandBy faces cover the basics for free. Widgetsmith or MoYo make more sense if you want a designed page for the inner display, and CARROT Weather, Fantastical and Things are worth it mainly if you already use or pay for those apps.

For what to run with the phone closed, see best apps for the outer screen, and for two apps at once, see how to use Split View. More picks are in best apps for iPhone Duo.

We'll update this guide when Apple documents whether the two Home Screens can hold separate layouts. Which widget earns a spot on your inner display?