Widget Center
The Widget Center is a dedicated side-drawer panel that displays your Android app widgets in a clean, scrollable grid layout. Keeping widgets off your main home screen helps maintain a minimal aesthetic while keeping information accessible with a single swipe.
Accessing the Widget Center
- Open: Swipe inward from the edge where Widget Center is assigned (see Position Config).
- Dismiss: Swipe the panel back toward the edge, or tap the dimmed background area.
If you have set up a panel chain in Position Config, swiping inward from the Widget Center opens the next panel in the chain. Swipe back toward the edge to return.
Managing Widgets (Edit Mode)
To customize the layout, size, and list of widgets, enter Edit Mode:
- Swipe to open the Widget Center.
- Tap the Edit (edit) icon in the panel header. The grid background will fade in, indicating Edit Mode is active.
- To exit Edit Mode, tap the Done (done) icon in the panel header, or press the Back gesture/button.
Pressing Back while in Edit Mode exits Edit Mode first. Pressing Back again closes the panel.
Grid Layout Customizations
Within Edit Mode, you can customize each widget's footprint on the grid:
1. Adding Widgets
- Tap the Add Widget (add) icon that appears in the panel header while in Edit Mode.
- Select a widget from your installed applications. Android may prompt you to grant a permission to bind the widget to Key Launcher's widget host — tap Allow.
💎 Free plan limit — You can add up to 3 widgets to the Widget Center on the free plan. Key Launcher Pro unlocks unlimited widgets, a custom panel background (color or image), and adjustable grid columns (all included in the 30-day free trial).
2. Moving Widgets (Drag Handle)
- Tap and drag the Drag Handle (drag_handle) icon in the top-left corner of any widget.
- While dragging, a position indicator (e.g.,
R2 C1) appears in the center of the widget showing its current row and column in the grid. - Collision resolution: If you drag a widget into an occupied space, other widgets are pushed downward to make room.
3. Resizing Widgets (Resize Handle)
- Tap and drag the Resize Handle (open_in_full) icon in the bottom-right corner of any widget.
- Drag horizontally to adjust column span, vertically to adjust row span.
- A size indicator (e.g.,
2×3= 2 columns × 3 rows) appears in the center of the widget while resizing.
4. Removing Widgets
- Tap the Delete (delete) icon in the top-right corner of the widget tile to instantly remove it from the panel.
Settings & Layout Options
You can tune the Widget Center layout via Settings > Widget Center:
Stepped Scrolling (Row Snapping)
When enabled, the scroll position snaps to the top of the nearest widget row when you lift your finger. This prevents widgets from being partially cut off at the panel edge.
Grid Columns
💎 Pro feature — Adjusting the number of grid columns requires Key Launcher Pro. Free users see the default column count. Individual widgets automatically wrap and scale to fill the active column width.