You can’t delete the widget screen feature on an iPhone entirely – here’s how to disable it from your lock screen for security purposes, or remove apps from it

• Apple’s iOS 14 offers two widget menus — on the home screen and lock screen — to grant users easy access to some of their most popular apps and features. 
• Some users may want to delete the widget screen from their iPhone, as it presents a security risk that may allow unauthorized users to access their device.
• You can customize what appears on your widget screen or disable its appearance on your lock screen through the Settings menu, but you can’t delete the feature entirely. 
• Visit Business Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

While Apple’s iOS 14 update offered many changes and additions, one of the biggest was widgets and the Today View widget screen. The one-touch icons are Apple’s way of ensuring users have easy access to their most-used apps without having to scroll endlessly should you have a more extensive library of apps. 

While there are widgets that appear on Today View by default, these are entirely customizable so that you have the exact apps and features you use most often right at your fingertips. The widget menu can be accessed from your home screen when your phone is unlocked and when your phone is locked by swiping right.

The ability to access apps – which may contain sensitive personal information – through the lock screen is why some users want to delete the Today View widget screen altogether. Unfortunately, there is no way to delete it. But you can disable Today View from access on your lock screen, or remove certain apps from it.

Here’s how to do both. 

How to disable the Today View widget screen on an iPhone’s lock screen

1. Open the Settings app of your iPhone. 

2. Tap the "Touch ID & Passcode" or "Face ID & Passcode" option. 

3. Scroll down until you see "Today View" and toggle the button off. 

• Note: This will disable Today View from the lock screen, but it will still be accessible via the home screen when unlocked. 

How to remove apps from the Today View widget screen on iPhone  

1. Unlock your iPhone and swipe right from the home screen to open Today View. 

2. Edit the widgets on your screen one of two ways:

• Press and hold a widget already in the Today View menu and select "Edit Widgets." 
• Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap "Edit." 

 

3. To remove any widgets you don't want, tap the minus symbol (-) that appears in the top left corner of that widget's box. 

4. To add widgets, tap the plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen (+) and search from available widgets. 

5. Once you find the widget you want to add, tap it, then tap "Add widget" again.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• iOS 14 lets you add and customize widgets on an iPhone to quickly access info from your favorite apps

• How to add widgets to your iPad's home screen, and customize or remove them later

• How to lock your iPhone with a passcode and make it 'virtually impenetrable' to strangers - from your phone or remotely, if it's lost or stolen

• How to add widgets on an Android device and resize them on your home screen

• How to turn off the password and other security systems on an Android device