# Widgets

Cakeday extends upcoming birthdays to the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Apple Watch; on supported system versions, it also extends them to Control Center and a Dynamic Island Live Activity so key dates are available from more places. These surfaces honor the app's date format preference and refresh automatically after data changes.

## Home Screen Widgets

Cakeday ships several distinct Home Screen widgets, each listed separately in the widget gallery. When you add a widget, you pick the one you want by name, then choose from the sizes it supports:

- **Next Birthday:** Focuses on the next upcoming birthday with avatar, name, countdown, and age. Available in Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large.
- **Birthday List:** Shows upcoming birthdays in a compact list. Available in Small and Medium.
- **Birthday Calendar:** Browses birthdays on a calendar grid. Available in Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large.
- **StandBy Countdown:** A large birthday countdown sized for StandBy. Available in Medium only.
- **Month Progress:** Tracks the current month at a glance as days pass and birthdays light up. Available in Small only.
- **Birthday Cover:** Features today's birthday over an upcoming grid. Available in the Extra Large Portrait size on iOS 27 or later.

  Most widgets can be scoped to a person or a group. Long-press a widget and tap
  **Edit Widget** to set the **Display Mode** to **Next Upcoming**, a **Specific
  Person**, or a **Group**. When you pick **Specific Person** or **Group**,
  choose the matching **Person** or **Group** below it.

## Lock Screen Widgets

**Next Birthday** and **Birthday List** also work as Lock Screen widgets (placed above or below the clock). Three accessory styles are available:

- **Circular:** A compact ring with the next birthday's avatar or countdown.
- **Rectangular:** A small card with a name and countdown line.
- **Inline:** A single line of text that sits next to the clock.

Like the Home Screen widgets, Lock Screen widgets can be edited to pin a **Specific Person** or scope to a **Group**.

## Control Center Controls

On supported system versions, Cakeday supports several Control Center controls for high-frequency actions:

- **Add Birthday:** Opens the add-person flow directly.
- **Upcoming Birthday:** Shows the nearest upcoming birthday and can be configured for a specific group.
- **Birthday Countdown:** Pins one selected person and shows that person's dedicated countdown.

These controls reduce the number of steps between intent and action, especially for users who manage birthdays frequently.

## Live Activity and Dynamic Island

Cakeday includes a **Birthday Countdown** Live Activity that counts down to a person's birthday. It shows the person's avatar, name, the target date, a live countdown timer, and a progress bar, and switches to a celebratory state when the day arrives.

- On the **Lock Screen**, the countdown appears as a card you can tap to open that person's details.
- On the **Dynamic Island**, it adapts across the expanded, compact, and minimal presentations, keeping the countdown visible while you use other apps.

This countdown runs alongside the Birthday Alarm as the date approaches.

  

[Birthday Alarm](/docs/en/birthday-alarm)

    Set up the alarm and choose how early the countdown Live Activity begins.
  

## Apple Watch

Cakeday includes both a standalone Apple Watch app and watch-face complications. The watch experience can show upcoming birthdays, person details, and countdown information directly from your wrist.

Date format preferences are shared from iPhone to Apple Watch, so the watch app, widgets, and the main app stay aligned on date ordering.

Where supported, tapping a complication or list entry can navigate directly to the matching person. When a fuller interface is needed, Cakeday can continue that flow on iPhone.

## How to Add and Configure

**Add a Home Screen widget**

To add a Home Screen widget, long-press the Home Screen, tap the **+** button in the top-left corner, search for "Cakeday," choose a size, and place it where you want it.

**Add Control Center controls**

On supported system versions, Control Center controls can be added from the system's Control Center customization screen. Some controls support extra configuration, such as selecting a group or choosing a specific person.

## Refresh Behavior

Whenever you add, edit, or delete a birthday in Cakeday, the app requests a refresh for related widgets and controls. Apple Watch data is also synced so the companion surfaces stay current.

Actual refresh timing still depends on system scheduling, battery conditions, and widget budget, so short delays can happen.