Uchinoko LiveHow to Put a Pet Widget on Your iPhone Home Screen: Photos, Pixel Pets and Virtual Pets
Published October 8, 2026
Every time you unlock your phone, there's your pet. With widgets, you can keep photos of your pet, or a cute pixel-art pet, right on your Home Screen without opening an app. This guide covers how to add one, the kinds of pet widgets out there, and a few iOS rules worth knowing before you pick.
Three kinds of pet widgets
1. Photo widgets
The easiest is the built-in Photos widget. It can show a specific album, so make an album of just your pet and the widget will rotate through those photos. If you want more control over the look, plenty of apps make photo widgets too.
2. Pixel-art pets
A little pet drawn in pixels lives on your Home Screen or Lock Screen. Pixel art reads well at small sizes and sits nicely next to app icons.
3. Virtual pets you take care of
Tap buttons right on the widget to feed or pet your pet. Some apps even let you raise a pet together with friends.
How to add a widget to your Home Screen
- Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen until the apps start to jiggle.
- Tap Edit in the top corner, then Add Widget.
- Choose an app, pick a size (and style), then tap Add Widget.
- Drag it where you want it and tap Done.
Once it's placed, touch and hold the widget and choose Edit Widget to change which photos or album it shows. Button names may vary slightly between iOS versions.
Lock Screen and StandBy
To add widgets to your Lock Screen, touch and hold it, tap Customize, then add widgets. And in StandBy, which appears when your iPhone is charging on its side, you can show large widgets or photos like a little desk clock. It's a lovely way to keep your pet in view on your desk.
iOS rules worth knowing
Widgets can't play video
iPhone widgets can't play video continuously the way a regular video player does. How a widget changes what it shows, and any small animations, vary by app. For motion, open the app or try a moving wallpaper.
Lock Screen widgets may not show full color
Lock Screen widgets use a different display style from Home Screen widgets and may not show photos in their original colors. To see your pet's photo in full color, use the Home Screen or your wallpaper instead.
Clear and Tinted looks can change photo colors
Clear and Tinted Home Screen appearances can change how colors look in widgets, though some widgets can still show full-color images. If colors look off, touch and hold the widget and check its editing options for a color setting, or compare with the Light, Dark or Automatic look under Edit → Customize.
Popular apps (iPhone)
Based on App Store listings as of October 8, 2026. Prices and features change.
| App | Type | Your own pet | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos (built in) | Photos | As photos (choose an album) | Free |
| Widgetsmith | Photo and many other widgets | As photos | Free + subscription |
| Photo Widget: Theme Wallpapers | Photos, wallpapers | As photos | Free + in-app purchases |
| Pixel Pals | Pixel-art pets | Built-in pets | Free + paid upgrade |
| Widgetable | Virtual pets shared with friends (plus other widgets) | Pets are built in | Free + in-app purchases |
Want your own pet in pixel art?
If you'd rather see your own pet than a stock character, you'll need pixel art of your pet, either commissioned or made with an app or service. Uchinoko Live is preparing a way to enjoy pixel art of your pet in an iPhone Home Screen widget; the supporting app version is not yet available (see our home page for current availability; iPhone app: US App Store only).
This guide is published by Uchinoko Live, a made-to-order service that uses AI to create pet portraits and short videos from photos.