# FreeStyle Libre widget for iPhone: Home Screen, Lock Screen, StandBy

> Abbott's apps (FreeStyle LibreLink, FreeStyle Libre 3 and LibreLinkUp) have no glucose widget for iPhone. Dulce reads your LibreLinkUp data and adds free widgets for the Home Screen, the Lock Screen and StandBy. iOS decides when widgets refresh, so they show how old the reading is; for a number that updates every minute, use the Live Activity.

URL: https://dulceglucosa.com/en/blog/libre-widget-for-iphone  
Author: Levan Khimshiashvili  
Published: 2026-10-19  
Updated: 2026-10-22

One of the questions people with a FreeStyle Libre and an iPhone ask most: why is there no widget? Abbott's apps (FreeStyle LibreLink, FreeStyle Libre 3 and LibreLinkUp) don't include a glucose widget for the Home Screen or the Lock Screen. The fix is to use an app that reads your LibreLinkUp data and does have one, like Dulce.

![Dulce widgets: Dynamic Island, Lock Screen, small and medium Home Screen widgets with a chart, and Apple Watch complications](https://dulceglucosa.com/guides/widgets-everywhere.jpg)

*Everywhere Dulce can show your glucose.*

## Dulce's widgets

Dulce has two widgets:

- **Glucose**: your latest value with the arrow and how long ago the reading was. Available in small and medium sizes for the Home Screen, and in all three Lock Screen shapes (rectangular, circular and inline, above the time).
- **Glucose chart**: the curve of the last few hours, in small and medium sizes for the Home Screen.

Both have a button to refresh on the spot.

Widgets work with the free version of Dulce.

## Add it to your Home Screen

1. **Enter edit mode**: Touch and hold an empty area of your Home Screen until the icons jiggle.

2. **Search for Dulce**: Tap the **+** button in the top corner and search for "Dulce".

3. **Pick the widget**: Swipe to choose between the number and the chart, and between small and medium. Tap **Add Widget**, then **Done**.

## Add it to your Lock Screen

1. With your iPhone unlocked, touch and hold the Lock Screen and tap **Customize**.
2. Choose **Lock Screen** and tap the widget row under the time (or the date line above it).
3. Find Dulce in the list and pick the shape you like.

[Put your Libre on your Home Screen](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6770694596?pt=127601978&ct=blog_widgets&mt=8)

## Your glucose on the nightstand with StandBy

Since iOS 17, if you charge your iPhone on its side while it's locked, it turns into a bedside clock: that's **StandBy**. Small widgets appear there, so you can have your glucose large next to the time without touching your phone at 3 a.m.

1. Check that **StandBy** is on in your iPhone settings.
2. Put the iPhone on charge, locked and in landscape.
3. Swipe to the widget view, touch and hold one of the stacks and add the Dulce widget.

## How often a widget updates

Let's be honest here: **iOS decides when widgets refresh**, to save battery, and no app can update them every minute. That's why Dulce's widgets always show how long ago the reading was, and have a button to fetch the latest value instantly.

If you want your number updated every minute on the Lock Screen, the right tool is the **Live Activity**, covered in the [Lock Screen and Dynamic Island guide](https://dulceglucosa.com/en/blog/libre-glucose-on-iphone-lock-screen).

> If the widget shows an old value even after you tap refresh, the widget isn't the problem: new readings aren't reaching LibreLinkUp. Check the [LibreLinkUp no-data guide](https://dulceglucosa.com/en/blog/librelinkup-not-working).

## More places for your glucose

- On your wrist, with the [Dulce Apple Watch app](https://dulceglucosa.com/en/blog/how-to-see-cgm-glucose-on-apple-watch).
- On your family's phone, with [followers](https://dulceglucosa.com/en/blog/sharing-cgm-glucose-with-family).

## FAQ

**Is there a FreeStyle Libre widget for iPhone?**

Not from Abbott: LibreLink, Libre 3 and LibreLinkUp have no glucose widget. Dulce reads your LibreLinkUp data and adds widgets for the Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy, for free.

**How often does the glucose widget update?**

When iOS decides, not every minute. iOS limits widget refreshes to save battery, so Dulce's widgets show how long ago the reading was and have a refresh button. For a number that updates every minute, use the Live Activity.

**Can I see my glucose on the nightstand at night?**

Yes, with StandBy. Charge your locked iPhone on its side in landscape and add the small Dulce widget to the StandBy view.
