Widgets and Live Activities

Timesheet offers powerful widgets and Live Activities to help you track time without opening the app. Monitor your timer, view statistics, and control tracking right from your Home Screen, Lock Screen, or Dynamic Island.

Overview

Widget Types Available:

• Home Screen Widgets - Multiple sizes for your Home Screen
• Lock Screen Widgets - Quick glance without unlocking (iOS 16+)
• Live Activities - Persistent timer display (iOS 16.1+)
• Dynamic Island - Timer in the island (iPhone 14 Pro+)
• StandBy Mode - Widgets while charging (iOS 17+)

Home Screen Widgets

Add Timesheet widgets to your Home Screen for quick access to your time tracking data.

Adding a Widget

1. Long-press on your Home Screen until icons jiggle
2. Tap the + button in the top corner
3. Search for "Timesheet"
4. Browse available widget sizes
5. Tap Add Widget
6. Drag to position on your Home Screen
7. Tap Done

Available Widget Sizes

Small Widget

• Shows current timer status (running/stopped)
• Displays elapsed time when running
• Project color indicator
• Tap to open the app

Medium Widget

• Current timer with project name
• Today's total tracked hours
• Visual progress indicator
• Quick access to timer

Large Widget

• Weekly statistics overview
• Day-by-day breakdown
• Project distribution
• Comprehensive at-a-glance view

Widget Configuration

Some widgets offer configuration options:

1. Long-press on the widget
2. Tap Edit Widget
3. Available options may include:
   • Show/hide project name
   • Select statistic type
   • Choose default project
   • Toggle salary display

Widget Placement

Place your timer widget where you can easily tap it. The top of your Home Screen or in a widget stack are great options for quick access.

Lock Screen Widgets

Access your timer directly from your Lock Screen without unlocking your device (iOS 16+).

Adding Lock Screen Widgets

1. Long-press on your Lock Screen
2. Tap Customize
3. Select the Lock Screen to edit
4. Tap the widget area:
   • Above the time - Small rectangular widgets
   • Below the time - Circular or small widgets
5. Tap + and find Timesheet
6. Select a widget style
7. Tap Done

Available Lock Screen Widgets

Widget	Location	Description
Timer Status	Below time	Running indicator with elapsed time
Today's Hours	Below time	Total hours tracked today
Circular Timer	Below time	Compact circular progress
Quick Glance	Above time	Timer + today's total

Lock Screen Widget Benefits

• Check timer status instantly
• See today's progress without unlocking
• Visual indicator when timer is running
• Tap to jump directly to the app

Live Activities

Live Activities provide a persistent, real-time view of your running timer on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island.

How Live Activities Work

When you start the timer:

1. A Live Activity automatically appears
2. Shows on your Lock Screen persistently
3. Appears in the Dynamic Island (supported devices)
4. Updates in real-time as time passes
5. Disappears when you stop the timer

Live Activity Display

Lock Screen Live Activity Shows:

• Project name and color
• Elapsed time (updates live)
• Break indicator when paused
• Start time reference

Expanded View (tap to expand):

• Full project details
• Pause/Resume button
• Stop button
• Add Break option

Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro and later)

The Dynamic Island provides ambient timer awareness:

Compact View:

• Small timer indicator in the island
• Project color accent
• Elapsed time in minimal format

Expanded View (tap the island):

• Project name
• Full elapsed time
• Quick action buttons
• Tap outside to collapse

Minimal View:

• When other Live Activities are present
• Small indicator showing timer is running
• Tap to expand

Managing Live Activities

Enable/Disable:

1. Go to iOS Settings → Timesheet
2. Toggle Live Activities on or off

Or within the Timesheet app:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications
2. Toggle Live Activities

Live Activity Controls:

From the expanded Live Activity:

• Pause - Take a break
• Resume - Continue after break
• Stop - End the timer
• Open App - Tap anywhere else

Background Updates

Live Activities update in real-time without impacting battery significantly. iOS manages updates efficiently.

StandBy Mode (iOS 17+)

When your iPhone is charging horizontally, StandBy mode can display Timesheet widgets.

StandBy Widget Features

• Timer widget shows elapsed time
• Statistics widget shows daily progress
• Tap to expand for more details
• Tap again to open the app

Setting Up StandBy

1. Enable StandBy in iOS Settings
2. Place iPhone horizontally while charging
3. Swipe to the widgets view
4. Timesheet widgets appear if added

Widget Best Practices

Recommended Setup

For Active Time Trackers:

• Medium timer widget on Home Screen
• Lock Screen timer status widget
• Live Activities enabled

For Statistics Focus:

• Large statistics widget on Home Screen
• Today's hours on Lock Screen
• Weekly overview in widget stack

For Minimal Setup:

• Small timer widget
• Lock Screen circular indicator
• Live Activities for running timer only

Tips for Effective Use

1. Place timer widget prominently - Quick access to start/stop
2. Use Lock Screen widgets - Check time without unlocking
3. Enable Live Activities - Never lose track of running timers
4. Combine widget sizes - Timer + Statistics for complete view
5. Try StandBy mode - Great for desk work while charging

Troubleshooting

Widget Not Updating

Solutions:

1. Ensure Background App Refresh is enabled:
   • iOS Settings → General → Background App Refresh → Timesheet
2. Check that Timesheet has necessary permissions
3. Remove and re-add the widget
4. Restart your device if persistent

Live Activity Not Appearing

Check:

1. iOS Settings → Timesheet → Live Activities is enabled
2. You're signed in to the Timesheet app
3. You have iOS 16.1 or later
4. Try stopping and restarting the timer

Widget Shows Wrong Data

Solutions:

1. Open the Timesheet app to trigger sync
2. Widget updates within seconds
3. Pull down in app to force refresh
4. Remove and re-add the widget if persistent

Lock Screen Widget Missing

Verify:

1. iOS 16 or later installed
2. Lock Screen customization is available
3. Widget was added to the correct Lock Screen
4. Try re-adding the widget

Battery Considerations

Widgets and Live Activities are designed to be battery-efficient. If you notice battery drain, check Background App Refresh settings rather than removing widgets.