How to add a Bible verse widget to your iPhone
Most of us look at our phones dozens of times a day. A Bible verse widget turns some of those glances into a moment with Scripture: no app to open, no notification to clear, just a verse waiting for you on the screen you already use.
This guide shows how to add one on an iPhone running iOS 17 or later, on both the Home Screen and the Lock Screen.
Why a widget rather than a reading app
A reading app asks you to remember to open it. A widget simply sits there. That small difference matters: the verse is in front of you when you check the weather at breakfast, when you unlock your phone on the train, when you reach for it before sleep.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105 · KJV
A good verse widget changes on its own at midnight, so the next morning greets you with a new verse even if you never opened the app the day before.
Add the widget to your Home Screen
- Touch and hold an empty area of your Home Screen until the apps start to jiggle.
- Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then Add Widget.
- Search for your verse app (for example, Graciel) and tap it.
- Swipe to pick a size. The small size shows the reference and a short verse; the medium and large sizes leave room for longer passages.
- Tap Add Widget, place it where you want, then tap Done.
A tip: put the widget on your first Home Screen, near the top. That is where your eyes land first.
Add the widget to your Lock Screen
The Lock Screen is the screen you see most often, so it is the best place for a verse.
- Touch and hold your Lock Screen until Customize appears, then tap it.
- Choose Lock Screen.
- Tap the widget area just below the clock.
- Find your verse app in the list and tap the widget to add it.
- Tap Done.
Lock Screen widgets are small and monochrome by design, so they work best with short verses and a clear reference.
Choose a translation you can read every day
The best translation for a widget is one you will actually read at a glance. The King James Version has a cadence many people know by heart; the World English Bible reads in modern English. In French, the Louis Segond 1910 is the classic. Graciel includes all three, along with Luther 1912 in German and Reina-Valera 1909 in Spanish.
Make the verse look like it belongs
A widget lives next to your wallpaper all day, so its colours matter. Graciel offers warm themes for day and night, and the widget follows the theme you pick in the app, including a dark one for evening.
Questions people ask
Does the widget need the internet?
Not with Graciel. Every verse is stored on your iPhone, and the app writes the coming days to the widget in advance.
Will the verse change if I never open the app?
Yes. The widget turns the page at midnight on its own.
Can I share the verse I see on my widget?
Open the app, tap Share, and send the day’s verse as an image, signed with the name of the app so friends know where it came from.