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Set Up a Widget for Automations

Add widgets to your Home Screen to optimize background uploads.

Last updated: February 5, 2026

Add the Automations Widget to your Home Screen to monitor automation status, manually trigger automations, and optimize background uploads.

Overview

The Automations Widget displays the status of your automations directly on your Home Screen. You can see sync status at a glance and manually trigger automations by tapping the center of the widget.

Benefits:

  • Monitor automation status without opening the app
  • Manually trigger automations quickly
  • Optimize background uploads
  • Quick access to automation controls
  • Visual status indicators for sync state

Prerequisites

  • At least one automation configured
  • Premium subscription (widget requires premium access)
  • Health data permission
  • Other permissions that my be necessary specific to the automation type

Adding the Widget

Step 1: Enter Edit Mode

  1. Long press on your Home Screen
  2. Tap the +" button in the top left corner

Step 2: Search for Widget

  1. In the widget gallery, search for "Auto Export"
  2. Or scroll to find "Auto Export" in the list
  3. Scroll to and select the "Automations" widget

Step 3: Place Widget

  1. Drag the widget to your desired location
  2. Release to place it on your Home Screen
  3. Tap "Done" to exit edit mode

Configuring the Widget

Selecting an Automation

  1. Long press on the widget
  2. Tap "Edit Widget"
  3. Tap the widget configuration area
  4. Select which automation to display:
    • Choose from your enabled automations
    • By default the widget shows the first enabled automation
  5. Tap outside to save

Tip: The widget displays one automation at a time. Create multiple widgets if you want to monitor several automations simultaneously.

Understanding Widget Status

Status Colors

The widget background color indicates automation status:

  • Green: Automation is synced and up to date
  • Orange: Automation is enabled but needs to sync
  • Gray: Automation is disabled or no automation selected
  • Red: Premium access required or error state

Status Icons

The widget displays icons indicating status:

  • Cloud with Checkmark: Automation is synced
  • Cloud with Loading: Automation is syncing or needs to sync
  • Cloud Disabled: No automation configured or automation disabled
  • Lock: Premium access required

Last Run Time

The widget displays:

  • Time: Last time the automation ran (hour:minute format)
  • Date: Date of last run (month/day format)
  • Clock Icon: Indicates the timestamp

Note: Since iOS limits how often widgets refresh, there may occassionally be a discrepancy between the date/time shown and the last run time.

Using the Widget

Manual Trigger

  1. Tap the cloud icon in the center of the widget
  2. The automation will start running
  3. Widget status updates to show syncing state
  4. Status changes to green when sync completes

Widget Refresh

The widget refreshes automatically:

  • Approximately every 20 minutes by default
  • When you tap to trigger an automation
  • Based on iOS widget refresh schedule

Note: Widget refresh frequency depends on iOS system scheduling and may vary. Since the widget accesses health data, it will only refresh when your device is unlocked.

Optimizing Background Uploads

How Widget Helps

Having the widget on your Home Screen:

  • Allows more frequent background task execution
  • Improves automation sync reliability
  • Reduces delays in automation execution

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Widget Not Updating

  • Wait for widget refresh cycle (up to 20 minutes)
  • Tap the center of the widget to force a refresh
  • Remove and re-add the widget
  • Restart your device if issues persist

Status Always Orange

  • Automation may need to sync
  • Tap widget to trigger manual sync
  • Check automation settings in app
  • Verify automation is enabled and configured correctly

Tips and Best Practices

  1. Widget Placement:

    • Place on first Home Screen for easy access
    • Consider multiple widgets for multiple automations
    • Keep widget visible for so it updates

  2. Background Optimization:

    • Keep widget on Home Screen
    • Don't remove widget unnecessarily

  3. Multiple Automations:

    • Create multiple widgets for different automations

  4. Manual Triggers:

    • Use widget for quick manual syncing
    • Use when you notice data hasn't synced

Getting Help

If you need help with the widget:

  1. Review troubleshooting section
  2. Check automation configuration in app
  3. Verify premium subscription status
  4. Try removing and re-adding widget
  5. Contact support if issues persist