How to add the TimeNinja widget to your iPhone Home Screen
The TimeNinja widget shows your live focus timer right on your Home Screen — no tap, no app launch, just a glance. For ADHD brains, that visible countdown is the whole point: time stops being invisible.
Here's how to add it. Takes about 30 seconds.
Step-by-step
- Long-press any empty area on your Home Screen until the apps start wiggling.
- Tap the + button in the top-left corner.
- In the search bar, type TimeNinja (or scroll down — widgets are listed alphabetically).
- Pick a size:
- Small — emoji + countdown. Fits anywhere.
- Medium — emoji + task name + progress bar + countdown. Best for context at a glance.
- Tap Add Widget, then tap Done in the top-right.
That's it. Drag the widget anywhere on the screen.
What you'll see
- Timer running: the task emoji, name, and remaining time, ticking live.
- Timer paused: frozen countdown with a paused indicator.
- No timer: a quiet "No Timer" placeholder. Tap to open the app and start one.
Why a Home Screen widget matters for ADHD
Every time you unlock your phone to "check the timer," you also see Instagram, Slack, ten unread messages, and a YouTube notification. That's three apps and four minutes lost before you remember why you opened your phone.
A Home Screen widget cuts that loop. You glance, you see the countdown, you go back to work. Externalising time like this is one of the most reliable interventions for ADHD time blindness.
Troubleshooting
- Can't find TimeNinja in the widget list? Force-quit the app once (swipe up + flick the TimeNinja card), then try again. iOS sometimes needs a nudge after a fresh install.
- Widget shows "No Timer" while a timer is running? Long-press the widget → Remove Widget → re-add it. iOS occasionally needs to re-bind the shared data on the first install.
- Want it on your Lock Screen too? The Live Activity already handles that — start any timer and the Lock Screen banner appears automatically. No setup needed.