Facebook surprises everyone with iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets

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So soon, too.

Ios 16 Iphone 13 Pro Hero
(Image credit: Christine Romero-Chan / iMore)

Facebook's new app update adds support for iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets for the first time. The update, which is now available for download in the App Store, comes just hours after the iOS 16 update was released.

While plenty of apps have been able to get updates ready for the iOS 16 release, few would have expected Facebook to be one of those to take advantage of the new feature on day one. Yet, here we are.

Two to choose from

In its current form, the Facebook app offers two different Lock Screen widgets for you to choose from. The first one displays the birthdays of your friends and family while the second displays "the latest from Facebook at a glance." Both of the selections can be added to your Lock Screen so that you can see them without needing to unlock your iPhone.

What's more, the new widgets are also available as part of the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max's Always-On Display, meaning you won't even need to wake your handset to see what's going on. Perfect for those who want to keep abreast of what's happening in the world of Facebook.

The iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets are a big addition for iPhone owners and one that is already proving popular among owners of existing iPhones. The iOS 16 update is compatible with iPhone X and newer, although those wanting to get the very best out of it will want to take an iPhone 14 Pro for a spin thanks to that new Always-On Display.

With iOS 16 being the best iPhone software to date, all eyes will be on the incoming iPadOS 16 update to see how that improves iPad life for users. That update won't land until October, however, with Apple thought to be taking some time to make sure that the new Stage Manager feature is as strong as possible. Previous beta releases have proven the new multitasking feature to be lacking, with many testers suggesting the software's delay from September to October was a wise decision on Apple's part.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.