Name: WidgeOne
Author: Viaelo

Table of Contents

Quick Start: Create Your First Wallpaper

Creating a wallpaper takes just a few steps. The app guides you through each one with a step indicator at the top of the screen.

Open the Create tab. This is the first tab in the app and where you start every new design.
Choose an image. Type a search term (like “mountains” or “ocean sunset”) to browse images from Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay. Tap an image to preview it, then tap “Use This Image” to select it. You can also tap the “Import” button to pick a photo from your own library.
Edit your image. Pinch to zoom, drag to pan, and use two fingers to rotate. Apply a filter from the carousel at the bottom if you like (Vivid, Warm, Cool, Dramatic, and more). Use the safe area toggle in the top-right corner to see where the clock and other system elements will appear on your device.
Customize the calendar. Pick a theme from the horizontal carousel (Minimal White, Minimal Black, Modern Blue, Classic Elegant, or Modern Purple). Choose the month and year from the dropdown menus. Tap “More Options” for advanced settings like font, colors, spacing, and effects. You can also hide the calendar entirely if you want a wallpaper without one.
Preview and position. Drag the calendar to place it exactly where you want on the wallpaper. Switch between light and dark mode previews. Change the preview device to see how it looks on different screens. When you are happy, tap “Export” to save your wallpaper.
Export. Select which devices to export for, choose a format (PNG, JPEG, or HEIF), and pick where to save (Photos Library, Files, or Share). Tap “Export” and your wallpaper is ready to use.

After exporting, you can create a new design, keep editing the current one, or go to your Gallery to see all your saved work.

Free vs Premium

WidgeOne is free to download and use. A one-time $5.99 upgrade unlocks WidgeOne Premium with additional features. There is no subscription — you pay once and keep everything forever.

What’s Included for Free

Full wallpaper creation workflow (search, edit, calendar, preview, export)
3 calendar themes (Minimal White, Minimal Black, Modern Blue)
3 image filter presets (Original, Vivid, Warm)
Save up to 5 designs in your Gallery
Export for a single device at a time
All stock photo libraries (Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay) and personal photo import
iCloud sync, widgets, and all localization

What WidgeOne Premium Adds ($5.99, One-Time)

All 20+ calendar themes — including Classic, Seasonal, and Holiday themes
All 9 image filters + Adjust — Cool, Dramatic, Muted, Black & White, Fade, Vignette, plus manual adjustment sliders
Custom theme saving — save and sync up to 20 custom calendar themes
Dark mode variants — auto-generate dark mode wallpapers
Multi-device export — export for multiple devices in one batch
Unlimited Gallery — save as many designs as you like (free tier allows 5)

How to Upgrade

Tap the lock icon on any premium feature, or go to Settings and tap “Upgrade to Premium.”
The upgrade sheet shows all premium features with a single “Unlock Premium” button.
After purchase, all premium features unlock immediately across all your devices signed into the same Apple ID.

Restoring a Purchase

If you previously purchased Premium on another device, go to Settings and tap “Restore Purchases.” Your premium status will be verified and restored.

Choosing & Searching Images

WidgeOne gives you access to three professional stock photo libraries plus your own photo library.

Searching for Images

On the Create tab, type a keyword into the search bar at the top (for example, “cherry blossoms”, “city skyline”, “abstract pattern”).
Press Return or tap Search to see results from all three sources.
Scroll through the results grid. Each image shows the photographer’s name and the source library.
Tap any image to open a larger preview with photographer credits and resolution info.
Tap “Use This Image” to download the full-resolution version and move to the next step.

Filtering by Source

Tap the source filter button (it says “All Sources” by default) to choose a specific provider: Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay. This is helpful if you prefer images from a particular library.

Seasonal Suggestions

When you first open the image selection step, WidgeOne shows seasonal search suggestions based on the current time of year. Tap any suggestion to quickly search for it.

Category Browsing

Below the seasonal suggestions, you will find image categories like Nature, Architecture, Abstract, and more. Tap a category to search for it automatically.

Importing Your Own Photos

Tap the “Import” button in the top-right area of the search bar.
The system photo picker opens. Select any image from your photo library.
The image loads immediately and you move to the editing step.

Editing Your Image

After selecting an image, you can adjust its position, apply filters, and transform it.

Gesture Controls

Pinch with two fingers to zoom in or out
Drag with one finger to pan the image
Two-finger rotate to tilt the image

A zoom percentage is shown in the bottom-right corner so you know the current scale.

Quick Actions (Bottom Toolbar)

Undo — reverses your last action
Reset — returns the image to its original position and scale
Rotate Left/Right — rotates the image 90 degrees
Flip Horizontal/Vertical — mirrors the image

Shake to undo: On iPhone, shake your device to undo the last change.

Filter Presets

A carousel of filter presets appears at the bottom of the screen. Scroll through and tap to apply:

Original — no adjustments
Vivid — enhanced colors and contrast
Warm — golden, warm tones
Cool — blue, cool tones (Premium)
Dramatic — high contrast, slightly desaturated (Premium)
Muted — soft, reduced saturation (Premium)
Black & White — full desaturation (Premium)
Fade — lifted blacks for a vintage look (Premium)
Vignette — darkened edges (Premium)

Fine-Tuning Filters

Tap the “Adjust” button below the filter carousel to open the adjustment sheet. Here you can manually set brightness, contrast, saturation, blur, and vignette intensity with precise sliders.

Tap “Reset Filters” to remove all filter adjustments.

Choosing a Preview Device

Use the device selector in the top-left corner to switch between device previews. This changes the aspect ratio and safe area overlays to match the selected device.

Safe Area Guides

Tap the safe area toggle (rectangle icon) in the top-right corner to show or hide overlay guides. These translucent regions show where the clock, Dynamic Island, and other system elements appear on your chosen device. Keep important design elements outside these areas.

Customizing Your Calendar

The calendar configuration step lets you style the monthly calendar that overlays your wallpaper.

Choosing a Theme

A horizontal theme carousel appears at the bottom. Scroll through the built-in themes:

None — hides the calendar entirely
Minimal White — clean white text
Minimal Black — clean black text
Modern Blue — blue accent colors
Classic Elegant — refined serif-style look
Modern Purple — purple accent tones

Tap any theme to apply it instantly. The preview above updates in real time.

Saving Custom Themes

Once you have customized the calendar colors and fonts to your liking, tap “Save Theme” (next to “Browse All”) to save your current settings as a custom theme. Give it a name and it will appear in the theme carousel for future designs. You can save up to 20 custom themes.

Browsing All Themes

Tap “Browse All” to see every available theme in a sheet, including both built-in and your custom themes. You can also delete custom themes from this view.

Selecting Month and Year

Use the dropdown menus at the bottom of the screen to pick any month and any year (up to 5 years in the past or 2 years in the future).

Advanced Options

Tap “More Options” to open the calendar options sheet. Here you can customize:

Font family and weight — choose from available fonts and weights (ultralight through black)
Font sizes — independently adjust header, weekday labels, and day number sizes
Week start day — Sunday, Monday, or Saturday
Colors — set individual colors for text, header, weekday labels, weekend text, today highlight, and background
Layout style — Standard grid, Compact spacing, or Two Months (current + next month)
Effects — opacity, text shadow, text outline, and background blur
Separators — add lines between the header and calendar body (solid, dashed, or dotted)
Spacing — fine-tune row and column spacing

Hiding the Calendar

Select “None” from the theme carousel to hide the calendar. You can show it again anytime by tapping “Show Calendar” in the preview area.

Safe Area Guides

Safe area guides are one of WidgeOne’s most important features. They help you position your calendar and image so nothing gets hidden behind system UI elements on your lock screen.

What They Show

The clock area at the top of the lock screen (where the time is displayed)
The Dynamic Island or notch area on supported iPhones
The home indicator area at the bottom of the screen
Notification and widget zones

Why They Matter

When you set a wallpaper as your lock screen, iOS overlays the time, date, notifications, and possibly widgets on top of it. If your calendar overlaps with the clock, it becomes unreadable. Safe area guides show you exactly where these elements appear so you can position your calendar in a clear, visible spot.

How to Use Them

In the Image Edit step, tap the safe area toggle (rectangle icon) in the top-right corner to turn guides on or off.
Select the device you plan to use the wallpaper on from the device selector in the top-left corner. Each device has different safe areas.
Make sure your calendar and important visual elements do not overlap with the highlighted safe areas.
In the Preview step, the device frame shows exactly how your wallpaper will look on the selected device.

Dark Mode Variants

WidgeOne can automatically create a separate dark mode version of your wallpaper. iOS switches between light and dark wallpapers based on your device’s appearance setting.

Enabling Dark Mode

In the Preview step, tap the moon icon (“Light”/“Dark” toggle) in the bottom bar.
If dark mode is not yet configured, a prompt asks you to choose: “Auto Generate” (recommended) or “Customize."
"Auto Generate” analyzes your image and creates appropriate dark mode adjustments automatically.

What Auto-Generate Does

Reduces brightness and increases contrast slightly
Optionally applies a dark overlay to make the image moodier
Adjusts calendar colors for better readability on a darker background (typically white text with light gray weekday labels)

Manual Customization

If you choose “Customize” (or want to fine-tune after auto-generation), a settings sheet opens with:

Image adjustments: Sliders for brightness, contrast, and saturation
Dark overlay: Toggle on/off with an opacity slider
Presets: Subtle, Default, and Strong intensity options
Calendar colors: Fully customize the dark mode calendar separately from the light mode version
Effects: Opacity and text shadow controls

Toggling the Preview

In the Preview step, tap the Light/Dark toggle at any time to switch between the two versions. A green checkmark indicates dark mode is properly configured. An orange warning triangle means it needs setup.

Exporting Wallpapers

When your design is ready, the export system lets you save wallpapers at the perfect resolution for each device.

Starting an Export

In the Preview step, tap “Export” (the right navigation button) to open the export sheet.
Or in the Gallery, long-press any design and choose “Export.”

Selecting Devices

The export sheet lists all target devices for your design. Each device shows its name, category icon, and resolution. Tap devices to select or deselect them. Use the “All” or “None” button in the header to quickly toggle all devices.

Choosing a Format

PNG — Lossless quality, larger file size. Best for wallpapers where quality is paramount.
JPEG — Good quality, smaller file size. Adjustable quality slider (50-100%).
HEIF — Best compression, modern Apple format. Adjustable quality slider (50-100%).

Including Dark Mode

Toggle “Include Dark Mode Variants” to export both light and dark versions. The summary below shows the total number of images that will be exported.

Choosing a Destination

Photos Library — saves directly to your photo library for easy wallpaper setting
Files App — saves to a folder you choose
Share Sheet — share via AirDrop, Messages, or any other app

During Export

A progress bar shows the current device being rendered and the percentage complete. You can cancel the export at any time.

After Export

A success screen shows which devices exported successfully. You then have three options:

Create New — start a fresh design
Edit This — return to editing the current design
View Gallery — go to your saved designs

After exporting, you can also export the same design for additional devices you did not originally include.

Gallery Management

The Gallery tab stores all your saved designs for easy access and management.

Saving a Design

In the Create tab, tap “Save” in the top-right toolbar. Enter a name for your design (or leave it as “Untitled Design”) and tap Save.

Browsing Designs

Open the Gallery tab to see all your saved designs in a grid. Each card shows a thumbnail preview with the calendar overlay, the design name, and the calendar month. Designs are sorted by most recently modified by default.

Sorting and Filtering

Tap the options menu (three dots icon) in the top-right corner:

Sort by: Date modified, date created, name, or calendar month (tap again to toggle ascending/descending)
Filter: Favorites only, or filter by specific device type

Search

Use the search bar at the top of the Gallery to find designs by name or tags.

Design Actions (Long-Press Menu)

Long-press any design card to see options:

Edit — open the design for editing in a full-screen editor
Favorite/Unfavorite — mark designs you love with a heart icon
Rename — change the design name
Duplicate — create a copy of the design
Next Month — advance the calendar to the next month (great for monthly updates)
Manage Tags — organize designs with custom tags
Export — export the design for any device
Delete — permanently remove the design

Batch Operations

Tap “Select” in the toolbar to enter selection mode.
Tap designs to select them (a checkmark appears).
Use the bottom toolbar to perform batch actions: Advance to Next Month, Export, or Delete.
Tap “Done” to exit selection mode.

Design Details

Tap any design card to open its detail view with a larger preview and full information about the design.

iCloud Sync

WidgeOne uses iCloud to sync your saved designs across all your Apple devices.

How It Works

When you save or modify a design, it automatically syncs to iCloud.
Designs appear on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac signed into the same Apple ID with iCloud enabled.
Sync happens in the background. You do not need to do anything manually.

Enabling or Disabling Sync

Go to the Settings tab.
In the “Sync” section, toggle “iCloud Sync” on or off.
If you change this setting, you may need to restart the app for it to take full effect.

Checking Sync Status

In Settings, the Sync section shows:

The current sync status (syncing, up to date, or error)
The time of the last successful sync

Tap “Sync Now” to manually trigger a sync.

What Syncs

Design names, calendar configurations, image transforms, and all settings
Image data (the original photos used in your designs)
Dark mode configurations

Troubleshooting Sync

Make sure iCloud is enabled in your device’s system settings (Settings > Apple ID > iCloud).
Make sure you are signed into the same Apple ID on all devices.
Make sure you have enough iCloud storage space.
If sync seems stuck, try toggling iCloud Sync off and on in WidgeOne’s Settings.
Large designs with high-resolution images may take longer to sync.

Widget Setup

WidgeOne includes widgets you can add to your Home Screen and Lock Screen.

Available Widgets

Home Screen widgets:

Saved Design (Medium, Large) — displays one of your saved wallpaper designs with a live calendar overlay that updates automatically each month. You can choose which design to display.
Clock — a stylish clock widget with multiple visual styles.
Clock + Calendar — combines a clock display with a monthly calendar.

Lock Screen widgets (iPhone only):

Circular Date — shows the current day number and month abbreviation in a circular widget
Rectangular Date — shows the date in a rectangular widget format
Inline Date — shows the date in the inline widget slot

Adding a Home Screen Widget

Long-press on your Home Screen until the icons start jiggling.
Tap the ”+” button in the top-left corner.
Search for “WidgeOne” (or scroll to find it).
Choose the widget size (Medium or Large for Saved Design).
Tap “Add Widget” to place it.
Long-press the widget and choose “Edit Widget” to select which saved design it displays.

Adding a Lock Screen Widget

Long-press on your Lock Screen.
Tap “Customize” and select your Lock Screen.
Tap the widget area (below the clock or above the flashlight/camera buttons).
Search for “WidgeOne” and choose a lock screen widget.
Tap anywhere else to finish editing.

How the Calendar Stays Current

The Saved Design widget automatically shows the current month and year, updating at midnight. You do not need to update it manually.

Device-Specific Tips

iPhone

Use the safe area guides to avoid the Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro and later) or notch.
Export at your specific iPhone model’s resolution for pixel-perfect results.
Set your exported wallpaper in Settings > Wallpaper or by long-pressing the Lock Screen.
Use the “Next Month” feature in the Gallery each month to keep your wallpaper current.

iPad

iPad wallpapers are wider. Consider using the “Two Months” calendar layout for the extra space.
The lock screen layout differs from iPhone — there is more room for the calendar.
Export using the iPad-specific device options (iPad Pro 12.9”, iPad Pro 11”, iPad Air, iPad).

Mac

Mac wallpapers use a landscape orientation with much higher resolutions.
On Mac, WidgeOne uses keyboard shortcuts for tab navigation: Command+1 (Create), Command+2 (Gallery), Command+3 (Settings).
The minimum window size is 900 x 600 points.
Set your wallpaper in System Settings > Wallpaper, or right-click the exported image and choose “Set Desktop Picture.”

Settings

The Settings tab lets you customize WidgeOne’s behavior.

Notifications

Monthly Reminder — get a notification each month reminding you to update your wallpaper calendar. Choose the day of the month (20th through 28th) and the time.

Sync

Toggle iCloud Sync on or off and check sync status.

Export Defaults

Set your preferred default format (PNG, JPEG, HEIF) and quality level. These defaults are used whenever you open the export sheet.

Appearance

Haptics — toggle haptic feedback on or off. WidgeOne provides gentle haptic feedback for selections, navigation, and confirmations.

Data

Storage Used — see how much disk space the image cache is using.
Clear Image Cache — free up space by clearing cached thumbnail images. Your saved designs are not affected.
Reset All Settings — restore all settings to their defaults.

Premium

Upgrade to Premium — opens the upgrade sheet to purchase WidgeOne Premium ($5.99 one-time).
Restore Purchases — restores a previous Premium purchase on a new device.
Your current premium status is shown (Free or Premium).

About

View the app version, privacy policy, terms of service, and contact/support information.

Acknowledgments

Credits for image sources (Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay) and other open-source components used in WidgeOne.

FAQ

How do I set my exported wallpaper as my actual lock screen?: On iPhone/iPad: Open the Photos app, find your exported wallpaper, tap the share button, and choose “Use as Wallpaper.” Alternatively, go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper, choose “Photos,” and select the image. On Mac: Open the exported image, right-click it, and choose “Set Desktop Picture.” Or go to System Settings > Wallpaper.
Can I use my own photos instead of stock images?: Yes. On the image selection screen, tap the “Import” button to open the system photo picker and select any image from your photo library.
How do I update my wallpaper to the next month?: Open the Gallery tab, long-press the design you want to update, and choose “Next Month.” This advances the calendar to the following month. Then export the updated design. You can also select multiple designs in batch mode and advance them all at once.
What is the difference between PNG, JPEG, and HEIF?: PNG gives lossless quality (no compression artifacts) but produces larger files. JPEG is smaller with adjustable quality. HEIF is Apple’s modern format offering the best compression with excellent quality. For lock screen wallpapers, any format works well. PNG is recommended if you want the absolute best quality.
Do I need an internet connection to use WidgeOne?: You need an internet connection to search for and download stock photos. Once an image is downloaded and saved in a design, you can edit, preview, and export it offline. Importing from your photo library also works offline.
How does the dark mode wallpaper work?: When you enable dark mode for a design, WidgeOne generates a separate wallpaper variant with darker tones and adjusted calendar colors. When you export with “Include Dark Mode Variants” enabled, you get both versions. On iOS, you can set separate wallpapers for light and dark appearance in Settings > Wallpaper.
Can I customize the calendar colors independently for dark mode?: Yes. When configuring dark mode, you can choose to customize the calendar colors separately from the light mode version. You can set different text colors, header colors, weekend colors, and more for the dark variant.
What are safe area guides and why should I use them?: Safe area guides show you where system UI elements (the clock, Dynamic Island, home indicator, notification panel) appear on your lock screen. By keeping your calendar and important design elements outside these areas, you make sure everything is visible and readable when the wallpaper is in use.
Do my designs sync between devices?: Yes, if iCloud Sync is enabled in Settings. All your saved designs, including images and configurations, sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac through iCloud.
Can I export the same design for multiple devices at once?: Yes, with WidgeOne Premium. In the export sheet, select all the devices you want to export for. WidgeOne renders each one at the correct resolution. After exporting, you can also export for additional devices you did not initially select.
How do I delete a design?: In the Gallery, long-press the design and choose “Delete.” You will be asked to confirm. In selection mode, you can select multiple designs and delete them all at once using the trash icon in the bottom toolbar.
Can I create a wallpaper without a calendar?: Yes. In the calendar configuration step, select “None” from the theme carousel. This hides the calendar entirely, giving you a pure wallpaper without any overlay.
What devices does WidgeOne support for export?: WidgeOne supports a wide range of devices including iPhone 14 through iPhone 17 series, iPhone SE, iPad (standard, Air, and Pro models), and MacBook (Air and Pro models). Each device has its exact screen resolution stored for pixel-perfect exports.
How do the WidgeOne widgets work?: The Saved Design widget displays one of your saved designs with a live calendar that updates monthly at midnight. You can choose which design to display by editing the widget (long-press > Edit Widget). Lock screen widgets show date information in compact formats.
Is my data private?: WidgeOne does not include any third-party tracking or analytics code. Your designs are stored locally and in your personal iCloud account. The only network requests the app makes are to search and download images from the stock photo APIs (Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay). Apple provides aggregate, anonymous app analytics through App Store Connect.
What is the difference between free and premium?: The free version lets you create and export wallpapers with 3 calendar themes, 3 filter presets, and up to 5 saved designs. Premium ($5.99 one-time) unlocks all 20+ themes, all 9 filters plus manual adjustment, custom theme saving, dark mode variant generation, multi-device batch export, and unlimited gallery storage. See the Free vs Premium section for the full comparison.
How do I restore my premium purchase on a new device?: Go to Settings and tap “Restore Purchases.” Make sure you are signed into the same Apple ID you used for the original purchase. Your premium status will be verified and restored automatically.
Is the premium upgrade a subscription?: No. WidgeOne Premium is a one-time purchase of $5.99. There are no recurring charges. Once you buy it, you keep all premium features forever.
Why do some features show a lock icon?: Features with a lock icon are part of WidgeOne Premium. Tap the lock to see what’s included and upgrade if you choose. You can still use all free features without restriction.

Troubleshooting

The app cannot access my photos

When you first launch WidgeOne, it asks for photo library permission. If you skipped this or denied it, go to your device’s Settings > WidgeOne > Photos and enable access.

Images are not loading or searches return no results

Check your internet connection. If you are on a network with restrictions (such as a work or school network), the stock photo APIs may be blocked. Try switching to a different network or using cellular data.

My exported wallpaper looks different on the lock screen than in the app preview

Make sure you selected the correct device model in the preview and export settings. Each device has a different resolution and safe area layout. Also make sure you are not zooming or repositioning the wallpaper when setting it in iOS Settings.

iCloud sync is not working

Verify iCloud is enabled for WidgeOne in your device’s Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
Make sure you have available iCloud storage.
Try toggling iCloud Sync off and on in WidgeOne’s Settings tab.
Restart the app.

The calendar is hidden behind the clock on my lock screen

Use the safe area guides while editing and previewing. Make sure you select the correct device model so the safe areas match. Drag the calendar to a position that does not overlap with the clock area.

The app is using too much storage

Go to Settings > Data > Clear Image Cache to remove cached thumbnail images. This does not delete your saved designs. If you have many saved designs with large images, consider deleting designs you no longer need.

My widget shows “No Design” or is blank

Make sure you have at least one saved design in your Gallery. Then edit the widget (long-press > Edit Widget) and select the design you want to display.

Calendar text is hard to read on my image

Try these adjustments:

Use a theme with contrasting colors (white text on dark images, black text on light images)
Enable a background color for the calendar (a semi-transparent background is on by default)
Add a text shadow in the advanced calendar options
Adjust the image brightness or apply a filter to create more contrast behind the calendar

The monthly reminder notification is not appearing

Make sure notifications are enabled for WidgeOne in your device’s Settings > Notifications > WidgeOne. In WidgeOne’s Settings, verify the Monthly Reminder toggle is on and the day and time are set correctly.