Do you have a KPI or important value in Google Sheets that updates automatically, and you want to monitor it without constantly opening the Sheets app? Meet Shwidget, your solution!

Shwidget is an iOS app that lets you display any Google Sheets cell value directly in a widget on your device. It automatically updates via iOS’s widget system, meaning you can keep tabs on your important data right from your Home or Lock Screen, without the need to check the Sheets app manually.

Key Features:

* Automatic updates using iOS’s widget update system.
* Home Screen widgets in various sizes, as well as Lock Screen widgets.
* Privacy-friendly: No account required, and your data never leaves your device.

SETTING IT UP

Getting started is easy! All you need is the Sheet ID and the Cell IDs of the data you want to display. Optionally, you can add titles for each value, which will appear in the widget for clarity.

1. Find the Sheet ID: This is the long string of characters in your Google Sheets URL (without the dashes).
2. Set Sharing Permissions: Make sure the sheet is set to “Anyone with the link” and read-only to allow Shwidget to fetch the data securely.
Once you’ve set these up in the app, Shwidget takes care of the rest. The widget will automatically update at regular intervals thanks to iOS’s background system.

PRO TIPS

* How to Find the Sheet ID: Open your Google Sheet, and the ID is the long string of random characters in the URL between the slashes. For example:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CMvaCWBAsrAftZjT5nXlntTUsnmkkZDlxMkXhAd_sBs/
In this case, the Sheet ID is: 1CMvaCWBAsrAftZjT5nXlntTUsnmkkZDlxMkXhAd_sBs.
Paste only this ID into the Shwidget app. (Tip: Double-check you’re not copying the entire URL!)

* Sharing Permissions: Ensure your sheet’s general access is set to “Anyone with the link” and role set to “Viewer” to allow Shwidget access without making unnecessary changes to your security settings.

* If your widget says "ERROR empty cell?" Then the cell is empty OR sharing is not properly done OR typo in the cell field. Trust me, its one of these.

* Data Privacy: If you’re concerned about sharing sensitive data, consider creating a “proxy” spreadsheet and use Google Sheets’ IMPORTRANGE function to pull only the necessary data into a separate sheet that’s shared with Shwidget.

EXAMPLE SETUP

Test Shwidget with the example sheet below:
Sheet ID: 1CMvaCWBAsrAftZjT5nXlntTUsnmkkZDlxMkXhAd_sBs
Try cell IDs like D1, D2, D3 or E1-E7, and open the sheet to see the expected values.

FREE vs PRO

The free version of Shwidget lets you add one row or data field per widget. To unlock more rows, upgrade to the KPI Lover subscription for expanded functionality. The free version also includes a logo on the home screen widget and a subject text on the lock screen widget, which you can remove by subscribing. No hidden fees, no gimmicks — just more features and a cleaner experience!

Cheers,
Mikko


P.S. Your feedback is always welcome! Drop me a line at mikko_a_appsipaja.fi.

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