Using Home Screen widgets is as old as Android itself. Many users still employ useful widgets for a whole lot of different uses, most of all aesthetics. However, there seem to be more than a few reports about the Problem Loading Widget error on Android.
Basically, users are unable to place widgets on the Home Screen because of this error, especially when using third-party launchers. If you are bothered by this error, make sure to check our solutions below.
Table of contents:
- Remove the widget and add it again
- Make sure that the custom launcher has enough permissions
- Clear apps cache and data
- Reinstall the app
- Make sure your system is up to date
How to fix Problem Loading Widget error for good
There are various causes for the Problem Loading Widget error. The most common one is a temporary halt which is simply resolved by a reboot or re-adding the widget.
However, a corrupt app’s cache or lack of permissions for custom launchers might cause it as well.
Solution 1 – Remove the widget and add it again
This one is simple. First, reboot your device and check whether the Problem Loading Widget error reoccurs. If the problem persists, we recommend just a simple tap, hold, and drag toward the top of the Home Screen where you can remove the widget.
The only remaining thing to do is add it again, so here’s how to do it with ease:
- Tap and hold on to the empty area of the Home Screen to access the Launcher settings.
- Choose Widgets.
- Tap, hold, and drag the widget you want to place on your Home Screen wherever you want it to be.
Solution 2 – Make sure that the custom launcher has enough permissions
Now, the system launcher, the default one, has all permissions to load various widgets and keep them on your Home Screen. That’s not the case for third-party custom launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, or Action Launcher.
With that in mind, restart your custom launcher and try adding widgets. If that fails and you see the error again, then check its permissions. To ensure that a custom launcher can create widgets, first back up the launcher settings. Then reset it.
After that, just remove the widget and try adding it again. You should be prompted with a question about granting permission to create widgets. Accept it and the error won’t appear anymore.
Solution 3 – Clear apps cache and data
Widgets are, as we all know, part of apps. In apps, you can configure and make changes to widgets. Especially in apps that are basically handling solely widgets.
And every app stores cache and data locally, and cached files tend to corrupt or break apps after some time. Therefore, to ensure that the main app to which the widget belongs is not the cause of the problem, we should clear its cache and data.
But, before doing so, we recommend moving all apps that carry widgets you use regularly to local storage. Most of the time, they won’t work as intended while being installed on the SD card.
Once you’ve done that, here’s how to clear cache and data from an app on Android:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Apps.
- Select Manage apps, App Manager, or All apps.
- Open your launcher from the list of apps.
- Open Storage.
- Clear cache and data. This will make the built-in launcher default again.
- Reboot your device and set your custom launcher as the default launcher.
- Try adding widgets again.
Solution 4 – Reinstall the app
In case the previous step hasn’t solved the Problem Loading Widget error, make sure to reinstall the app. Whatever the problem is, reinstalling the app containing the widget usually resolves it. Just tap and hold & drag the app from the Home Screen or App Drawer to the top of the screen and Uninstall it. After that, jump to the Play Store and install it again.
After you reinstall the app, make sure to grant it the necessary permissions (allowing it to work in the background is essential) and try and create another widget.
Solution 5 – Make sure your system is up to date
Finally, just make sure that your system is up to date. Issues with widgets might occur because an app is already optimized for a newer version of Android. Rarely, though, but it’s still the case. Navigate to Settings > System > System updates and, if updates are available, install them immediately.
That’s a wrap. Thank you for reading and we hope this guide helped you fully address the widget problem. Also, don’t forget to share alternative solutions with us or post a question concerning the ones we listed. The comments section is just below. Alternatively, you can reach us on Twitter and Facebook.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in December 2019. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.
