In current versions of iPadOS, you can’t turn Today View off completely. It lives one swipe to the right of your first Home Screen page. What you can do is remove the widgets that clutter your Home Screen (touch and hold a widget, then tap Remove Widget) and stop Today View from opening on the lock screen (Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode > turn off Today View and Search).
Older guides, including the first version of this one, describe a “Keep on Home Screen” switch that pinned Today View to the left side of the Home Screen. That setting came from iPadOS 14. Apple’s current widgets guide only describes Today View as something you open by swiping, so that switch is no longer the answer. The steps below follow Apple’s guides for current iPadOS.
What Today View Is on the iPad
Apple describes widgets as a way to see app information at a glance, such as headlines, weather, reminders, and battery levels. Today View is the panel that holds a set of those widgets. To see it, swipe right from the left edge of the Home Screen, then scroll up and down.
Widgets can also sit directly on your Home Screen pages, and that is usually what people mean when they say Today View is “stuck” on the Home Screen. Those widgets can be removed one at a time.
How to Remove a Widget From the iPad Home Screen
These steps come from Apple’s guide to moving apps and widgets on the iPad Home Screen.
- Go to the Home Screen page that has the widget.
- Touch and hold the widget to open the Quick Actions menu.
- Tap Remove Widget. If the widget is a Smart Stack (a widget with dots next to it), tap Remove Stack instead.
Result: The widget disappears from that Home Screen page. Repeat for any other widgets you want gone.
Remove One Widget From a Smart Stack
If you want to keep a Smart Stack but drop one of the widgets inside it, touch and hold the stack, tap Edit Stack, then tap the Remove button in the upper-left corner of the widget you don’t want. In the same screen, you can turn off Smart Rotate so the stack stops switching widgets on its own, or turn off Widget Suggestions so new widgets aren’t added automatically.
Change a Widget Back to an App Icon
In current iPadOS, you can turn an app icon into a widget from its pop-up menu. If that happened by accident, touch and hold the widget, then tap the App Icon button to change it back.
How to Turn Off Today View on the iPad Lock Screen
Apple lets you control whether Today View opens while the iPad is locked. Turning it off keeps widget information private when someone else picks up your iPad.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Face ID & Passcode (iPad with Face ID) or Touch ID & Passcode (other iPad models).
- Find the Allow Access When Locked section.
- Turn off Today View and Search.
Result: Swiping right on the lock screen no longer opens Today View until you unlock the iPad. If you haven’t set a passcode yet, see how to set, change, or reset your iPad passcode.
How to Reset the Home Screen Layout
If your Home Screen has a lot of widgets and moved apps, Apple offers a reset: open Settings, tap General, tap Transfer or Reset iPad, tap Reset, then tap Reset Home Screen Layout.
Apple notes that any folders you created are removed and apps you downloaded are arranged alphabetically after the apps that came with your iPad, so use this only if you want a fresh start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disable Today View completely on an iPad?
Apple doesn’t document a setting that removes Today View entirely in current iPadOS. You can remove Home Screen widgets and turn off Today View and Search on the lock screen.
Will removing a widget delete the app?
No. Remove Widget only takes the widget off the Home Screen. The app stays installed.
How do I add a widget back later?
Touch and hold the Home Screen background until the apps jiggle, tap Edit at the top of the screen, tap Add Widget, pick a widget and size, then tap Add Widget. The iPhone works much the same way, as shown in how to add a weather widget to your iPhone Home Screen.
Related Guides
- How to add a website link to your iPad Home Screen
- How to get full screen on iPad
- How to turn off the passcode on iPad
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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