A baby photo widget on the home screen: iPhone and Android

• Touch and hold an empty part of the home screen until the icons jiggle.
• Tap the plus button at the top left.
• Scroll to find the app in the list, or type its name in the search box.
• Swipe sideways to pick the widget size you want, then tap "Add Widget".
• Drag it where you want it, then tap "Done" at the top right.

Tip for grandparents: put it on the very first home screen, in the medium or large size, so there is nothing to swipe for.

Steps vary a little by manufacturer (Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO…), but broadly:

• Touch and hold an empty part of the home screen.
• Choose "Widgets".
• Find the app in the list.
• Press and hold its widget, then drag it onto a free spot.

Some Xiaomi and OPPO phones need an extra permission before an app may place a widget for you. If tapping "add widget" inside an app appears to do nothing, add it by hand using the steps above.

Very little. A widget does not run continuously the way an open app does; the operating system wakes it on a schedule to refresh. Photos are already compressed before download, so most of the time the widget simply sits there showing what it has.

Cubi shows the latest photo the parents marked for the widget, with the baby's age on that day — for example "3 months 5 days old". It changes through the day, so there is often something new when the phone lights up. The widget works on both iPhone and Android, and invited family see it just as the parents do.