Widgets in Android were there from a start and they evolved largely thanks to all customization available. However, there are some issues, especially with the feed-based widgets like Twitter. Basically, its only purpose is to show you the live feed of the Twitter line on your home screen. And it seems that it won’t update for some users.
That’s where we come into play and provide some viable solutions. So, if it won’t update, give them a try and tell us how that worked for you in the comments below.
Solution 1 – Remove and set a widget again
Let’s start with the simplest of all solutions. Re-assigning the widget usually helps. Especially if you’ve updated the app or made certain changes. This is a simple procedure and, if you’ve already set a widget on the home screen, you’ll probably know how to set it again.
Either way, here are the exact steps:
- Tap-and-drag the Twitter widget up and delete it.
- Tap-and-hold on the home screen until the Customization menu appears.
- Choose Widgets and navigate to Twitter.
- Tap-and-drag the widget to a wanted home screen.
Solution 2 – Check the Background data settings
Now, the primary reason why anyone would put a widget on a screen is so it can have a real-time access to the latest news and weather feeds, and similar no-less-important information. And, in order to achieve this, they require the network connection. That’s the reason why you need to confirm that the Background data usage is enabled for the Twitter app.
Here’s how to do it in a few steps:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Apps (Application Manager).
- Select Twitter.
- Choose Data usage.
- Allow Background data (Mobile data and Wi-Fi should be enabled by default).
Solution 3 – Clear app data
The widget is just an extension to an app. This means that the app is possibly the one to blame for the occurring issues with a widget. That’s the reason why we suggest clearing the stored data. This should address a few possible issues.
Follow these steps to clear the Twitter app data from your storage:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Apps (Application Manager).
- Select Twitter.
- Tap Storage.
- Clear Data.
Solution 4 – Reinstall the app
If the previous step fell short, you can give reinstallation a try. Since we’re talking about the social network, you can also delete all backed up files and get a clean slate start. This won’t delete anything but the in-app settings.
Follow these steps to reinstall the Twitter app:
- Open the app drawer and tap-and-drag the Twitter app to the top to uninstall it.
- Open Google Drive and choose hamburger menu > Backups > Your device > App data.
- Delete Twitter from the list.
- Navigate to Play Store and download and install Twitter.
- Establish the widget and look for improvements.
Solution 5 – Whitelist Twitter from lock-screen cleanup
If you’re using the built-in or a third-party app which controls the lock-screen cleanup, you need to whitelist the Twitter. Generally, these options don’t apply to widgets, but it’s well worth a try. Users who use Greenify whitelisted Twitter and the widget started working.
This option is easily found in every Phone Manager. Once you’ve allowed the Twitter app to work in the background, the feed should sync without any issues.
Solution 6 – Disable the custom launcher
Finally, some users tried disabling the third-party launcher and the widget just self-repaired immediately. If you’re not willing to give up on all those advantages a usual custom launcher offers, at least make sure that the widget isn’t enabled on the default launcher.
Basically, this seems to be the cause of the problem. The only one of the launchers will do, and you need to choose which one.
On that note, we can safely conclude this article. If you’re aware of some alternative solutions or have a question or two to ask, feel free to do so in the comments section below.
