Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a widget to my Home Screen?
Long-press on your Home Screen until the icons start jiggling, then tap the + button in the top-left corner. Search for "MBTA Widgets" and choose a widget size. Once added, tap the widget to configure your route, stop, and direction. You can also add a second widget with a different route — great for your morning and evening commutes.
What are time-based widgets?
Time-based widgets let you assign different routes to the same widget depending on the time of day. For example, you can show your inbound commute in the morning and your outbound commute in the evening — all from a single widget. Set up time overrides in the app under your widget's settings, and the widget will automatically switch routes at the times you choose.
How does the Live Activity / Dynamic Island countdown work?
From the app's main screen, tap "Start Live Activity" on any arrival card. A real-time countdown will appear on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island (on supported iPhones). The countdown updates automatically so you always know exactly how many minutes until your bus or train arrives. The Live Activity ends automatically after the vehicle departs.
Why does my widget show "No upcoming arrivals"?
This usually means there are no predictions or scheduled trips for your selected stop right now. Common reasons include:
- Service has ended for the day on that route.
- The route is currently suspended or detoured — check the alert icon in the app for details.
- The MBTA API is temporarily unavailable.
Tap the refresh button on the widget to force an update, or open the app to see the latest service alerts for your route.
How often does the widget refresh?
iOS controls widget refresh budgets and typically allows 40–70 automatic refreshes per day. MBTA Widgets schedules updates intelligently — for example, refreshing at the boundaries of your time-based overrides. You can always tap the refresh button on the widget to get the latest data on demand. Opening the app also triggers a fresh fetch.
Does the app use my location?
No. MBTA Widgets never requests or accesses your location. Instead, you manually select your stop and route in the app. This keeps things simple and private — your location data stays entirely on your device and is never shared with us or any third party.