iOS controls the final refresh time

A widget is not a live copy of the app. MiniCycle gives WidgetKit a timeline and can request a reload, but iOS schedules the actual update within its own resource budget. A request may be handled quickly or delayed, especially in Low Power Mode or while the phone is busy.

The widget also asks for another timeline after the next day begins so that date-based labels can advance. That is an earliest requested refresh point, not a promise that the widget will redraw exactly at midnight.

What opening MiniCycle does

When MiniCycle opens, it writes the latest records and settings to the App Group shared with the widget and requests a timeline reload. This is the first thing to try after logging or editing a period. Return to the home screen and give iOS a moment to process the request.

Because iOS still controls the redraw, opening the app cannot guarantee an immediate update. If the widget and app disagree for a while, the widget may still be displaying a cached timeline even though the record is safely stored in the app.

If the widget is blank or stale

First, open MiniCycle and check that the record is correct in the app. Confirm that at least one period start is logged; without one, the widget intentionally shows its start-tracking state. MiniCycle currently offers only the small square widget, so medium and large sizes do not appear in the gallery.

If the small widget remains stale after waiting, remove it and add it again. A new widget instance requests a fresh timeline. A delayed refresh is usually a WidgetKit scheduling issue, but persistent disagreement is worth reporting with your iPhone model and iOS version.

Settings and estimates

The widget reads the same week-start and language settings as the app. If weekday columns differ, open MiniCycle and confirm the week-start setting. The language changes labels, not the underlying date.

The app and widget use the same prediction engine, including the recent-record cycle estimate and the seven calendar days highlighted from five days before estimated ovulation through the day after. They should converge once iOS loads the latest shared data, but a cached timeline can make them look different temporarily.

MiniCycle for iPhone

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MiniCycle is built for a clean iPhone period calendar, local records, simple statistics, and a home screen widget.

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Author

Chanwook Kim

Chanwook Kim builds MiniCycle and documents how the app works. Health guides are grounded in the cited sources and do not imply medical credentials or clinician review.

MiniCycle editorial

References

About this article

App details are checked against MiniCycle's current behavior. Health information is summarized from the linked clinical and public-health sources and is educational, not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical care. Read the editorial approach.