RelevanceKit

Provide on-device contextual clues that increase a widget's visibility in the Apple Watch Smart Stack. RelevanceKit tells the system when a widget is relevant by time, location, fitness state, sleep schedule, or connected hardware. Targets Swift 6.3 / watchOS 26+.

Beta-sensitive. Re-check Apple documentation before making strong RelevanceKit availability or behavior claims.

See references/relevancekit-patterns.md for complete relevant-widget, timeline provider, grouping, preview, and permission patterns.

Contents

• Overview
• Setup
• Relevance Providers
• Boundary Routing
• Time-Based Relevance
• Location-Based Relevance
• Fitness and Sleep Relevance
• Hardware Relevance
• Combining Signals
• Widget Integration
• Common Mistakes
• Review Checklist
• References

Overview

watchOS uses two mechanisms to determine widget relevance in the Smart Stack:

1. Timeline provider relevance -- implement relevance() on an existing AppIntentTimelineProvider to attach RelevantContext clues to timeline entries. Available across platforms; only watchOS acts on the data.
2. Relevant widget -- use RelevanceConfiguration with a RelevanceEntriesProvider to build a widget driven entirely by relevance clues. The system creates individual Smart Stack cards per relevant entry. watchOS 26+ only.

Choose a timeline provider when the widget always has data to show and relevance is supplementary. Choose a relevant widget when the widget should only appear when conditions match, or when multiple cards should appear simultaneously (e.g., several upcoming calendar events).

Key Types

RelevanceConfiguration, RelevanceEntriesProvider, and RelevanceEntry are WidgetKit APIs. Keep them in this skill's scope only when they are part of the watchOS relevant-widget workflow that exposes RelevanceKit clues.

Setup

Import

import RelevanceKit
import WidgetKit

Platform Availability

RelevantContext is declared across platforms (iOS 17+, watchOS 10+), but RelevanceKit functionality only takes effect on watchOS. Calling the API on other platforms has no effect. Timeline-provider relevance() is available on iOS 18+, macOS 15+, visionOS 26+, and watchOS 11+ for shared provider code. RelevanceConfiguration, RelevanceEntriesProvider, and RelevanceEntry are watchOS 26+ only.

Permissions

Certain relevance clues require authorization or target setup:

Add location purpose strings to the containing app's Info.plist, not only the widget extension. In widget code, check CLLocationManager.isAuthorizedForWidgetUpdates before relying on location clues. For fitness and sleep clues, enable HealthKit and request the exact read types in the app and widget extension target that provides relevance.

Relevance Providers

Option 1: Timeline Provider with Relevance

Add a relevance() method to an existing AppIntentTimelineProvider. This approach shares code across iOS and watchOS while adding watchOS Smart Stack intelligence.

struct MyProvider: AppIntentTimelineProvider {
    // ... snapshot, timeline, placeholder ...

    func relevance() async -> WidgetRelevance<MyWidgetIntent> {
        let attributes = events.map { event in
            let context = RelevantContext.date(
                from: event.startDate,
                to: event.endDate
            )
            return WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
                configuration: MyWidgetIntent(event: event),
                context: context
            )
        }
        return WidgetRelevance(attributes)
    }
}

Option 2: RelevanceEntriesProvider (watchOS 26+)

Build a widget that only appears when conditions match. The system calls relevance() to learn when the widget matters, then calls entry() with the matching configuration to get render data.

@available(watchOS 26.0, *)
struct MyRelevanceProvider: RelevanceEntriesProvider {
    func relevance() async -> WidgetRelevance<MyWidgetIntent> {
        let attributes = events.map { event in
            WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
                configuration: MyWidgetIntent(event: event),
                context: RelevantContext.date(event.date, kind: .scheduled)
            )
        }
        return WidgetRelevance(attributes)
    }

    func entry(
        configuration: MyWidgetIntent,
        context: Context
    ) async throws -> MyRelevanceEntry {
        if context.isPreview {
            return .preview
        }
        return MyRelevanceEntry(event: configuration.event)
    }

    func placeholder(context: Context) -> MyRelevanceEntry {
        .placeholder
    }
}

Boundary Routing

When a feature mixes widgets, location, workouts, and Smart Stack relevance, keep RelevanceKit focused on RelevantContext, WidgetRelevanceAttribute, provider relevance(), RelevantIntentManager, relevant-widget handoffs, and permissions for relevance clues. Route timelines, reload budgets, families, rendering, APNs widget pushes, Live Activities, and widget Controls to WidgetKit; HKWorkoutSession, HKLiveWorkoutBuilder, HKWorkoutRoute, queries, activity-ring/sleep data, and authorization UX to HealthKit; and MKLocalSearch, MKLocalSearchCompleter, MKDirections, geocoding, authorization, regions, geofencing, and place data to MapKit/CoreLocation.

Time-Based Relevance

Time clues tell the system a widget matters at or around a specific moment.

Single Date

RelevantContext.date(eventDate)

Date with Kind

DateKind provides an additional hint about the nature of the time relevance:

RelevantContext.date(meetingStart, kind: .scheduled)

Date Range

// Using from/to
RelevantContext.date(from: startDate, to: endDate)

// Using DateInterval
RelevantContext.date(interval: dateInterval, kind: .scheduled)

// Using ClosedRange
RelevantContext.date(range: startDate...endDate, kind: .default)

Location-Based Relevance

Inferred Locations

The system infers certain locations from a person's routine. No coordinates needed.

RelevantContext.location(inferred: .home)
RelevantContext.location(inferred: .work)
RelevantContext.location(inferred: .school)
RelevantContext.location(inferred: .commute)

Requires app location authorization plus NSWidgetWantsLocation in the widget extension.

Specific Region

import CoreLocation

let region = CLCircularRegion(
    center: CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: 37.3349, longitude: -122.0090),
    radius: 500,
    identifier: "apple-park"
)
RelevantContext.location(region)

Point-of-Interest Category (26.0+ SDKs)

Indicate relevance near any location of a given category. Returns nil if the category is unsupported. The factory is SDK-available on Apple platforms 26.0+, but RelevanceKit clues still only affect Smart Stack behavior on watchOS.

import MapKit

if let context = RelevantContext.location(category: .beach) {
    // Widget is relevant whenever the person is near a beach
}

Fitness and Sleep Relevance

Fitness

// Relevant when activity rings are incomplete
RelevantContext.fitness(.activityRingsIncomplete)

// Relevant during an active workout
RelevantContext.fitness(.workoutActive)

Requires the specific HealthKit read types for the clue: HKWorkoutType for .workoutActive; appleExerciseTime, appleMoveTime, and appleStandTime for .activityRingsIncomplete.

Sleep

// Relevant around bedtime
RelevantContext.sleep(.bedtime)

// Relevant around wakeup
RelevantContext.sleep(.wakeup)

Requires HealthKit sleepAnalysis permission.

Hardware Relevance

// Relevant when headphones are connected
RelevantContext.hardware(headphones: .connected)

No special permission required.

Combining Signals

Return multiple WidgetRelevanceAttribute values in the WidgetRelevance array to make a widget relevant under several different conditions.

func relevance() async -> WidgetRelevance<MyIntent> {
    var attributes: [WidgetRelevanceAttribute<MyIntent>] = []

    // Relevant during morning commute
    attributes.append(
        WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
            configuration: MyIntent(mode: .commute),
            context: .location(inferred: .commute)
        )
    )

    // Relevant at work
    attributes.append(
        WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
            configuration: MyIntent(mode: .work),
            context: .location(inferred: .work)
        )
    )

    // Relevant around a scheduled event
    for event in upcomingEvents {
        attributes.append(
            WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
                configuration: MyIntent(eventID: event.id),
                context: .date(event.date, kind: .scheduled)
            )
        )
    }

    return WidgetRelevance(attributes)
}

Order matters. Return relevance attributes ordered by priority. The system may use only a subset of the provided relevances.

Widget Integration

Relevant Widget with RelevanceConfiguration

@available(watchOS 26, *)
struct MyRelevantWidget: Widget {
    var body: some WidgetConfiguration {
        RelevanceConfiguration(
            kind: "com.example.relevant-events",
            provider: MyRelevanceProvider()
        ) { entry in
            EventWidgetView(entry: entry)
        }
        .configurationDisplayName("Events")
        .description("Shows upcoming events when relevant")
    }
}

Associating with a Timeline Widget

When both a timeline widget and a relevant widget show the same data, use associatedKind to prevent duplicate cards. The system replaces the timeline widget card with relevant widget cards when they are suggested.

RelevanceConfiguration(
    kind: "com.example.relevant-events",
    provider: MyRelevanceProvider()
) { entry in
    EventWidgetView(entry: entry)
}
.associatedKind("com.example.timeline-events")

Grouping

WidgetRelevanceGroup controls how the system groups widgets in the Smart Stack.

// Opt out of default per-app grouping so each card appears independently
WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
    configuration: intent,
    group: .ungrouped
)

// Named group -- only one widget from the group appears at a time
WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
    configuration: intent,
    group: .named("weather-alerts")
)

// Default system grouping
WidgetRelevanceAttribute(
    configuration: intent,
    group: .automatic
)

RelevantIntent (Timeline Provider Path)

When using a timeline provider, also update RelevantIntentManager so the system has relevance data between timeline refreshes.

import AppIntents

func updateRelevantIntents() async {
    let intents = events.map { event in
        RelevantIntent(
            MyWidgetIntent(event: event),
            widgetKind: "com.example.events",
            relevance: RelevantContext.date(from: event.start, to: event.end)
        )
    }
    try? await RelevantIntentManager.shared.updateRelevantIntents(intents)
}

Call this whenever relevance data changes -- not only during timeline refreshes.

Previewing Relevant Widgets

Use Xcode previews to verify appearance without simulating real conditions.

// Preview with sample entries
#Preview("Events", widget: MyRelevantWidget.self, relevanceEntries: {
    [EventEntry(event: .surfing), EventEntry(event: .meditation)]
})

// Preview with relevance configurations
#Preview("Relevance", widget: MyRelevantWidget.self, relevance: {
    WidgetRelevance([
        WidgetRelevanceAttribute(configuration: MyIntent(event: .surfing),
                                 context: .date(Date(), kind: .scheduled))
    ])
})

// Preview with the full provider
#Preview("Provider", widget: MyRelevantWidget.self,
         relevanceProvider: MyRelevanceProvider())

Testing

Enable WidgetKit Developer Mode in Settings > Developer on the watch to bypass Smart Stack rotation limits during development.

Common Mistakes

• Ignoring return order. The system may only use a subset of relevance attributes. Return them sorted by priority (most important first).
• Mixing app and widget location setup. The containing app requests location authorization and owns the purpose strings; the widget extension declares NSWidgetWantsLocation and checks isAuthorizedForWidgetUpdates.
• Using generic HealthKit permission for fitness clues. Request the exact HealthKit types required by the clue instead of a broad "activity" permission.
• Using RelevanceKit API expecting iOS behavior. The API compiles on all platforms but only has effect on watchOS.
• Duplicate Smart Stack cards. When offering both a timeline widget and a relevant widget for the same data, use .associatedKind(_:) to prevent duplication.
• Forgetting placeholder and preview entries. RelevanceEntriesProvider requires both placeholder(context:) and a preview branch in entry(configuration:context:) when context.isPreview is true.
• Not calling updateRelevantIntents. When using timeline providers, calling this only inside timeline() means the system has stale relevance data between refreshes. Update whenever data changes.
• Ignoring nil from location(category:). This factory returns an optional. Not all MKPointOfInterestCategory values are supported.

Review Checklist

• import RelevanceKit is present alongside import WidgetKit
• RelevantContext clues match the app's actual data model
• Relevance attributes are ordered by priority
• Location clues: app has purpose strings and authorization flow; widget extension has NSWidgetWantsLocation
• Widget location code checks CLLocationManager.isAuthorizedForWidgetUpdates
• Fitness clues request HKWorkoutType or activity-ring quantity types as appropriate
• Sleep clues request HealthKit sleepAnalysis
• RelevanceEntriesProvider implements entry, placeholder, and relevance
• context.isPreview handled in entry(configuration:context:) to return preview data
• .associatedKind(_:) used when a timeline widget and relevant widget show the same data
• RelevantIntentManager.updateRelevantIntents called when data changes (timeline provider path)
• location(category:) nil return handled
• Mixed-framework plans keep WidgetKit, HealthKit, and MapKit/CoreLocation implementation details in sibling-skill scope
• WidgetKit Developer Mode used for testing
• Widget previews verify appearance across display sizes

References

• references/relevancekit-patterns.md -- extended patterns, full provider implementations, permission handling, and grouping strategies
• RelevanceKit documentation
• RelevantContext
• Increasing the visibility of widgets in Smart Stacks
• RelevanceConfiguration
• RelevanceEntriesProvider
• What's new in watchOS 26 (WWDC25 session 334)