Why Passive Hourly Exposure Beats 2-Hour Cramming Sessions
The average person checks their phone 80 to 140 times a day. Traditional language apps require you to set aside dedicated time, open an app, and grind through dozens of cards while fighting notifications.
Vocab Bento’s Hourly Lock Screen Widget leverages this natural habit. By surfacing a single Kanji character with its Onyomi, Kunyomi, English translation, and stroke count each hour, your brain receives continuous, low-friction spaced micro-exposures.
The Forgetting Curve Advantage
"When you glimpse a kanji for just 2 seconds while checking your clock, your brain reactivates neural recall without cognitive fatigue. Over 30 days, these effortless micro-checks permanently lock characters into your long-term memory!"
How to Add the Vocab Bento Widget on iOS 18 (Step-by-Step)
Wake your iPhone & Long-Press the Lock Screen
From your locked screen (unlocked with Face ID/Touch ID), press and hold on any empty area of the wallpaper until the wallpaper gallery appears. Tap the blue "Customize" button at the bottom, then choose Lock Screen.
Tap the Widget Box Beneath the Clock
Tap the rectangular widget strip located right below the clock display. The iOS 18 Widget Library tray will slide up from the bottom of your screen.
Select "Vocab Bento" & Choose Your Widget Size
Scroll through the app list to find Vocab Bento (勉強). You have two widget options:
- Rectangular Widget (Recommended): Displays the large Kanji, Hiragana reading, English meaning, and stroke count.
- Circular Widget: Displays the Kanji character with compact Onyomi/Kunyomi.
Customize Your Study Deck & Tap Done
Tap on the newly placed widget to select which JLPT level (N5, N4, N3, N2, or N1) or curated pack (Anime, Travel, Essential Verbs) you want it to draw from. Tap "Done" in the top right to save your new Lock Screen!