How to fix the delay before the widget opens

Fix the black screen that appears when launching apps on Blank Spaces.

Make sure you have updated to the latest version of Blank Spaces on the App Store.

Turn on direct app launching

Some apps support launching directly (without routing through Blank).

  1. Open Blank Spaces and tap the paintbrush icon (top right).

  2. Scroll down to App Launching.

  3. Turn on Try to launch apps directly.

Still seeing a flash? Reduce the visual effect

You can minimize the visual disruption by enabling Reduce Motion on your iPhone:

Settings → Accessibility → Motion → turn on Reduce Motion

This won't eliminate the redirect, but it removes the animation so the transition feels faster.

If Shortcuts app is opening as well

If some apps still route through Shortcuts, you can use our built-in Auto Launch plugin to bypass it entirely.

  1. Open Blank Spaces and tap the + icon at the bottom of any widget.

  2. Tap App missing.

  3. Tap Set up Auto Launch.

  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to link your shortcut and automation. Setup takes about 3 minutes.