Create a widget

task brazil Updated Oct 1, 2026 2 min read create-a-widget.md

You can create a widget two ways — describe it in chat or clone an existing widget. Each way produces a new widget ready to edit in the Editor.

Before you begin

Role required: admin

To use AI chat, ServiceNow Otto for Platform version 13.2.0 or later must be active on the instance.

Procedure

Create with AI chat
1. From the Widgets catalog, select Create widget.
  
  The Editor opens with a new, unsaved widget.
2. In the chat panel, type a description of the widget you want, for example, "a card that lists open incidents assigned to me" and send it.
3. The ServiceNow Otto chat shows a collapsible AI Steps list that tracks its progress while the widget is generated, and confirms when the widget is ready.
4. When generation finishes, Widget Builder builds and deploys the widget automatically.
  
  The URL updates to the new widget's ID, and the Preview tab shows the result.
5. Chat then prompts for further changes, describe a change, or move on to editing manually.
Every AI response in chat carries the disclaimer "Some answers generated by AI. Be sure to check for accuracy." Review the generated code and behavior before publishing.

Chat history is built into ServiceNow Otto chat.

You can also ask ServiceNow Otto chat questions about a widget, for example, what it displays.
Accept or decline a chat-driven change

After chat makes a change, it shows Accept changes and Decline changes. The preview reflects the change right away, but the change isn't applied until you select Accept changes.
- Accept changes keeps the update.
- Decline changes reverts the widget to how it was before the change and reloads the editor with the prior code.
Clone an existing widget

Cloning gives you your own independent copy of a widget, seeded with its current source.
1. From the Widgets catalog, select a widget's action menu and choose Clone (or clone from the create dialog when creating a widget).
2. Review and edit the pre-filled name, ID, and description.
3. Confirm.
  
  Widget Builder opens the new widget in the Editor, already published and unrelated to the original. Editing or deleting the clone never affects the widget you cloned it from.
The clone is created in whichever application scope is currently active.

[Omitted image "aiux-builder-clone-dialog.png"] Alt text: Create/clone dialog with pre-filled name, ID, and description

Keywords Create a widgetCreate with AI chatAccept or decline a chat-driven changeClone an existing widget

71 lines · 3.1 KB Wrap lines

---
title: Create a widget
description: You can create a widget two ways — describe it in chat or clone an existing widget. Each way produces a new widget ready to edit in the Editor.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/application-development/create-a-widget.html
release: brazil
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-10-01"
reading_time_minutes: 2
keywords: [Create a widget, Create with AI chat, Accept or decline a chat-driven change, Clone an existing widget]
breadcrumb: [Lux widgets, Build with Lux, Lux Development, Building pro-code applications, Developing your application, Classic app development, Building applications]
---

# Create a widget

You can create a widget two ways — describe it in chat or clone an existing widget. Each way produces a new widget ready to edit in the Editor.

## Before you begin

Role required: admin

To use AI chat, ServiceNow Otto for Platform version 13.2.0 or later must be active on the instance.

## Procedure

- Create with AI chat

1. From the Widgets catalog, select **Create widget**.

The Editor opens with a new, unsaved widget.

2. In the chat panel, type a description of the widget you want, for example, "a card that lists open incidents assigned to me" and send it.

3. The ServiceNow Otto chat shows a collapsible **AI Steps** list that tracks its progress while the widget is generated, and confirms when the widget is ready.

4. When generation finishes, Widget Builder builds and deploys the widget automatically.

The URL updates to the new widget's ID, and the **Preview** tab shows the result.

5. Chat then prompts for further changes, describe a change, or move on to editing manually.

Every AI response in chat carries the disclaimer "Some answers generated by AI. Be sure to check for accuracy." Review the generated code and behavior before publishing.

Chat history is built into ServiceNow Otto chat.

You can also ask ServiceNow Otto chat questions about a widget, for example, what it displays.

- Accept or decline a chat-driven change

After chat makes a change, it shows **Accept changes** and **Decline changes**. The preview reflects the change right away, but the change isn't applied until you select **Accept changes**.

- **Accept changes** keeps the update.
- **Decline changes** reverts the widget to how it was before the change and reloads the editor with the prior code.
- Clone an existing widget

Cloning gives you your own independent copy of a widget, seeded with its current source.

1. From the Widgets catalog, select a widget's action menu and choose **Clone** \(or clone from the create dialog when creating a widget\).

2. Review and edit the pre-filled name, ID, and description.

3. **Confirm**.

Widget Builder opens the new widget in the Editor, already published and unrelated to the original. Editing or deleting the clone never affects the widget you cloned it from.

The clone is created in whichever application scope is currently active.

\[Omitted image "aiux-builder-clone-dialog.png"\] Alt text: Create/clone dialog with pre-filled name, ID, and description