diff --git a/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/board-setup-checklist.tsx b/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/board-setup-checklist.tsx
index 16b0de6b9..0551e9cf1 100644
--- a/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/board-setup-checklist.tsx
+++ b/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/board-setup-checklist.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export const BoardSetupChecklist = () => {
 
   if (collapsed) {
     return (
-      <Affix position={{ top: appShellHeaderHeight + 16, left: 16 }} className={classes.root} withinPortal zIndex={300}>
+      <Affix position={{ top: appShellHeaderHeight + 16, left: 16 }} className={classes.root}>
         <Button
           variant="default"
           leftSection={<IconChecklist size={18} />}
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export const BoardSetupChecklist = () => {
   }
 
   return (
-    <Affix position={{ top: appShellHeaderHeight + 16, left: 16 }} className={classes.root} withinPortal zIndex={300}>
+    <Affix position={{ top: appShellHeaderHeight + 16, left: 16 }} className={classes.root}>
       <Paper className={classes.panel} withBorder shadow="md" radius="md" p="md">
         <Stack gap="sm">
           <Group justify="space-between" wrap="nowrap">
diff --git a/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/item-select-modal.tsx b/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/item-select-modal.tsx
index 80ff4b318..09ea997ab 100644
--- a/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/item-select-modal.tsx
+++ b/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/item-select-modal.tsx
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ interface ItemSelectModalContentProps {
   initialSearch?: string;
 }
 
+type PreviewState = { kind: WidgetKind; options?: Record<string, unknown>; label?: string } | null;
+
 const ItemSelectModalContent = ({
   actions,
   integrationData,
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ const ItemSelectModalContent = ({
   );
   const [targetSectionId, setTargetSectionId] = useState<string | null>(placementOptions[0]?.value ?? null);
   const [loadingSelection, setLoadingSelection] = useState<string | null>(null);
-  const [previewKind, setPreviewKind] = useState<WidgetKind | null>(null);
+  const [preview, setPreview] = useState<PreviewState>(null);
   const selectionLock = useRef(false);
   const { createItem, removeItem } = useItemActions();
 
@@ -132,13 +134,31 @@ const ItemSelectModalContent = ({
   );
 
   const previewIntegrationIds = useMemo(() => {
-    if (!previewKind) return [];
-    const supported = (widgetIntegrationSupport[previewKind] ?? []).filter((integration) => integration !== "mock");
+    if (!preview?.kind) return [];
+    const supported = (widgetIntegrationSupport[preview.kind] ?? []).filter((integration) => integration !== "mock");
     return (integrationData ?? [])
       .filter(({ permissions }) => permissions.hasUseAccess)
       .filter(({ kind }) => (supported as readonly string[]).includes(kind))
       .map(({ id }) => id);
-  }, [integrationData, previewKind]);
+  }, [integrationData, preview]);
+
+  const handlePreviewCustomWidget = (customWidgetDefinition: NonNullable<typeof customWidgetDefs>[number]) => {
+    void loadWidgetDefinition("customApi")
+      .then((definition) => {
+        const defaultOptions = reduceWidgetOptionsWithDefinition(definition, settings);
+        setPreview({
+          kind: "customApi",
+          label: customWidgetDefinition.name,
+          options: {
+            ...defaultOptions,
+            definitionId: customWidgetDefinition.id,
+            configuration: customWidgetDefinition.defaultOptions,
+            configurationVersion: customWidgetDefinition.updatedAt.getTime(),
+          },
+        });
+      })
+      .catch(() => undefined);
+  };
 
   const items = useMemo(
     () =>
@@ -423,12 +443,12 @@ const ItemSelectModalContent = ({
               onFocus={() => {
                 void loadWidgetDefinition(item.kind).catch(() => undefined);
                 preloadWidgetEditModal();
-                setPreviewKind(item.kind);
+                setPreview({ kind: item.kind });
               }}
               onPointerEnter={() => {
                 void loadWidgetDefinition(item.kind).catch(() => undefined);
                 preloadWidgetEditModal();
-                setPreviewKind(item.kind);
+                setPreview({ kind: item.kind });
               }}
               disabled={loadingSelection !== null}
               loading={loadingSelection === item.kind}
@@ -457,8 +477,14 @@ const ItemSelectModalContent = ({
                   disabled={loadingSelection !== null}
                   busy={loadingSelection === `custom:${def.id}`}
                   onSelect={() => void handleAddCustomWidget(def)}
-                  onFocus={() => void loadWidgetDefinition("customApi").catch(() => undefined)}
-                  onPointerEnter={() => void loadWidgetDefinition("customApi").catch(() => undefined)}
+                  onFocus={() => {
+                    void loadWidgetDefinition("customApi").catch(() => undefined);
+                    handlePreviewCustomWidget(def);
+                  }}
+                  onPointerEnter={() => {
+                    void loadWidgetDefinition("customApi").catch(() => undefined);
+                    handlePreviewCustomWidget(def);
+                  }}
                 >
                   <Stack h="100%" gap="xs">
                     <Group gap="sm" wrap="nowrap" align="flex-start">
@@ -492,11 +518,14 @@ const ItemSelectModalContent = ({
           )}
         </SelectGridLayout>
       </Box>
-      {previewKind && (
-        <Box w={320} style={{ flexShrink: 0 }}>
-          <WidgetPreviewPanel kind={previewKind} integrationIds={previewIntegrationIds} />
-        </Box>
-      )}
+      <Box visibleFrom="lg" w={320} style={{ flexShrink: 0 }}>
+        <WidgetPreviewPanel
+          kind={preview?.kind ?? null}
+          integrationIds={previewIntegrationIds}
+          options={preview?.options ?? undefined}
+          label={preview?.label ?? undefined}
+        />
+      </Box>
     </Flex>
   );
 };
diff --git a/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/widget-preview-panel.tsx b/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/widget-preview-panel.tsx
index 2441e71ce..6438783d8 100644
--- a/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/widget-preview-panel.tsx
+++ b/apps/nextjs/src/components/board/items/widget-preview-panel.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { Suspense, use } from "react";
-import { Center, Loader, Paper, Stack, Text } from "@mantine/core";
+import { Center, Loader, Paper, Stack, Text, ThemeIcon } from "@mantine/core";
+import { IconZoomIn } from "@tabler/icons-react";
 import { QueryErrorResetBoundary } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { ErrorBoundary } from "react-error-boundary";
 
@@ -12,61 +13,102 @@ import { useI18n } from "@homarr/translation/client";
 import { WidgetError } from "@homarr/widgets/errors";
 import { loadWidgetResources, reduceWidgetOptionsWithDefinition } from "@homarr/widgets/manifest";
 
-const PREVIEW_CELL_SIZE = 56;
-const PREVIEW_MIN_HEIGHT = 120;
-const PREVIEW_MAX_HEIGHT = 260;
+const PANEL_WIDTH = 320;
 
-export const getPreviewSize = (kind: WidgetKind) => {
-  const defaultSize = widgetDefaultSizes[kind] ?? { width: 1, height: 1 };
-  return {
-    width: Math.max(140, defaultSize.width * PREVIEW_CELL_SIZE),
-    height: Math.min(PREVIEW_MAX_HEIGHT, Math.max(PREVIEW_MIN_HEIGHT, defaultSize.height * PREVIEW_CELL_SIZE)),
-  };
+const MAX_PREVIEW_HEIGHT = 260;
+
+const fitInBounds = (minHeight: number, width: number, height: number, maxWidth: number, maxHeight: number) => {
+  const scale = Math.min(maxWidth / width, maxHeight / height, 1);
+  const scaledWidth = Math.min(Math.max(width * scale, 160), maxWidth);
+  const scaledHeight = Math.min(Math.max(height * scale, minHeight), maxHeight);
+  return { width: scaledWidth, height: scaledHeight };
 };
 
-interface WidgetPreviewProps {
-  kind: WidgetKind;
+export const getPreviewSize = (kind: WidgetKind) => {
+  const base = widgetDefaultSizes[kind] ?? { width: 1, height: 1 };
+  return fitInBounds(140, base.width * 56, base.height * 56, PANEL_WIDTH - 32, MAX_PREVIEW_HEIGHT);
+};
+
+interface WidgetPreviewPanelProps {
+  kind: WidgetKind | null;
   integrationIds: string[];
+  options?: Record<string, unknown>;
+  label?: string;
 }
 
-export const WidgetPreviewPanel = ({ kind, integrationIds }: WidgetPreviewProps) => {
+export const WidgetPreviewPanel = ({ kind, integrationIds, options, label }: WidgetPreviewPanelProps) => {
   const t = useI18n();
-  const { width, height } = getPreviewSize(kind);
 
   return (
     <Paper withBorder radius="md" p="sm" shadow="sm" h="100%" style={{ overflow: "hidden" }}>
-      <Text size="xs" c="dimmed" mb="xs" fw={600} tt="uppercase">
-        {t("item.create.preview.label")}
+      <Text size="xs" c="dimmed" mb="xs" fw={600} tt="uppercase" truncate>
+        {label ?? t("item.create.preview.label")}
       </Text>
-      <Center h={`calc(100% - 26px)`} style={{ pointerEvents: "none" }}>
-        <Suspense
-          fallback={
-            <Center h={height}>
-              <Loader size="sm" />
-            </Center>
-          }
-        >
-          <WidgetPreviewContent kind={kind} integrationIds={integrationIds} width={width} height={height} />
-        </Suspense>
-      </Center>
+      {kind ? <PreviewContent kind={kind} integrationIds={integrationIds} options={options} /> : <Placeholder />}
     </Paper>
   );
 };
 
-const WidgetPreviewContent = ({
+const Placeholder = () => {
+  const t = useI18n();
+
+  return (
+    <Center h="calc(100% - 26px)" c="dimmed">
+      <Stack gap="xs" align="center">
+        <ThemeIcon variant="light" size="lg" radius="xl">
+          <IconZoomIn size={20} />
+        </ThemeIcon>
+        <Text size="sm" c="dimmed" ta="center" px="md">
+          {t("item.create.preview.placeholder")}
+        </Text>
+      </Stack>
+    </Center>
+  );
+};
+
+const PreviewContent = ({
   kind,
   integrationIds,
+  options,
+}: {
+  kind: WidgetKind;
+  integrationIds: string[];
+  options?: Record<string, unknown>;
+}) => {
+  const { width, height } = getPreviewSize(kind);
+
+  return (
+    <Center h="calc(100% - 26px)" style={{ pointerEvents: "none" }}>
+      <Suspense
+        fallback={
+          <Center h={height}>
+            <Loader size="sm" />
+          </Center>
+        }
+      >
+        <InnerPreview kind={kind} integrationIds={integrationIds} options={options} width={width} height={height} />
+      </Suspense>
+    </Center>
+  );
+};
+
+const InnerPreview = ({
+  kind,
+  integrationIds,
+  options,
   width,
   height,
 }: {
   kind: WidgetKind;
   integrationIds: string[];
+  options?: Record<string, unknown>;
   width: number;
   height: number;
 }) => {
   const settings = useSettings();
   const { definition, Component } = use(loadWidgetResources(kind));
-  const options = reduceWidgetOptionsWithDefinition(definition, settings, {});
+  const defaultOptions = reduceWidgetOptionsWithDefinition(definition, settings, {});
+  const mergedOptions = { ...defaultOptions, ...options };
 
   return (
     <QueryErrorResetBoundary>
@@ -79,7 +121,7 @@ const WidgetPreviewContent = ({
         >
           <Stack w={width} h={height} style={{ overflow: "hidden" }}>
             <Component
-              options={options as never}
+              options={mergedOptions as never}
               integrationIds={integrationIds}
               width={width}
               height={height}
diff --git a/packages/modals-collection/src/apps/app-select-modal.tsx b/packages/modals-collection/src/apps/app-select-modal.tsx
index 157039f82..e17558c84 100644
--- a/packages/modals-collection/src/apps/app-select-modal.tsx
+++ b/packages/modals-collection/src/apps/app-select-modal.tsx
@@ -34,10 +34,7 @@ export const AppSelectModal = createModal<AppSelectModalProps>(({ actions, inner
     [apps, search],
   );
 
-  const selectedApps = useMemo(
-    () => filteredApps.filter((app) => selectedAppIds.has(app.id)),
-    [filteredApps, selectedAppIds],
-  );
+  const selectedApps = useMemo(() => apps.filter((app) => selectedAppIds.has(app.id)), [apps, selectedAppIds]);
 
   const handleSelect = (app: SelectableApp) => {
     if (multiSelect) {
diff --git a/packages/translation/src/lang/en.json b/packages/translation/src/lang/en.json
index 7fc9f9e51..0e20d20b0 100644
--- a/packages/translation/src/lang/en.json
+++ b/packages/translation/src/lang/en.json
@@ -2751,7 +2751,8 @@
         }
       },
       "preview": {
-        "label": "Live preview"
+        "label": "Live preview",
+        "placeholder": "Select a widget to preview its appearance"
       }
     },
     "moveResize": {