HIGHLIGHTS
- Google is bringing lock screen widgets back with Android 16 QPR1.
- All widgets will be compatible with your phone lock screen including clock widgets.
- Google is likely to roll out lock screen widgets with Android 15 QPR1 in the late summer of 2025.
Google removed the lock screen widget from Android smartphones with the launch of Android 5.0 lollipop and till now they’re not providing widgets to use on the lock screen for easier access. Although, Nothing is the only brand now offering lock screen widgets as of now but now the company is planning to bring the lock screen widgets again to Android smartphones with Android 16 QPR1. Here’s everything you need to know.
Lock screen widgets coming to Google with Android 16 QPR1
Google has confirmed that they will release the lock screen widgets in a FAQ page where he claimed that the lock screen widgets will be available to Android smartphones as a part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) after the rollout of Android 16 QPR1 (Quarterly Platform Release 1). So, we can expect the update in late summer 2025, as the company stated that the update is scheduled to be pushed to AOSP at that time.
While the lock screen widgets aren’t already available for Pixel tablets, it will come to compatible Android phones as well as other tablets. With lock screen widgets, users can create personalized experiences on their phones where they can track other activities directly from the lock screen. For instance, they will be able to control all their smart home devices such as stocks, timers, and doorbell from dedicated widgets on the screen.
However, the initial release of the lock screen feature will not be identical on all smartphones to customize the user interface of the lock screen widgets. The company wrote on the web page that “All lock screen widgets will have the same developer experience on all devices.” In future updates, Google will allow OEMs to customize the user experience further. They can choose their own triggers, like charging or docking status, to enable specific features.
Additionally, OEMs will be able to set their pre-set and automatically display default widgets on the phone lock screen. The company has confirmed that all widgets will be compatible with the lock screen widgets, so users can customize it accordingly. Google also claimed that all widgets will have a size around 4 × 3 cells and it’ll support dynamic coloring and dynamic sizing. But it may vary depending on the device. Therefore, we can expect the lock screen widgets feature in the late summer 2025 starting with Android 15 QPR1.
