Lock screen widgets have returned to Android with the Android 16 QPR2 beta. The feature is available for Pixel devices from the Pixel 6 onward. Widgets provide glanceable information and quick controls such as smart home device controls, timers, calendar, weather, and financial data without unlocking the phone. Widgets are visible while the device is locked, but interaction requires unlocking, so they remain off by default. Widgets can be enabled via Display & touch > Lock screen > Widgets on lock screen or through 'hub mode' for charging screens. For now, widgets appear only when the phone is charging or docked, and each lock screen page holds up to three widgets.
The latest Android beta is here, and it quietly dropped a pretty big surprise for Pixel owners. I've known for a while that widgets are returning to the Android lock screen, but they're officially back with Android 16 QPR2. Widgets are a staple of customization on Android phones (here's a look at our 7 favorites). Tablets have them, but they've been gone from phones for more than a decade. Also: How to clear your Android phone cache (and greatly improve its performance) Lock screen widgets are designed to let you handle quick tasks and give you glanceable info like smart home device controls, start timers, calendar, weather, financial info like stocks, and more -- all without unlocking your device.
You will need to unlock your device to interact with any widgets, though. As such, widgets are not turned on by default. You can access them through the settings menu (by going to Display & touch > Lock screen > Widgets on lock screen) or through "hub mode," which lets you choose what to show while your device is charging. For now, you can only access widgets while your phone is charging or docked. Every lock screen page holds up to three widgets, and you can easily swipe between pages. If you tap and hold the widget screen, you can customize the layout.
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