Android 16 Brings Lock Screen Widgets to Phones: A New Era of Customization and Convenience

Google has announced that lock screen widgets will be available to Android 16 phones later this year. While Pixel Tablet customers have had access to these widgets since last year, Google is now rolling out the capability to more devices, including additional tablets and smartphones.

By default, all widgets will support the lock screen, although developers can disable them if necessary. Certain tasks, such as starting an app, will still require user verification via fingerprint, PIN, or face unlock for security purposes.

The announcement was made on the Android Developers Blog, as Google announced that lock screen widgets would soon be added to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) in the first quarterly update following the release of Android 16. Android 16, now in beta, is anticipated to arrive in June 2025, with the lock screen widgets appearing later in the year. 

Tech expert Mishaal Rahman tried to enable the function early and found that, except on the Pixel Tablet, where users swipe right from the home screen, the present version for phones is only accessible through Android’s screensaver mode  when the device is charging or docked. Google has noted that hardware manufacturers can customize the widget interface, so different devices may offer varying experiences.

Additionally, due to screen size differences, phone widgets will be stacked vertically rather than presented in a two-row grid like on tablets. Users will have to swipe through to access multiple widgets.

This article is based on information from The Verge