Google Says Android 16 QPR1 Will Introduce Lock Screen Widgets on Smartphones

Google says lock screen widgets will be available in the AOSP for mobiles and tablets following the release of Android 16 QPR1.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 7 March 2025 10:32 IST

Google Says Android 16 QPR1 Will Introduce Lock Screen Widgets on Smartphones

Photo Credit: Google

Users will be able to set widgets for Clock, Weather, Stocks, Timers, and more

Highlights

Android 16 QPR1 is said to arrive in late Summer 2025 via AOSP
Google says it will bring lock screen widgets to smartphones
Developers can test widgets on Pixel Tablet before wider rollout

With the release of Android 15 QPR2 in December, Google brought back widgets to the lock screen on tablets, starting with the Pixel Tablet. Ever since, users have been left wondering if the feature would also make its way to smartphones, and it looks like that may happen soon. As part of its Spotlight Week which brings an enhanced focus on widgets, the Mountain View-based technology company has announced that widgets on smartphones will finally arrive with the Android 16 QPR1 update.

Lock Screen Widgets in Android 16 QPR1

In a new FAQ page for “Widgets on lock screen”, the company highlighted that lock screen widgets enable users to create a personalised experience on their devices. They can access widgets for checking the time, setting alarms, viewing vital information, reading stock updates, and even managing smart home devices like lights and thermostats.

Google says lock screen widgets will be available in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) for mobiles and tablets following the release of Android 16 QPR1. The update itself is scheduled to be pushed to AOSP in late Summer 2025. However, its initial release will not support customisation of the lock screen widget's user interface by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Thus, it will have the same developer experience irrespective of the device. However, they can pre-set and automatically display default widgets on their respective devices.

OnePlus 13 Series Confirmed to Receive Four Years of OS Updates

Meanwhile, the mechanism for triggering widgets is indeed customisable. As per Google, OEMs can select if they wish to have charging or docking status as triggers for widgets. Further, third-party OEMs can also implement their own posture detection.

The widgets are expected to be sized to approximately 4 x 3 cells on the launcher although their exact dimensions are said to vary by device. To provide users with the best possible experience, Google advises developers to include support for dynamic colour and resizing in the widgets. They must follow the same quality guidelines as home screen widgets for quality, sizing, and configuration.

Developers will initially be able to test their widgets on Pixel Tablet devices which received the support following the Android 15 QPR2 update in December 2024.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

Google Pixel Tablet

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 10.95-inch

Processor Google Tensor G2, Titan M2 security coprocessor

Front Camera 8-megapixel

Resolution 2560x1600 pixels

RAM 8GB

OS Android 13

Storage 128GB

Rear Camera 8-megapixel

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Android 16, Android 16 QPR1, Android 16 features, lock screen widgets, Google

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence... more »