Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Android finally lets you add widgets to the lock screen again.
- This feature is available for tablets running the latest Android 15 QPR1 beta release.
- There’s no indication on when or if this feature will be available on phones, too.
Google is rolling out the second beta for Android 15 QPR1 today. Android 15 QPR1 is the first quarterly platform release for Android 15, which Google released to AOSP last week. QPRs aren’t usually known for bringing major new platform features, but Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 seems to be an exception: The update brings the long-awaited lock screen widgets feature!
Since the beginning of this year, we’ve been tracking Google’s work on lock screen widget support. Android used to let you add widgets to the lock screen a long time back, but this capability was removed from the platform with the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop in 2014. However, it’s finally back in the latest Android 15 QPR1 beta.
Lock screen widgets are currently only available on tablets like the Pixel Tablet. To access them, you simply need to swipe inward from the right edge of the lock screen. Then, tap the “customize” card to open up the widget editor to add, remove, or reorder your widgets. Take note that any widgets you add to the lock screen are visible to anyone who picks up your tablet, so only add widgets that you’re comfortable with other people seeing.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Unfortunately, there’s no indication that Google plans to enable lock screen widget support on phones. While it’s possible to enable lock screen widgets on phones running Android 15 QPR1, the code for the feature suggests it is only intended for tablets that support Android’s hub mode, such as the Pixel Tablet. Hopefully, Google will change its mind, though, because users have been clamoring for widgets to return to the lock screen since it removed the feature nearly a decade ago. Those requests have only intensified after Apple enabled lock screen widgets in iOS.
