![Google Pixel Tablet in hub mode Rita el Khoury Google Pixel Tablet in hub mode Rita el Khoury](https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Google_Pixel_Tablet_in_hub_mode_Rita_el_Khoury.jpg)
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
TL;DR
We will now report that lock display widgets are coming again, however will solely be obtainable on tablets operating Android 15.
Earlier this 12 months, we broke the information that Google is engaged on bringing again Android’s long-lost lock display widget characteristic.
On the time, it wasn’t clear if the characteristic was supposed for all units or solely tablets.
Among the finest methods you’ll be able to customise your Android cellphone or pill is by including a widget to the house display. Android widgets have been round for a really very long time, however in most flavors of the OS, you’re solely in a position to place them on your property display. Android used to allow you to add widgets to the lock display, but it surely’s been almost a decade because the working system allow you to do this. The upcoming Android 15 replace, nonetheless, will allow you to add widgets to the lock display, however there’s a big catch.
Earlier this 12 months, I revealed that Google is engaged on bringing again lock display widget assist in Android 15. I made this assertion primarily based on the existence of a brand new “communal house” — an space that’s accessed by swiping inward from the suitable facet of the lock display. This communal house let me add widgets from choose apps that also utilized an outdated API made for Android’s older lock display widget characteristic. That, plus the truth that the communal house was accessible from the lock display, led me to imagine that this work was certainly associated to a revived lock display widget characteristic.
Nonetheless, I cautioned in direction of the top of my earlier article that Google may restrict lock display widgets to pill units just like the Pixel Pill. That’s as a result of there was code tying the brand new lock display widget assist to Android’s hub mode, which is a set of settings particular to tablets that may be docked. With the discharge of Android 15 beta 1 earlier as we speak, I can now verify that Android 15’s lock display widget characteristic is meant for tablets.
Whereas digging by means of the primary Android 15 beta, I found strings pertaining to new toggles that may seem below Settings > Hub mode on units just like the Pixel Pill. One toggle will permit the consumer to “present widgets on lock display” even “with out unlocking your pill.” In the meantime, one other toggle offers the consumer the choice to “permit any widget on lock display.” The latter is attention-grabbing as a result of beforehand, the aforementioned communal house solely supported including widgets with the outdated KEYGUARD class enabled. With a little bit of tinkering, I used to be in a position to floor these new toggles in Android’s hub mode settings, as proven beneath.
![Android 15 widget on lock screen setting 1 Android 15 widget on lock screen setting 1](https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Android_15_widget_on_lock_screen_setting_1.png)
![Android 15 widget on lock screen setting 2 Android 15 widget on lock screen setting 2](https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Android_15_widget_on_lock_screen_setting_2.png)
Beneath the hood, this characteristic is named “glanceable hub,” which makes numerous sense because you aren’t really putting widgets straight on the lock display. Slightly, you’re swiping to open a brand new web page the place the widgets could be added. Sadly, I’m unable to correctly showcase the brand new lock display widget characteristic as I wasn’t in a position to get it absolutely working. I used to be, nonetheless, in a position to manually launch the web page the place you’ll be able to add lock display widgets, which let me see how the “permit any widget on lock display” toggle affected widget availability.
When “permit any widget on lock display” was disabled, I used to be ready so as to add the next widgets:
Calendar
Clock
Drive
Fitbit
Google Information
Photographs
Pixel Climate
When “permit any widget on lock display” was enabled, I used to be ready so as to add these widgets along with the earlier ones:
Chrome
Contacts
Digital Wellbeing
Google TV
Google Hold
Translate
YouTube Music
Whereas it’s a disgrace that lock display widgets in Android 15 will probably be restricted to tablets, there’s a silver lining. I beforehand reported that Google may leverage its At a Look view on the lock display to floor widgets on smartphones. Though I don’t have any new particulars on that effort, I’m hoping that it’ll make an look quickly in an upcoming Android 15 beta.
Feedback