Google is re-implementing lock screen widgets as part of Android 16, but the company should have never ripped the feature out of the OS to begin with.

So, a couple of years later, it was removed in Android 5.0 Lollipop. Since then, you’ve needed a third-party app to get widgets on your Android lock screen.

Lock screen widgets were very quickly and quietly phased out of stock Android devices, but you may still be able to use them on some devices with workarounds.

Over a decade ago, widgets were a part of the Android lock screen. Google introduced them back in 2012, but they never stayed around for long. The company scrapped the feature as Android 5.0 ...

The Android lock screen widget's blur effect may soon become a reality. The feature has been spotted in the new Android Canary build.

The next Android 15 quarterly release may let you resize lock screen widgets, and we have a first look at how it'll work. Check it out!

Google is officially bringing back lock screen widgets on Android, but it begs the question – what would you want to use?

Summary Android 16 may introduce a "Compact" notification view to declutter the lock screen. The new feature will collapse notifications into a small pill below the clock on the lock screen.

The first quarterly release of Android 16 will bring lock screen widgets to phones, and we have an early look at the feature!