{"id":159998,"date":"2025-11-03T06:30:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T06:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/159998\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T06:30:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T06:30:29","slug":"widgets-are-coming-to-android-auto-for-a-more-personalized-drive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/159998\/","title":{"rendered":"Widgets are coming to Android Auto for a more personalized drive"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\"Widgets<\/a>Widgets are coming to Android Auto for a more personalized drive (Image Source: Google)<\/p>\n

Google is testing a new way to personalize Android Auto with home screen widgets that can display apps like Weather, Clock, or Spotify directly on the car\u2019s dashboard. Still in early development, the feature will let drivers resize and manage widgets from their phones while keeping essential controls within reach.<\/p>\n

Google <\/a>is working on a new feature that will allow Android Auto users to add home screen widgets directly to their car\u2019s display. The feature, which appears under the codename \u201cEarth\u201d in recent beta versions, introduces a level of customization that Android Auto has long lacked. It builds on the system\u2019s evolving dashboard design, which has gradually improved over the past few years but remained relatively static in terms of layout and interaction. <\/p>\n

According to findings in the latest Android Auto<\/a> 15.6 beta update by Android Authority<\/a>, users will soon be able to select and resize widgets through the Android Auto app on their phones. The widget occupies roughly 35 to 40 percent of the screen, positioned on the left side of the dashboard while navigation or media controls continue to fill the right. It\u2019s an approach that aims to blend quick access with minimal distraction. <\/p>\n

The feature is still in early development, and that shows as only one widget can be active at a time, replacing the previous one when changed. Mixing widgets from multiple apps or adding duplicates is also not possible. Some apps also display an error message that the widget cannot be accessed on Android Auto, which suggests that most developers are still updating their apps to support the system.<\/p>\n

\t\"Android<\/a>Android Auto Widgets (Image Source: Android Authority)<\/p>\n

However, a few widgets already run without issue. The Clock and Pixel Weather widgets perform reliably, and the latter updates automatically with live weather data when location permissions are enabled. Others, such as Gemini <\/a>and Google Keep, show partial functionality, but they currently open on the connected phone instead of within Android Auto itself. Interactive elements are also limited for now. While basic playback controls in media widgets like Spotify work as expected, tapping other parts of the interface can trigger errors, showing how early this feature still is.<\/p>\n

\t\"Android<\/a>Android Auto widgets (Image Source: Android Authority)<\/p>\n

Widget support expands on Android Auto\u2019s existing tools such as taskbar shortcuts and media controls. It\u2019s one of several upcoming improvements spotted in recent builds, which also hint at Google preparing updates for Assistant shortcuts to work better with Gemini, as well as a redesigned media widget that can manage multiple music apps at once. This would allow drivers to swipe between active apps instead of switching manually each time. <\/p>\n

The timing of these changes is also notable, coming as Apple <\/a>recently introduced widget functionality to CarPlay<\/a>. Both companies seem focused on giving drivers more ways to personalize their dashboards, though Google\u2019s approach appears to prioritize flexibility and integration with existing Android apps. None of these features have been rolled out to the public, and it could take some time before they arrive in stable releases.<\/p>\n

\"Antony<\/a>Antony Muchiri<\/a> – Tech Writer – 87 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been obsessed with tech for as long as I can remember, so much so that I\u2019ve become the unofficial “tech support” for my entire family. Whether it\u2019s fixing gadgets, explaining specs, or recommending the best buys, I love breaking down tech for everyday people. That passion led me to writing about tech. When I\u2019m not testing gadgets or writing reviews, you\u2019ll probably find me hiking or doom-scrolling car listings (still hunting for my first ride, wish me luck, lol).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Widgets are coming to Android Auto for a more personalized drive (Image Source: Google) Google is testing a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":159999,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[6849,92965,92964,1820,18,1821,19,17,1815,279,1819,1814,1822,1818,1142,1143,82,1817,1816],"class_list":{"0":"post-159998","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-android-auto","9":"tag-android-auto-15-6-beta-update","10":"tag-android-auto-widgets","11":"tag-benchmarks","12":"tag-eire","13":"tag-graphics-card","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-ireland","16":"tag-laptop","17":"tag-mobile","18":"tag-netbook","19":"tag-notebook","20":"tag-processor","21":"tag-reports","22":"tag-review","23":"tag-reviews","24":"tag-technology","25":"tag-test","26":"tag-tests"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115484362319915822","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159998"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159998\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}