When I bought my first Android phone in 2017, I was quick to dismiss widgets. I was just coming from Windows Phone 10, and nothing that Android or iOS provides could match the information my Windows Phone home screen could show.
But over time, I discovered that some of these usually overlooked widgets actually improve my phone to the point where I can’t use my Android phone without these widgets. So if you’re like me and scroll past widgets without a second thought, here are some that might be worth a shot.
6
Google Calendar month view
A quick-glance schedule that saves you from opening the full app
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I use a shockingly efficient text-based calendar on my computer for all personal engagements and planning. However, when it comes to work or coordinating with other people, I have to use Google Calendar.
I like glancing at my calendar’s monthly view from time to time. Generally, I’d have to open the Google Calendar app, but the month view widget puts my entire month on the home screen. I can tap any day to check my appointments, or use the add icon at the top right to create new events without ever having to fish for the Google Calendar app in the app drawer.
5
Google Maps nearby traffic
Traffic updates delivered to your doorstep
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Stepping outside during rush hour can be a painful ordeal. Thankfully, Google Maps lets you check live traffic around you so you can plan your commute or trips to avoid traffic. The nearby traffic widget makes the process even easier by putting live traffic data around you right on the home screen.
You can change the zoom level to get a better idea of traffic in surrounding areas, but the widget is only intended as a quick check measure. Tapping it opens the Google Maps app with live traffic enabled, so that saves a few taps every time you want to check the traffic in your area.
There is a downside, though. The widget requires constant location access in the background, which can impact battery life. Whether the convenience of checking traffic on your home screen is worth the trade-off is up to you.
4
Microsoft To Do
Makes your daily checklist impossible to ignore
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I use Microsoft’s To Do app for basic task lists to go about my day. The app is quite simple, and the widget essentially puts everything you need to access in one handy block on your home screen. You can check tasks from different lists, add new ones, mark existing tasks as complete, and even change settings like opacity, font size, and enable task details if you want more information on the home screen.
If you use Google Keep instead, it also has a similar widget that lets you browse your notes and edit them if required. In fact, Keep also offers a QuickCapture widget that gives you multiple options for adding notes right from your home screen and a note collection widget that can show multiple notes at once.
3
Google Home favorites
Lights, plugs, and routines, all instantly accessible
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Google’s integration with smart home devices is getting increasingly worse. With Gemini replacing Google Assistant, controlling my smart lights using voice commands is a hit-and-miss phenomenon. The Google Home app works fine, but fishing for it in the app drawer adds friction that I don’t want every time I want to control my lights.
Thankfully, the Google Home favorites widget, as the name suggests, puts your favorite smart devices right on your home screen. It’s how I easily control my smart home without having to fiddle with Gemini or say blank commands to Google Assistant. You can also choose between Google Home favorites or custom devices that you want to control, so you’re not stuck making changes in the app every time you want to control something different on the widget.
2
YouTube Music now playing
Quick playback controls with clean artwork and smart shortcuts
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As someone who constantly listens to music on their PC and phone, this widget is essential. It sits at the bottom of my main home page and lets me play or pause music, cycle between tracks, and like or dislike tracks without ever opening the YouTube Music app. Combined with YouTube Music’s notification shade controls, I can easily get through my playlist without needing to jump into the app. And if I do, the widget itself acts as a shortcut to the app.
The only downside is that the widget takes up the entire width of your screen horizontally. You can make it smaller, but that squishes the buttons too closely together to use comfortably. I’ve always arranged my app icons around widgets I use, so this wasn’t too much of a problem, but you can try the YouTube Music turntable widget if you’re looking to cram music controls in a tight space on your home screen.
1
Google Photos people and pets
Auto-curated photos of your favorite people (and animals)
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This widget doesn’t do anything functional per se, but it’s nice to have when swiping through my home screen during a busy work day. It automatically cycles between photos of whoever you choose—friends, family, or pets.
I’ve set mine to show my parents and a couple of close friends, and it often puts a smile on my face out of nowhere. Instead of my home screen being purely functional, there’s this little reminder of people and moments that matter.
The widget is customizable in shape and size, and it automatically pulls from your photo library based on Google’s face recognition. You’re not manually curating it, and setting up takes less than a minute. I just wish it supported photos of your car or bike as well.
Widgets can improve your phone, too
None of these widgets are flashy. They won’t make your phone look dramatically different or impress someone scrolling through your setup. But they do reduce friction, make information accessible, make decisions faster, and make routines smoother.
If you’ve been treating your home screen like a static app launcher, maybe it’s time to experiment. Not every widget will stick, but the ones that do will genuinely improve how you use your phone every day.