Good news: One of Google's best widgets is finally available to all

We got a first look at the Google Home app’s Favorites widget back in May, allowing users to control their smart home devices and actions directly from the home screen. It’s taken a while, but the option is finally available for all Android users.

9to5Google spotted a Google support page confirming that the Google Home Favorites Widget no longer requires you to join the Public Preview program on Android. Instead, the page notes that the widget is available to all users running Android 12 or higher. You still need to join the Public Preview program if you’re on iOS, though.

This Android widget is a handy way to quickly control your frequently used smart home devices and automations. The widget is also scalable, so you can go from a tiny 1 x 2 size all the way to a full-screen option that dominates your home screen. Google also lets you add multiple Favorites widgets to your home screens.

“Check the status of your device through your Favorites widget. The widget will indicate if the device is active or not and will refresh its status every 30 minutes,” reads an excerpt from Google’s support page. The page also notes that devices with an on/off toggle can be directly controlled via the widget. However, tapping tiles for gadgets without an on/off toggle (e.g. camera and thermostat tiles) will open the device controls menu instead.