Lock Screen Widgets in GrapheneOS: Fast Access to Non-Sensitive Data

Nuttso

The new Android feature that allows widgets to be placed on the lock screen is, in my opinion, one of the best improvements released in recent times. For me, it’s an absolute dream. I genuinely hope they eventually allow multiple pages of lock-screen widgets instead of limiting it to a single page. The reason I enjoy this feature so much is simple: I use a very strong password, combined with fingerprint authentication and additional PIN. For certain things I just want to glance at quickly, I no longer need to unlock the device or enter any credentials. I can access the information instantly, and that’s fantastic.

If GrapheneOS were to support multiple lock-screen widget pages, it would be ideal. Truly. It allows you to clearly separate non-sensitive information and make it immediately visible, without friction, while still keeping everything else fully secured.

That is exactly how an operating system should work. It should give users the freedom to expose non-sensitive content effortlessly, while maintaining strict protection where it actually matters.

So I’m curious: which widgets are you using on your lock screen? At the moment, I’m only running a single one there TradingView.

Murcielago

Nuttso

So I’m curious: which widgets are you using on your lock screen?

Breezy Weather

A lock screen widget that displays one or more predefined files would be awesome letting you show tickets at the airport without having to unlock your phone for example.

nandohyphen1

Nuttso So I’m curious: which widgets are you using on your lock screen?

As Murcielago , also Breezy Weather of course, I've long wanted this! Also my calendar so I can easily glance at it, and Aves Libre photo frame. Loving this feature so far!

Novalissoide

Nuttso A book reader, with simple page-turning from lockscreen. (Haven't looked for it yet).

userofgos

Nuttso The new Android feature that allows widgets to be placed on the lock screen is, in my opinion, one of the best improvements released in recent times.

I agree, it's one of the things I've missed since switching from an iPhone. One day I hope the default launcher will also be able to create/enable/disable multiple homepages as well like you can on iPhone.

Nuttso genuinely hope they eventually allow multiple pages of lock-screen widgets instead of limiting it to a single page.

There is a way around this actually. If you add another widget(s) to exceed the size of the first page, a new one is created to fit the added widget(s). You can continue doing this on and on. It's a bit buggy to rearrange the widgets since it's still viewed as "one page" that is continuous. I currently have three pages

Breezy weather (2/3) and Proton Calendar (1/3)
Pinterest board (2/3) and Google maps quick destination (1/3)
To-do-list (full)

Still playing around with it to see what is best. Probably will add Notesnook as well

Murcielago

Murcielago A lock screen widget that displays one or more predefined files would be awesome letting you show tickets at the airport without having to unlock your phone for example.

Addendum: There are certainly better ways, but this setup works for me:

I use Fossify Gallery, which also offers a (lock screen) widget. You can specify the folder to be displayed in the widget.

I created a folder and saved my ticket in there (more precise: screenshot of a QR-Code as the widget doesn't seem to handle PDF). This allows me to access and show ticket from lock screen.

Unfortunately, you can't swipe through multiple tickets or specify the order of pictures in that folder. But other than that it works - i just used it flawlessly at the airport without having to unlock my device.

xxx

Will try to set this up later. ;-)

xxx

xxx
Still searching a use full widget. :-(

Xtreix

For now, switching very quickly to a secondary profile is the only benefit I see with the widget on the lock screen, for things that could also be useful like the calendar and weather, you still have to unlock the device to interact with it anyway. it's not really a problem with fingerprint unlocking + a random 4-digit PIN code, but you still have to do it, so I don't really see how it's any different from unlocking the device as usual to access the app, it's not really any faster. I use μLauncher, which allows you to associate apps with gestures, all I have to do is touch the date displayed on the home screen to access the calendar.

Currently, I don't use any widgets on the lock screen, I don't really have anything interesting or useful that would justify using it, and I replaced the system-wide user profile with Private Space since the feature became available.

Nuttso

userofgos There is a way around this actually. If you add another widget(s) to exceed the size of the first page, a new one is created to fit the added widget(s). You can continue doing this on and on. It's a bit buggy to rearrange the widgets since it's still viewed as "one page" that is continuous.

Damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thx for that

Xtreix

I may have found something useful in my case, using it with Auxio for music, the widget allows me to navigate between tracks without unlocking the device, which is quite handy, of course I still have to unlock the device if I want to change albums, but there have been several times when I wanted to change tracks while the screen was locked, forcing me to unlock the device just to skip to the next track.

AgentM

Xtreix good to know, but wasn't this already possible on that standard "music notification"? At least I did this some time ago - or something has changed lately with A16?

AgentM

Nuttso So I’m curious: which widgets are you using on your lock screen?

To-do respectively shopping list ( https://github.com/tasks/tasks ) Checking the checkboxes would be nice without the need for unlocking, but I'm still glad to at least being able to see it!

Xtreix

AgentM Good point about lists, like shopping lists, thank you for the suggestion.

AgentM I tried it and the notification disappears when the screen is locked, then becomes visible when I unlock the screen, but I can't remember if it was different before.

AgentM

Xtreix I just tried it again and I can still use back / forward / pause in the standard OS media notification on the lockscreen without adding a widget. Procedure: I opened Auxio, started playing a title, went back to the homescreen (swiped from above to check if the media notification appears and then went back to the homescreen), waited until the screen timeout and lock kicked in, tapped to activate the screen and the media player appeared and was clickable... I have toggled "show media on the lockscreen" to on in the OS settings of course.

Xtreix

AgentM I had not activated the toggle "show media on the lockscreen", now it works, thanks !

hemlockiv

Does the Lockscreen widgets feature work on GOS? What's the earliest version its supported? I can enable it but can't see a way to actually add a widget

Probably9857

hemlockiv Does the Lockscreen widgets feature work on GOS?

Yes.

hemlockiv What's the earliest version its supported?

2025122500

hemlockiv I can enable it but can't see a way to actually add a widget

After enabling, go to lock screen, swipe from right to left.

hemlockiv

Probably9857 ohh thank you! I was swiping FROM the left, lol

nandohyphen1

I may have found a bug. If notifications are present on the lockscreen, the widgets cannot be accessed. You can swipe to see them, but you have to permanently hold your finger there as you swipe or it will just bounce back to your regular (main) lock screen.

naibed

Great thread everyone. This is definitely going to change the way I use my phone moving forward. The lockscreen widgets doesn't have to compete for real estate w/ the pinned launcher apps, so the full screen is much cleaner/more expansive.

Nuttso So I’m curious: which widgets are you using on your lock screen? At the moment, I’m only running a single one there TradingView.

My mind instantly went to TradingView as well. With my old widget, I saw 4 tickers @ a time, but now I can see 12. Huge difference.

I am also using JTX Boards so that my tasks sync w/ Kmail/Kontact via my Radicale server.