How to use Google Lock Screen Widgets for iPhone

Google’s lock screen widgets not only provide at-a-glance information, but also give you one-tap access to search.

In October 2022, Apple made two major changes to make it easier to get information at a glance. First, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max added support for an always-on display, selectable with a setting: Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On, slide to enable. Second, in addition to customizing wallpapers and backgrounds, iOS 16 also lets you add a limited number of lock screen widgets: pick up your phone, then touch and hold the lock screen until the customization options appear.

See: How to customize your lock screen in iOS 16 (TechRepublic)

The lock screen offers two widget areas with up to four custom widgets added below the clock and one custom widget selected above the clock. To add a widget, you must first have the appropriate app installed. For example, the Google Drive app must be installed to add the Google Drive widget. Additionally, you may need to sign in with an account before a widget will work. For example, you must sign in to the Gmail app with a Google account before a widget can show the number of new emails you have received.

Below are some of the most useful lock screen widgets available from Google in mid-October 2022.

Gmail lock screen widgets on iOS

You can choose from three different Gmail widgets, two of which appear below the clock (Figure Aleft) and an available one above the clock (Figure ATo the right):

Figure A

• The circular widget shows the number of new unread emails you have received.
• The rectangular widget shows the number of new emails for five different categories: Inbox, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums.
• Alternatively, if you tap above the clock display, you can add an inline display that shows the number of newly received emails.

Google Drive lock screen widgets on iOS

The three Google Drive lock screen widgets offer different amounts of data:

• The rectangular widget offers suggested files with the specific item recommended based on your actions (Figure BLeft).
• The circular search widget (Figure Bcenter), tapping it will open the Google Drive app and place your cursor in a Google Drive search box, ready for your input.
• The circular star widget (Figure Bright), when tapped, opens the Google Drive app and shows all selected Drive items.

Figure B

Google Search lock screen widgets on iOS

Lock screen options for the Google Search app on iPhone provide access to:

• Seek (Figure Clinks) for standard text-based keyword searches;
• voice search (Figure Ccenter left) for voice input of a search;
• lens (Figure C, middle right) for camera or image-based search; and
• Lens Shortcuts (Figure Cright) for customizable access to three selectable lens functions.

Figure C

After selecting and adding the Lens Shortcuts widgets, you can tap directly on the added widget again on the Customize screen and then choose whether the widget provides access to Google Lens features for translating, shopping, or doing homework. For example, if you set “Translate” as the default, tapping the widget will automatically open the Google app and activate the camera, allowing you to point your camera at the text to translate it into the selected language.

Figure D

Chrome lock screen widgets on iOS

Interestingly, the Chrome browser includes two lock screen widgets that essentially duplicate features available in the Google Search app: search (Figure E, left) and voice search (Figure E, center right). The other useful lock screen widget available is access to incognito search (Figure E, center left). Unlike the Google app widgets, which explicitly rely on Google search, these Chrome widgets connect to your configured search engine, which on iOS is set to Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo or Ecosia can be adjusted.

Should you urgently need one tap lock screen access to Chrome Dino game, this is also available (Figure E, To the right). However, as of mid-October 2022, a Reading List widget will not be available for people who would rather read saved articles than play a game to pass the time.

Figure E

Google calendar lock screen widget on iOS

While the Google Calendar app doesn’t lack a lock screen widget, Apple will offer three different lock screen widget options as of mid-October 2022: A round widget, a rectangular widget (Figure Fleft) and an inline widget displayed above the clock (Figure FTo the right).

Figure F

So, to view upcoming Google calendar events, connect your Google calendar to the built-in Apple calendar. Navigate to Settings > Calendar > Accounts > Add account > Google and enter your Google account details. Then select a calendar widget. The circular widget shows the least amount of information as it only shows the time of an upcoming event, while the other two show at least part of the event name.

What’s your experience?

If you have an iPhone model that offers the always-on display, do you find it useful? Which lock screen widgets did you choose to add? Have you filled out all available widget areas on your phone? Or don’t want or need an always-on phone screen? Which of the Google widgets do you like the most? Are there other widgets that you highly recommend? Mention or message me on Twitter (@awolber) to let me know how to use lock screen widgets on iPhone.