Key Takeaways
- Google is working on adding customizable shortcuts to the Search widget, which could include shortcuts for tools likeTranslate, Finance, and Weather.
- In the app’s latest beta, the tech giant seems to have enabled a new custom color customization option for the widget.
- As of right now, users can only customize the widget by choosing between System, Light, Dark, and Device Material You color themes.
The Google Search widget is a handy tool that gives you quick access to Google’s search bar, in addition to Lens. The tech giant has been steadily improving the app’s widget experience, with customizable shortcuts likely coming very soon.
Code spotted in Google app’s beta 15.35.41.29.arm64 build suggests that its 4×1 search widget will soon gain a third, customizable shortcut button which will be denoted with a ‘+’ icon by default. Users will reportedly be able to choose from Translate (text), Song Search, Weather, Translate (camera), and Finance, bringing extra functionality to the already-useful widget. Once available, users will be able to customize their widget experience in the same menu where they’d normally go to adjust the widget’s recently-released color themes.
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Customizable shortcuts could soon land in the Google app widget
More tools right on your home screen
The color themes are live now in the app’s latest version 15.43.36 beta build, letting you choose between System, Light, Dark, and Device Material You color themes for the widget. While not appearing to us, 9to5Google suggests that the beta also offers a new Custom color option. It’s worth noting that Google previously offered a custom color customization option for the widget, but it was removed some time earlier this year.
The new option, which opens up a world of creative possibilities, appears as a pill-shaped slider for the widget’s dominant hue, with a second slider for its overall saturation. Similar to other theming options, transparency on the custom color can also be tweaked as per user preference, with a live preview of changes to view your tweaks as you go.
A subtle slider change is in the works too
Source: 9to5Google
Another minuscule change comes in the form of the Transparency slider’s handle, which has been changed from a tiny circle to more of a vertical bar.
To check if the change is available to you in the app’s latest beta build, open the Google app and tap your profile icon on the top right. Tap on Settings at the bottom and then Customize Search widget. The tweak is entirely superficial, and the beta build appears to offer no new functionality. It is currently unknown when custom color themes might begin rolling out widely in stable.