Google’s New Search Widget Puts More Emphasis On Your Custom Shortcut
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Summary
- Google is rolling out a redesigned Search widget for the Google app on Android, giving the customizable shortcut a more prominent circular placement on the right side of the widget.
- The update, currently in beta (version 16.17.38), also introduces new shortcut options like AI Mode, Saved, and News, expanding the total available choices to eleven.
- The new widget design requires a minimum width of 4×1 to display all elements, and the rollout appears to be a server-side switch, not solely tied to the app update.
Google significantly enhanced the Google app Search widget’s functionality (not to be confused with the launcher’s similar-looking search bar) earlier this year in February with the option to add custom shortcuts.
The feature, which had been in active development since September 2024 at the very least, is now widely available to users, bringing quick access to commonly-used tools like Translate, Song search, Weather, and more.
Related
Now, Google is ironing out the kinks and refining the app’s widget experience, with a prominent emphasis on your custom shortcut.
First spotted by the folks over 9to5Google, Google App beta version 16.17.38 unlocks access to a refined Search widget UI with an overall thicker pill and a relocated placement for the customizable shortcut.
Left (old), right (new)
The new design adopts the overarching pill design seen with the recent Circle to Search (CtS) redesign, with the Google app logo (to the left) and the Lens and mic icons (to the right) retaining their positions. The custom shortcut, however, now appears within its own distinct circular button situated on the far right of the widget, giving it somewhat increased visual prominence.
Elsewhere, the update also unlocks access to new shortcuts, including AI Mode, Saved, and News, bringing the total number of available shortcuts to eleven.
Out of the seven devices we tried, with the same Google account, the new UI only surfaced on one device, suggesting that the rollout is part of a server-side switch rather than a simple app update — at least for now. For what it’s worth, once the redesigned layout rolls out to you, you’ll need to ensure your widget spans at least 4×1 to see all elements. The compact 3×1 widget cuts off the custom shortcut.
