Samsung has removed a helpful lock screen feature from its One UI 7 beta

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published December 10, 2024

The vertical app drawer in One UI 7. — Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Support for lock screen widgets may soon come to an end on Samsung devices. As discovered by a Reddit user (via Android Authority), this feature is missing in the latest One UI 7 beta version. If this change is carried over into the first public release of One UI 7, it would align Samsung’s customized user interface more closely with Google Android, which removed native support for lock screen widgets starting with Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Currently, in One UI 6, Samsung users can add full-size widgets to a dedicated carousel on the lock screen by tapping the clock. This carousel exists alongside mini widgets that can also be used. However, in the current One UI 7 beta, users can only utilize mini widgets, as the carousel feature has been removed.

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Before the One UI 7 beta, you could find information about lock screen widgets by navigating to Settings > Lock screen and AOD. In One UI 6.1.1 and earlier versions, this section allowed you to “choose useful information to display when you tap the clock on the lock screen.” From here, it presented a list of full-size widgets such as Weather, Calendar, and Digital Wellbeing.

Lock screen widgets on One UI 6.1.1.. — Lock screen widgets in One UI 6.1.1 Android Authority

After months of development, One UI 7 is anticipated to launch alongside Android 15 with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 lineup. This new user interface will first be available on the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra, which the company is expected to announce next month. Following that, it will be rolled out to existing devices, including the company’s current flagship, the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Interestingly, while Samsung may remove full-size lock screen widgets on One UI 7, Google may re-add them in Android. They were a part of Android 15 QPR1 and have been carried over to Android 15 QPR2 — at least for tablets.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

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