Google lets Android users 'vibe-code' custom widgets

On Tuesday, Google unveiled a new “Create My Widget” feature for Android that allows users to “vibe-code”—or create custom widgets using natural language. The feature will first launch on the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones this summer. Instead of relying on pre-designed layouts, users can describe what they want in plain text to generate a functional widget that they can add and resize on their home screen.

The tool leverages Gemini to pull information from the web and connect with Google applications like Gmail and Calendar. This integration allows users to build a single, personalized dashboard. For example, a user could ask the feature to suggest three high-protein meal prep recipes to generate a custom, resizable dashboard on their home screen. Alternatively, a user could create a weather widget that only surfaces specific statistics like wind speed and rain. The system can also gather flight and hotel details, surface restaurant reservations, and add a countdown timer for an upcoming trip.

Ben Greenwood, director of product management for Android Core Experiences, highlighted the utility of combining public web data with personal information. “This is like you asking your personal assistant a question, and having them just bring you the answer on repeat,” Greenwood said. “So think of it as asking Gemini things about the world, things about its knowledge of what’s going on and events, as well as things about your personal data. Those are sort of the two areas that unlock an enormous number of use cases that we’re super excited about.”

The “Create My Widget” tool was announced alongside a broader suite of features called Gemini Intelligence. While the widget tool focuses on home screen customization, the wider Gemini Intelligence suite will bring additional features to the operating system. These include advanced autofill and an AI-powered voice dictation feature for Gboard, Google’s virtual keyboard app.

Why it matters

The feature signals Google’s latest push to bring generative AI deeper into the Android experience, as tech companies race to make customization tools more accessible to everyday users.