Two new single-contact widgets are coming to Android

In the latest update to the Google Contacts app, leaker AssembleDebug was the first to discover hidden code revealing a new look for the Google Contacts single-contact widget. The look of the current single-contract widget depends on the size you choose. The smaller widget shows a round picture of the contact with offset buttons on the upper right for texting and the lower left for making a phone call. The larger-sized widget blows the picture up a little, includes the name of the contact, and has side-by-side call and text buttons on the bottom.

The updated single-contact widgets are in a pill design with the smaller one showing a rounded picture of the contact with a phone icon to the right for making a call. The larger design ironically shows the same size rounded picture of the contact but now includes his/her name right next to the photo. And on the right are now two icons, one for making a call and the other for sending a text message. So the larger-sized single-contact icon uses the extra real estate to include the person's name and both phone and text icons.

To add a widget to your Android phone, find some empty home screen real estate and long-press. That will show you a pop-up with three choices:  Wallpaper & style, Widgets, and Home settings. Press on Widgets and scroll down the list until you see Contacts. Tap on Contacts and look for Individual Contact. When you see the one you want to use, drag it to the  desired home screen location and let go.

Google Contacts is getting a new single contact widget. Old widget is still present but you can only use one of them at this moment. The new widget is not enabled for all, so it needs root.

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Contacts Version - 4.15.24.554449442 pic.twitter.com/LFpf0dJ1KW

— AssembleDebug (@AssembleDebug) August 17, 2023

The new single-contact widgets have yet to roll out for my Pixel 6 Pro running on Android 14 Beta 5.1. You might want to check the widgets menu every few days to see whether the new single-contact widgets have arrived. The version number of the Google Contacts app that features the new widgets is 4.15.24.554449442. 

You can find which version of Contacts is running on your Android phone by going to Settings > Apps > See all xxx apps and scroll down to Contacts. Tap on it and scroll to the very bottom of the page. That is where you can see the version of Contacts running on your phone. For example, my Pixel 6 Pro has version 4.14.23.551708978 installed. In other words, I do not have the new widgets yet.

There is also another widget that can list up to seven of your top starred contacts.