Canonical widget layouts

Craft effective widget layouts by first identifying your core content. Your layout dictates how information and interactive elements are organized within your widget. Android offers several pre-built layouts for text, list and grid-type widgets to streamline this process.

Text

Text layouts are ideal for displaying concise information. Enhance the visual appeal of your widget by optionally including an image alongside the text.

Text only

Ideal for titles, status updates, short descriptions, or any scenario where a single line of text effectively conveys the message. Refer to the Canonical layout sample for guidance on dynamically scaling text content based on widget size.

Text and image

Include an image for added visual impact. For more information, see Breakpoints to learn how to adapt this layout for different screen sizes.

Lists

Use list layouts to organize multiple items in a clear, scannable format. This is ideal for news headlines, to-do lists or messages. Organize content into a structured, easily scannable list. Choose between containerized or containerless presentation based on your content needs.

Text and image list

Easily scannable text and image lists are perfect for showcasing multiple content types, such as news headlines, playlists with album art, or messages.

Checklist

The checklist layout is perfect for displaying tasks, providing clear tap targets for users to easily mark items as done.

Action list

Provide intuitive control grouping with action lists, where visual on/off states offer immediate feedback on item statuses.

Grid

Present images in a compact, flexible, visually rich grid with optional labels. Use columns and rows that adapt to different screen sizes.

Image only

Create visually impactful, scrollable image galleries using image-only grids. Rows and columns automatically adapt to various screen sizes for optimal presentation.

Image and text

You can also incorporate text labels and descriptions, enriching your image grid content with additional context and information.