Big changes coming to Google: you can hide the Pixel Widget and tag friends in group chats

Google is working hard on two major updates that are set to improve the experience for Android users. One change addresses a long-standing request from Pixel phone owners who want more control over their home screen, and the other brings a useful new tool to group conversations in the Google Messages app.

For years, people using Google Pixel phones have been asking for a simple way to completely remove the “At a Glance” feature from their main screen. This feature is a small box fixed to the top of the display that shows helpful information like the weather, calendar events, and flight details.

While it is useful, many users were frustrated because even when they tried to turn the feature off, the date and day would remain stuck on the screen, cluttering the top of their wallpaper.

The good news is that Google is finally listening. Technology experts have found a new setting being tested inside the phone’s software. This setting gives users a “Show on home screen” switch.

This means that soon, Pixel owners will be able to fully hide the “At a Glance” box from their main display, while still keeping it active on the lock screen, where it provides valuable updates at a glance. This upcoming update will give users the freedom to arrange their home screen without needing to download other apps just to remove the persistent widget.

Meanwhile, a new feature is starting to appear for some users in the Google Messages app that makes group chats easier to manage. The app is testing the ability to use @mentions, which lets you tag a specific person in a group conversation.

If you are chatting in a large group and need to make sure one friend sees your message right away, you can simply type the @ symbol. A list of people in the chat will pop up, allowing you to select who you want to tag.

The best part of this tool is that the person you tag will get a special notification and see the mention, even if they have turned off or muted the notifications for that group chat. This helps ensure that important messages meant for only one person do not get missed.

When you tag a friend, the app uses the contact name you have saved on your device. However, you can quickly edit the name that appears in the message—for example, you can remove their last name to keep the message looking neat for everyone else in the group.

This tagging feature is currently in the test phase for people using the Google Messages beta version and is expected to roll out to all users in a future update.