Pixel Best Feature Launcher Copies & Adds

This launcher copies Pixel’s best feature—the At a Glance widget—and adds the customization Google won’t provide, like hiding it, resizing it, and choosing which calendar events show. It’s a third-party home screen app that recreates that smart widget while giving you full control over its appearance and behavior, something the stock Pixel launcher locks down.

Formula

The calculator above works out your average running pace and speed from a finish time and distance. The formulas are:

• Pace (min/km) = Finish time in minutes ÷ Distance in km
• Speed (km/h) = Distance in km ÷ (Finish time in minutes ÷ 60)

Where t is the finish time in minutes, and d is the distance in kilometers. Pace tells you how many minutes each kilometer takes; speed tells you how many kilometers you cover in one hour.

Worked Example

Using the default values—50 minutes for 10 km:

1. Pace = 50 ÷ 10 = 5.00 min/km
2. Speed = 10 ÷ (50 ÷ 60) = 10 ÷ 0.8333 = 12.00 km/h

So a 50-minute 10 km run means an average pace of 5 minutes per kilometer and an average speed of 12 km/h.

What the Pixel At a Glance Widget Actually Does

Google’s At a Glance widget sits at the top of the Pixel home screen and shows the date, weather, upcoming calendar events, flight info, package deliveries, and reminders. It’s genuinely useful—many users call it the single best part of the Pixel experience. But Google has always kept it locked down: you can’t move it to another launcher, you can’t change its size, you can’t remove the date, and you can’t pick which calendar categories appear. That’s exactly the gap third-party launchers target.

Which Launcher Copies It and What It Adds

Several launchers now offer an At a Glance-style widget, but the most direct copy is Nova Launcher‘s “At a Glance” widget, added in Nova 8. It mimics the Pixel widget’s look and core data—date, weather, calendar—but adds options Google refuses to give:

• Remove the date or show only the weather
• Resize the widget freely (the Pixel one is fixed)
• Choose which calendar accounts or event types show
• Hide the widget entirely on the home screen
• Tap actions: open the calendar app, weather app, or a custom shortcut

Other launchers like Lawnchair and Smart Launcher offer similar widgets, but Nova’s is the most widely known because it directly replicates the Pixel look.

How the Widget Works Under the Hood

The widget pulls data from the same Android system sources the Pixel widget uses: the system calendar provider, the weather provider (usually a third-party service like OpenWeatherMap), and the device’s location. It refreshes on a timer or when the relevant app updates. The key difference is that the launcher’s widget is not tied to Google’s proprietary code—it reads the same public Android APIs, so it works on any phone, not just Pixels.

Why Google Won’t Add These Options

Google keeps At a Glance minimal and fixed for a few reasons. First, it wants a consistent look across Pixel devices—if every user could rearrange it, the Pixel home screen wouldn’t have its signature clean top bar. Second, the widget is a vehicle for Google’s own services: tapping it opens Google Calendar, Google Weather, or Google Assistant. Allowing third-party apps or custom actions would reduce that integration. Third, Google has historically treated the home screen as a controlled experience, not a customizable one. That’s a deliberate product decision, not an oversight.

How to Set Up a Third-Party At a Glance Widget

If you want this feature on your phone, here’s the general process (exact steps vary by launcher):

1. Install a launcher that offers the widget (Nova Launcher, Lawnchair, Smart Launcher).
2. Set it as your default home app in Settings → Apps → Default apps → Home app.
3. Long-press the home screen, choose Widgets, and find the launcher’s At a Glance widget.
4. Drag it to the top of the screen, then resize it to your liking.
5. Tap the widget to open its settings: choose which data to show, which calendar accounts, and what happens on tap.

Most launchers require you to grant notification access for the widget to show calendar events and reminders. That’s a privacy trade-off—the widget reads your notifications to display them.

Common Problems and Fixes

Users often hit a few issues when switching to a third-party At a Glance widget:

• Weather not showing — Check that location permission is granted and the weather provider is selected in the widget settings.
• Calendar events missing — Make sure the launcher has calendar permission and that you’ve selected the correct calendar accounts.
• Widget not updating — Some launchers need battery optimization disabled for the launcher app, otherwise Android kills it in the background.
• Gesture navigation feels different — Third-party launchers sometimes have issues with Android 13+ gesture nav; a system update or launcher update usually fixes it.

Is It Safe to Use?

Yes, these launchers are safe—they’re available on the Play Store, don’t require root, and don’t access sensitive data beyond what you grant. The main concern is privacy: the widget asks for notification access and location, so read the permissions. Stick to well-known launchers with large user bases; avoid obscure ones that request excessive permissions.

Alternatives to a Third-Party Launcher

If you don’t want to switch launchers entirely, there are lighter options:

• Use the stock Pixel widget but live with its limits — It works fine, just not customizable.
• Install a standalone weather/calendar widget — Apps like Today Weather or Agenda Widget give you similar info without changing your launcher.
• Try a different launcher’s widget — Lawnchair’s version is closer to stock; Smart Launcher’s is more customizable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Nova At a Glance widget work on non-Pixel phones? Yes, it works on any Android phone running Android 8 or later. It doesn’t require a Pixel or any Google-specific hardware.

Will this widget drain my battery? Slightly, because it refreshes weather and calendar data periodically. Most users see negligible impact, especially if you set the refresh interval to 30 minutes or more.

Can I make it look exactly like the Pixel widget? Nearly—you can match the font, size, and color, but the Pixel widget has a specific Google Sans font that may not be available. Nova lets you choose a similar font or use the system default.

Why does the widget need notification access? To show calendar reminders and package tracking, it reads notifications from those apps. If you don’t grant it, you’ll only get the date and weather.

Will using a third-party launcher break Google’s At a Glance? No, the stock widget still exists, but you’ll likely hide it to avoid duplication. The third-party widget doesn’t interfere with the system one.

Is there a free option? Yes, Lawnchair is free and open-source, and Nova has a free version with the widget included. Paid versions add more customization but the core widget works free.

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in t | Finish time | min | 50 | 0
in d | Distance | km | 10 | 0 | 100000
out pace | Average pace | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Average speed | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2