How to change your lock screen shortcuts on Android 12 on a Pixel

ByAdam Doudpublished

Comments (2)

Android 12 is bringing a lot of enhancements to the best Android phones, and one that is a little overlooked is the ability to adjust smart home tech from your lock screen. From dimming lights to adjusting your thermostat, your lock screen offers quick shortcuts that allow you to take control without having to launch an app first. We'll show you where those are and how to configure them to your liking.

How to change your lock screen shortcuts on Android 12

First, go to your lock screen. The easiest way to do that is to press the power button on your phone to turn the screen off, then press it again to turn the screen back on. From there, follow these steps.

How to add smart home controls to your lock screen

Next, we'll talk about adding controls.

Once you're done setting that up, the controls will be available from your lock screen by tapping the house on your lock screen.

A word about the cat controls

You may recall that the Easter egg in Android 11 involved luring cats into your notifications and collecting them. The presence of cat controls in the Android 12 home control menu indicates that tradition may continue. As of this writing, despite maintaining a full bowl and water bubbler for a few days, we have not seen a cat yet. It's possible these controls may be removed from the final release of Android. Either way, we'll be sure to update this article once we know more.

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Adam DoudAdam has been writing and podcasting the mobile tech space for almost a decade. When he's not writing for Android Central, he hosts the [Benefit of the Doud podcast](https://www.benefitofthedoud.com/), spends way too much time on [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/deadtechnology), and redesigns his office space over and over.TopicsLock ScreenAndroid 12Smart Home2 CommentsAndroid Central Newsletter

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