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Wear Widgets

Android (Google)OfficialCreated by Google LLCDistributed by Android (Google)

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • Apache-2.0
  • No issues found

From the author

Create, migrate, update, and verify Wear OS widgets using Glance Wear and Remote Compose in an Android project. Use this skill when implementing GlanceWearWidget, GlanceWearWidgetService, WearWidgetDocument, Remote Compose UI primitives (RemoteColumn, RemoteRow, RemoteBox, RemoteText, RemoteImage, RemoteButton), local state with rememberMutableRemoteInt and valueChange, click actions with pendingIntentAction, widget provider XML containers (SMALL and LARGE), rectangular widget picker PNG previews, or migrating legacy ProtoLayout TileService tiles to Wear OS widgets. Don't use for mobile home screen AppWidgetProvider or GlanceAppWidget implementations, watch face complications, or full-screen Wear OS activities.
— the description by Google LLC

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a structured approach to building, migrating, and updating Wear OS widgets within an Android project. It leverages the Glance Wear library and Remote Compose to define declarative UI and state that serializes to the watch host process. The skill covers the full lifecycle, including manifest configuration, adaptive layout design for different container sizes, state management, and the creation of visual previews for the system widget picker.

What it does

  • Configures GlanceWearWidget and GlanceWearWidgetService for Wear OS.
  • Provides patterns for adaptive layouts using Remote Compose primitives.
  • Manages widget state using remote-specific wrappers like rememberMutableRemoteInt.
  • Handles click actions via pendingIntentAction for interactive widgets.
  • Guides the migration of legacy TileService implementations to modern widgets.
  • Facilitates the creation of required widget picker preview assets.

When to use it

  • When creating new Wear OS widgets using the Glance framework.
  • When migrating existing ProtoLayout TileService implementations to the current widget API.
  • When implementing adaptive UI that needs to respond to SMALL and LARGE container types.
  • When setting up widget preview suites and generating system picker PNGs.

Advantages

  • Ensures correct integration with the Wear OS host process via Remote Compose.
  • Promotes consistent UI behavior across different watch shapes.
  • Provides clear separation between mobile and Wear OS widget implementations.
  • Includes specific guidance on avoiding common pitfalls like incorrect state management.

Usage examples

“How do I set up a new GlanceWearWidget in my Android project?”
The agent will guide you through adding the necessary dependencies, registering the GlanceWearWidgetService in the AndroidManifest.xml, and implementing the GlanceWearWidget class.
“Migrate my existing TileService to the new Wear OS widget format.”
The agent will provide steps to replace your TileService with a GlanceWearWidgetService, annotate it with @AssociateWithGlanceWearWidget, and adapt your layout to Remote Compose.
“How do I handle button clicks in a Remote Compose widget?”
The agent will explain how to use RemoteModifier.clickable with a pendingIntentAction lambda to trigger activities or broadcasts from your widget.
“What are the requirements for widget picker preview images?”
The agent will detail the required dimensions (448x168 for SMALL, 464x288 for LARGE), the need for unmasked PNGs, and how to use preview suites to generate them.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/android/wear-widgets/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip wear-widgets.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Google LLC

Wear OS widgets use androidx.glance.wear (GlanceWearWidget and GlanceWearWidgetService) with androidx.compose.remote (Remote Compose). They serialize declarative UI and state documents to the watch host process.

Prerequisites and setup

  1. Resolve library versions : Resolve the latest versions for {GLANCE_WEAR_VERSION} (androidx.glance.wear), {COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION} (androidx.compose.remote), and {WEAR_COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION} (androidx.wear.compose.remote). Include -alpha, -beta, or -rc releases when no stable version exists yet. Don't run ./gradlew dependencies to resolve versions:

  2. SDK and Compose compiler requirements : Ask permission before modifying repo-wide Gradle files unless the user requested widget creation, tile migration, or dependency setup. Set compileSdk = 37 or higher and enable buildFeatures { compose = true }. Keep the project's existing Android and Kotlin Gradle plugin declarations intact.

    dependencies { implementation("androidx.glance.wear:wear:{GLANCE_WEAR_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.glance.wear:wear-core:{GLANCE_WEAR_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.glance.wear:wear-tooling-preview:{GLANCE_WEAR_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.compose.remote:remote-creation-compose:{COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.compose.remote:remote-creation:{COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.compose.remote:remote-core:{COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.compose.remote:remote-tooling-preview:{COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION}") implementation("androidx.wear.compose.remote:remote-material3:{WEAR_COMPOSE_REMOTE_VERSION}") }

Codebase exploration

  1. Search the module for existing TileService, Material3TileService, or GlanceWearWidget implementations, <service> entries in app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml, and @drawable/ preview assets under app/src/main/res/.

  2. When migrating an existing tile or modifying an unfamiliar multi-module project, run ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug to verify baseline build health.

Workflow

Step 1: Configure AndroidManifest.xml and provider XML

Register the GlanceWearWidgetService subclass in app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml with the BIND_TILE_PROVIDER permission and BIND_WIDGET_PROVIDER intent action. Attach <meta-data> pointing to an @xml/ <wearwidget-provider> resource with SMALL and LARGE <container> entries. When configuring the service, provider XML, or legacy TileService migration, you MUST follow Widget service and manifest reference.

<service
    android:name=".snippets.widget.skill.MyWidgetService"
    android:exported="true"
    android:permission="com.google.android.wearable.permission.BIND_TILE_PROVIDER">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="androidx.glance.wear.action.BIND_WIDGET_PROVIDER" />
    </intent-filter>
    <meta-data
        android:name="androidx.glance.wear.widget.provider"
        android:resource="@xml/my_widget_info" />
</service>
Step 2: Implement GlanceWearWidget and GlanceWearWidgetService

Extend GlanceWearWidget and override provideWidgetData returning WearWidgetDocument. Annotate the GlanceWearWidgetService subclass with @AssociateWithGlanceWearWidget for static provider resolution:

// WRONG: Mobile GlanceAppWidget API (don't use on Wear OS)
class BrokenWidget : GlanceAppWidget() {
    override suspend fun provideGlance(context: Context, id: GlanceId) {}
}

// CORRECT: Wear OS GlanceWearWidget + GlanceWearWidgetService
@AssociateWithGlanceWearWidget(MyWidget::class)
class MyWidgetService : GlanceWearWidgetService() {
    override val widget: GlanceWearWidget = MyWidget()
}

class MyWidget : GlanceWearWidget() {
    override suspend fun provideWidgetData(
        context: Context,
        params: WearWidgetParams,
    ): WearWidgetData =
        WearWidgetDocument(
            background = WearWidgetBrush.color(Color(0xFF1C1B1F).rc)
        ) {
            MyWidgetContent(params = params)
        }
}
Step 3: Build Remote Compose layouts, state, and actions

Remote Compose evaluates UI and state inside the Wear OS host process rather than the app process. When building adaptive layouts or full-bleed backgrounds, you MUST follow Remote Compose layouts reference. When implementing state or click actions, you MUST follow State and actions reference.

  • Remote value wrappers : Convert primitives using .rs (RemoteString), .rc (RemoteColor), .rdp (RemoteDp), and .ri (RemoteInt). Format integers with the RemoteInt.toRemoteString member method.

  • Adaptive container sizing : Branch layout density, typography, and item counts on params.containerType (ContainerInfo.CONTAINER_TYPE_SMALL versus ContainerInfo.CONTAINER_TYPE_LARGE).

  • Unmasked full-bleed backgrounds : Render background bitmaps inside a root RemoteBox (RemoteModifier.fillMaxSize) using RemoteImage and RemoteImageBitmap (bitmap.asImageBitmap). Keep background artwork unmasked (cornerRadius = 0dp) without CircleShape or RoundedCornerShape clipping. The host clips edges to the watch shape.

  • Declarative host state and PendingIntent actions : Mutate local widget state with rememberMutableRemoteInt and valueChange(state, newValue) instead of in-memory Compose state (mutableStateOf or mutableIntStateOf). Trigger activity launches or background broadcasts using pendingIntentAction { ctx -> ... } (always passing a (Context) -> PendingIntent lambda). Refresh active widgets with widget.triggerUpdateAll(context).

Step 4: Add WearWidgetPreview functions and picker preview PNGs
  1. Composable border previews (androidx.glance.wear.tooling.preview) : Import WearWidgetPreview, SquircleAllWidgetPreviewParams, RoundAllWidgetPreviewParams, and RectangularAllWidgetPreviewParams from androidx.glance.wear.tooling.preview (NEVER androidx.glance.wear.testing). Define @Preview functions invoking WearWidgetPreview(widget, params).

  2. Rectangular picker PNGs (res/drawable-nodpi/) : Use RectangularAllWidgetPreviewParams at 320 dpi or render non-blank, unmasked rectangular PNGs for every <container> in the provider XML:

    • SMALL (CONTAINER_TYPE_SMALL): 448x168 px (224x84 dp at 320 dpi, aspect ratio 2.67).

    • LARGE (CONTAINER_TYPE_LARGE): 464x288 px (232x144 dp at 320 dpi, aspect ratio 1.61).

    • Each preview PNG MUST depict the widget's actual UI elements, including backgrounds, text labels, icons, avatar initials, and buttons. NEVER use a blank placeholder, empty unlabeled shapes, or a 1:1 tile preview. When adding composable previews, picker PNGs, or unit tests, you MUST follow Previews and testing reference.

Component mapping

Use this sample table to load complete implementation patterns and imports:

Capability or API surfaceReference guide
GlanceWearWidget, GlanceWearWidgetService, AndroidManifest.xml, <wearwidget-provider>, legacy TileService migrationWidget service and manifest reference
RemoteBox, RemoteColumn, RemoteRow, RemoteText, RemoteImage, ContainerInfo (SMALL and LARGE adaptive layouts)Remote Compose layouts reference
RemoteButton, rememberMutableRemoteInt, valueChange, pendingIntentAction, BroadcastReceiver, triggerUpdateAllState and actions reference
WearWidgetPreview, SquircleAllWidgetPreviewParams, RoundAllWidgetPreviewParams, RectangularAllWidgetPreviewParams, picker PNGs, captureRawContent testsPreviews and testing reference
Legacy ProtoLayout and mobile Glance equivalents
Legacy or mobile APIWear OS widget APIAction to take
androidx.wear.tiles.TileServiceGlanceWearWidgetService + GlanceWearWidgetReplace service and annotate with @AssociateWithGlanceWearWidget.
GlanceAppWidget / provideGlanceGlanceWearWidget / provideWidgetDataReturn WearWidgetDocument from provideWidgetData.
LayoutElementBuilders / primaryLayoutRemoteColumn, RemoteRow, RemoteBoxBuild layouts with @RemoteComposable functions.
mutableStateOf / mutableIntStateOfrememberMutableRemoteInt + valueChangeMutate remote state declaratively using valueChange.
ModifiersBuilders.ClickableRemoteModifier.clickable(pendingIntentAction { ... })Pass a (Context) -> PendingIntent lambda to pendingIntentAction.

Troubleshooting

SymptomCauseFix
Unresolved reference GlanceWearWidgetMissing androidx.glance.wear:wear:{GLANCE_WEAR_VERSION} or low compileSdkSet compileSdk = 37 and add androidx.glance.wear:wear:{GLANCE_WEAR_VERSION}.
Unresolved reference toRemoteStringImported toRemoteString as top-level extensionRemove the import; call remoteInt.toRemoteString as a member method.
Type mismatch on pendingIntentActionPassed bare PendingIntent instead of lambdaWrap in a lambda: pendingIntentAction { ctx -> pendingIntent }.
Unresolved wear.tiles or protolayout references after migrationOther classes or source sets in the module still use legacy tile APIsMigrate or update the remaining references before removing legacy wear.tiles and protolayout dependencies from build.gradle.kts.

Verification

  1. Run ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug to verify that the widget, service, AndroidManifest.xml declarations, and @xml/ <wearwidget-provider> resources compile and link without errors.

  2. If the project includes unit tests or new widget tests, run ./gradlew :app:testDebugUnitTest and confirm all tests pass. When adding composable previews, picker PNGs, or unit tests, you MUST follow Previews and testing reference.

Antipatterns

  • NEVER extend mobile GlanceAppWidget or AppWidgetProvider, or use deprecated GlanceTileService or TileService for Wear OS widgets.

  • NEVER use in-memory client Compose state (mutableStateOf, mutableIntStateOf) or in-process click lambdas for Remote Compose UI.

  • NEVER pass a bare PendingIntent instance to pendingIntentAction; always pass a (Context) -> PendingIntent lambda.

  • NEVER apply CircleShape or RoundedCornerShape clipping to full-bleed widget background artwork. NEVER reuse 1:1 (400x400) tile previews or blank solid-color placeholders for widget picker PNGs.

Best practices

  • MUST declare com.google.android.wearable.permission.BIND_TILE_PROVIDER and androidx.glance.wear.action.BIND_WIDGET_PROVIDER on <service>.

  • MUST declare SMALL and LARGE <container> entries in @xml/ with domain-accurate 448x168 and 464x288 PNGs in res/drawable-nodpi/.

  • MUST adapt layout content to params.containerType and include @Preview functions for both SquircleAllWidgetPreviewParams and RoundAllWidgetPreviewParams.

Files

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Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

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Attribution and licence

Created by
Google LLC
Publisher
Android (Google) (Official)
Distributed by
Android (Google)
Source
android/skills · wear/wear-widgets · commit bf68e2d
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE.txt)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
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