Android 17 update is breaking home screen widgets for some, but there's a quick fix

UPDATE: 2026/06/18 16:43 EST BY KARANDEEP SINGH OBEROI

In an email statement, Google confirmed that it is working on a fix for the issue. "We are aware of this bug affecting Work Profile users, and a fix will be rolled out in a software update soon," said a Google spokesperson.

Original article below...

Google's latest operating system (OS), Android 17, started landing on Pixel devices earlier this year. Google pushed a lot of new features with the new software, including bubbles for multitasking, an all-new foldable gaming mode, screen reactions, and more.

Inadvertently, though, the build also introduces new bugs and issues.

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The main one here is the Wi-Fi connectivity bug, which highlights the Wi-Fi icon as connected, with no actual data to back it up.

While Google attempts to fix that, users have started encountering and reporting yet another Android 17 bug. And this one affects the widgets on your home screen (via 9to5Google).

This isn't a universal issue, but it is clearly not an isolated one either, as highlighted by user memezar42069's post on the r/GooglePixel subreddit.

Work Profiles might be to blame

For reference, the widget disappearance bug isn't all that new. It had already been observed in Android 17's beta builds, and it now seems to have made its way to the stable software as well.

Users report that as soon as the update is completed, their carefully curated home screens are entirely stripped of widgets. Adding to the frustration, the affected widgets no longer appear in the widget picker menu as well.

Although not entirely certain, users on the above-mentioned Reddit post suggest that the bug is connected to Android's 'Work Profile' feature. The exact mechanism isn't clear, but it seems like the OS seems to be confused between profile permissions.

For reference, setting up a Work Profile allows the device to separate work apps and data from personal apps and data. "With a Work Profile you can securely and privately use the same device for work and personal purposes—your organization manages your work apps and data while your personal apps, data, and usage remain private," indicates Google.

For many of those affected, disabling their work profile immediately brings all personal widgets back into view. Others suggest that enabling 'Extreme Battery Saver' and then disabling it brings all the widgets back.

To fix the issue for good, one user suggests seeking your work's IT department (if your device is managed) and having them tweak widget settings.

If you haven't updated to Android 17 yet, you might just want to wait until Google officially acknowledges the issue and/or rolls out a hotfix.