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Android 17’s strangest Pixel bug so far involves disappearing widgets

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Why This Matters

The Android 17 update for Pixel devices has introduced a significant bug causing home screen widgets to disappear, particularly on work-managed devices. This issue highlights ongoing challenges in balancing device security, management, and user experience, emphasizing the need for more robust testing and communication from Google. For consumers and organizations, it underscores the importance of cautious updates and the potential impact on productivity and device functionality.

Key Takeaways

Joe Maring / Android Authority

TL;DR Some Pixel users are losing home screen widgets after updating to Android 17, with reports that My Clock, Gemini, Calendar, Tasks, Keep, and other widgets are affected.

The bug appears to be linked to work-managed devices rather than Android widgets themselves.

A few workarounds exist, but none are universal, and some require IT administrator access; Google has not yet acknowledged the issue or released an official fix.

It’s only been two days since Android 17 rolled out to Pixel phones, but some users are already reporting a frustrating issue: home screen widgets are disappearing after the update, including My Clock, Gemini, Calendar, Tasks, Keep, and more.

A growing number of Reddit posts suggest the issue may be tied to Android’s Work Profile system rather than the widgets themselves. One Pixel owner reported that widgets vanished across their Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel Tablet immediately after updating to Android 17. Curiously, their Pixel Fold escaped the bug entirely — and it happened to be the only device not running Island, a popular app that creates a separate work profile for privacy-focused users.

At first, the usual troubleshooting tricks went nowhere — rebooting the devices, clearing launcher data, and even disabling the work profile failed to restore the missing widgets. The breakthrough came only after the user completely removed the Island-managed work profile and restarted the device, at which point the widgets reappeared.

What makes the story even more unusual is that the explanation reportedly came from Gemini. According to the AI assistant, Island’s simulated device management setup may have interfered with Android’s package manager during startup, causing widgets to be hidden or unavailable after boot.

The bug also doesn’t appear to be limited to Island. In another Reddit discussion, a user whose organization manages Android devices via Microsoft Intune reported encountering a similar problem after updating to Android 17. According to the commenter, the issue appeared to be tied to a device management policy governing widgets from work-profile apps. After adjusting that policy, personal widgets began working normally again, although affected widgets may still need to be recreated afterward.

However, this workaround comes with a major limitation: it isn’t something most users can apply themselves. Because the relevant setting is controlled through a mobile device management (MDM) platform, it generally requires action from an IT administrator. The fix also involves disabling work-profile widgets on affected Android 17 devices, meaning work widgets may no longer appear on the home screen even though personal widgets continue to function normally.

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