Google Search widget redesign drops most customization | Phones

You’ve long been able to gradually customize the Google Search widget, but a redesign takes away most of the options.

Previously, you had to first place the “Google” — as it’s called — widget on your homescreen and then open the Google app > tap profile photo for account menu > Settings > Search widget > Customize widget. From here, you could change the

• Bar logo: “Google” or multicolored ‘G’ at the left
• Bar shape: Rectangle with sharp corners, Rectangle with rounded corners, or pill
• Bar color: Dark background with four-color icons, light with gray, black with white, or custom with hue and saturation adjustments
• Bar shading: Slider from See through to Solid

The new “Customize Search widget” approach is also accessed from Google app settings, but with fewer options. Namely, Google now only lets you choose from set color themes. There’s Light or Dark backgrounds with System set as the default. The Lens, microphone, and G…