Smart devices are practical, but only if they are easy to control. The Google Home widget has always been a great tool for turning your gear on and off, but unfortunately it has a slow refresh rate. When you open the widget, it may not be up to date – the update schedule is about half an hour. Power users have gotten around this problem by toggling any device, but the latest update offers a much easier solution.

This means faster updates

According to the folks at Android Authority, version 3.24.1.4 adds a new widget UI to the Google Home app that includes a dedicated refresh button. All you have to do is tap on it and it will accurately display the current status of your saved smart devices. Additionally, it shows when the app was last updated (especially useful when troubleshooting a smart gadget). This may not seem like a big change, but small factors often have a bigger impact on the user experience than you might expect.

Google Home may also add a new Suggested option that will add your most frequently used smart home devices and automations to the widget. You can also choose which ones to add, but the suggested option simplifies the process and makes it easier for new Google Home users to set up and operate. Of course, this news isn’t a complete surprise. Earlier this year we talked about new homescreen widgets that were in public preview. However, this feature now appears to be available for those not in public preview. However, everything is subject to change between now and the official release of these features.

These widgets were discovered through an APK teardown, meaning none of the announcements are official. Google hasn’t said anything about these new features yet, but their addition to the APK suggests they may not be ready for long. Whether you’re a complete newbie to smart home technology or an old hand, this news is exciting. Setting up smart home devices is often more work than they are worth. This tweak will at least make it much easier to control the devices once you add them to your home.