Android 15 lets you turn your phone into a handy smart-home dashboard – here’s how

The new Home Controls screensaver gives you smart-home tools when your phone is connected to power

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Android 15has been out for a while now, but we’re still discovering new features – such as a screensaver that allows you to control your smart home without even unlocking your phone.

The Home Controls feature turns your phone into a smart-home dashboard when the phone is docked – and it’s not just exclusive toGoogle’s platforms, either.

Home Controls works with the Google Home app and onPixel phones, but also on at least one other smart-home app, Home Assistant, and on any phone running an Android 15-basedoperating system.

You can activate the Home Controls screensaver by heading to the Settings app, navigating to the ‘Display & touch’ tab, and clicking the Screen saver tab within.

Once Home Controls is activated, connecting the phone to a dock or charger will bring up a screen loaded with smart home options.

AsAndroid Authorityreports, Google added the Home Controls screensaver to the third Android 15 beta back in June.

However, Android 15 is only just beginning to make its way to flagship devices, with Google’s own Pixel phones due to receive an Android 15-based OS update on October 15.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

The report adds that the Home Controls screensaver runs via the Android SystemUI app, embedding the activity of Google Home or the third-party Home Assistant app.

Those concerned about battery health when leaving their phone connected to a charger for a prolonged period will be happy to hear that Android 15 offers an 80% charging cap on Pixel phones – we hope to see this feature come to other platforms, too.

For now, though, we’re glad to see these useful smart home options rolling out to all Android 15 users.

When will my phone get Android 15?

When your particular Android phone will get Android 15 features depends on the plans of the phone’s manufacturer.

Phone makers that use Android tend to add a cosmetic skin with some exclusive features, known as a ‘wrapper’, sometimes styled as an operating system unto itself.

As mentioned, Pixel phones will get Android 15 later this month, and other manufacturers likeMotorolaandNothinghave either announced rollout plans or begun beta testing.

For the latest updates on when Android 15 will come to your phone, be sure to keep up with ourAndroidcoverage.

You might also like

Jamie is a Mobile Computing Staff Writer for TechRadar, responsible for covering phones and tablets. He’s been tech-obsessed from a young age and has written for various news and culture publications. Jamie graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Since starting out as a music blogger in 2020, he’s worked on local news stories, finance trade magazines, and multimedia political features. He brings a love for digital journalism and consumer technology to TechRadar. Outside of the TechRadar office, Jamie can be found binge-watching tech reviews, DJing in local venues around London, or challenging friends to a game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

WhatsApp will soon help you spot misinformation – here’s how

Google Messages on Android could soon get a big photo-sharing boost

This super-cheap HP Victus 15 gaming laptop just dropped to its lowest price yet