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Is Brave Browser’s Widget Update Driving Users to Competitors?
Brave Browser recently eliminated its popular 3×1 search widget from Android devices with the release of version 1.79.118, sparking significant user backlash across multiple platforms. This compact widget, which previously allowed users to perform quick searches directly from their home screens with minimal visual footprint, has been permanently removed from the browser’s widget options.
What Changed in the Latest Update
The update reduced Brave’s widget selection from five options down to just two: the Quick action search widget and the bookmark widget. The eliminated 3×1 search widget was particularly valued by users for its clean, minimalist design that occupied minimal home screen real estate while providing instant search functionality.
The remaining widgets are considerably larger and include additional features such as voice search, private browsing mode, and image search capabilities. While these expanded features may appeal to some users, many find the larger size requirements incompatible with their preferred home screen layouts.
User Response and Community Feedback
The removal has generated substantial criticism across Brave’s official channels and social media platforms. Users have expressed frustration on multiple fronts:
Functionality concerns include the inability to resize the new Quick action search widget to match the previous 3×1 dimensions. The minimum size requirement of 4×1 for the replacement widget forces users to allocate significantly more home screen space than before.
Customization limitations have become a primary complaint, with users arguing that removing widget options reduces their ability to personalize their browsing experience according to individual preferences and device constraints.
Workflow disruption affects users who had integrated the compact widget into their daily mobile routines, requiring them to either adapt to larger widgets or seek alternative solutions.
Official Response and Technical Rationale
Brave developers addressed the removal through their GitHub issue tracker, explaining that the decision was intentional rather than accidental. The development team stated that Brave’s proprietary search widget offers enhanced functionality compared to inherited Chromium components, justifying the consolidation of widget options.
The GitHub issue, which was opened and resolved within a single day in April, indicates that this change was planned and implemented as part of Brave’s broader strategy to differentiate its search functionality from other Chromium-based browsers.
Current Status and User Alternatives
No official timeline exists for potentially restoring the 3×1 widget option. Community moderators have acknowledged receiving user feedback and claim to have forwarded concerns to the development team, but no concrete plans for reversal have been announced.
Users seeking compact search functionality have begun exploring workarounds, including third-party widget creation tools like KWGT (Kustom Widget Maker) to recreate similar functionality. Some users are also evaluating alternative browsers that continue to offer minimal search widget options for Android devices.