The latest version of Android is reported to give users more accessibility when it comes to a number of device controls.

As such, Android users will not need to keep unlocking their phones to control their smart homes. According to Esper, Android 13 will feature application programming interface (API) controls, which are built to understand whether one’s device needs to be unlocked to control a smart home device.

This update could be to address criticisms regarding the Device Controls Quick Settings tile that first featured on Android 11. The feature allowed users to control their smart home devices without opening an app. However, to use the feature, users had to unlock their devices, which was described by XDA as “less than ideal”.

The new feature will not allow users to select which Device Controls they can use on a locked phone. It will allow app developers to decide whether their apps can be used on locked devices.

The feature is reported to be functional in the most recent developer preview release of Android 13. That said, the Google Home app has not yet been updated to support this change. This means that users may have to wait until later this year to try out the update device controls feature. This is likely because developers will need to update their apps to support the new update.