Android 16 marks a significant shift from the minimal, bland design language we’ve seen in recent years, introducing a bold new look with the Material 3 Expressive design language. This is a bold shift for Google, introducing much bolder UI elements than the minimalist style we’ve grown used to on Pixel phones. The design language is part of Google’s efforts to modernize Android and make it feel more visually appealing. The Material 3 Expressive design is inspired by the company’s previous design language, Material 3, but with a more expressive and bold approach. The new design language is rolling out in the first Android 16 QPR1 beta, and we can see the changes in action on the Pixel 9. The most noticeable user-facing change is the revamped Quick Settings and notification panel, which now features a blurred, translucent look.

5 Quick Settings and Notifications Get a New Look

The revamped Quick Settings and notification panel is the most noticeable user-facing change in Android 16. For years, Google used a solid background design, but that’s now replaced with a blurred, translucent look. The toggles are bolder, and when Dynamic Theming is enabled, they’re color-coded too. The previous design was clean and simple, but also a bit bland. Now, the new panel feels far more customizable. You can use both large and small tiles for the Quick Settings toggles, mix and match them freely, and place them however you want — something that honestly feels a bit inspired by iOS 18.

• The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles now support single-tap actions: tap the circled icon to toggle, or tap the rest of the tile to open the familiar settings dialog.
• The brightness slider has changed too — it’s now more of a sharp-edged rectangle, and includes a draggable line, which feels a bit awkward in the overall design.
• Notifications haven’t seen much change, but swiping now feels smoother and more intuitive.
• There’s also a prominent “Clear All” button at the bottom to dismiss everything.

4 The Volume Panel is Now Bold and More Polished

The same bold design theme carries over to the volume panel as well. A single tap opens the side panel, which now features a new icon and a vertical volume slider similar to the new brightness slider, complete with a prominent draggable line. Tapping the three-dot menu reveals the familiar full-volume controls. The updated panel features slightly slimmer bars for media, call, ring, and notification volumes. Functionally, it’s not a major shift from before, but the Material 3 Expressive design language is clearly present here too.

3 Status Bar Icons are Finally Getting a Refresh

For years, Android has used the same solid status bar icons, but that’s changing in Android 16. The new Wi-Fi icon is now broken into segments, similar to iOS and One UI, to reflect signal strength better. The same applies to the cellular signal icon. The battery icon has also received a significant redesign. Instead of the vertical bar with percentage outside, Android 16 now uses a horizontal battery icon with the percentage displayed inside, much like newer iOS versions. It turns green while charging and red when below 20%. Some users might be disappointed that the old icon set is not available as an option, but it’s good to see some changes in this area.

2 Home and Lock Screen Customization Get a Refresh

A major change in Android 16 is coming to home screen and lock screen customization. Right from the first boot, you’ll now notice an extra row available to place an icon or widget. By default, Android 16 uses the “medium” icon layout, which is essentially a 4×5 grid. Beyond that, the Wallpaper & Style menu has received a complete overhaul. The preview is now much larger, giving you a clearer idea of the changes you’re making. Color themes, which were previously located just below the preview, have been moved further down, while the wallpaper section now appears at the top with large, bold previews, making it more obvious how to change them. You can also now change the shape and size of icons, though only the circle option is available at the moment. The full feature to switch icon shapes hasn’t gone live yet. On the lock screen side, the core functionality is mostly the same, but the UI has been streamlined. You can now select a clock style, color, and size from a single screen, instead of toggling between screens like before. There’s also more granular control over the clock size. As for the Pixel Launcher, not much has changed. The At a Glance widget is slightly smaller, and the blurred background design now appears in the app drawer as well. Home screen settings have otherwise remained the same.

1 Settings App Adds Color but Keeps the Layout

Finally, the Settings app has also received a small design update. While the overall layout and categorization remain the same, the icons for sections like Network & internet, Connected devices, Apps, and more now feature colorful new icons. Interestingly, these colors don’t yet adapt to the system’s color theme, but Google may add that in future updates. On the whole, Android 16 marks a significant shift from the minimal, bland design language we’ve seen in recent years. While we’re not completely sold on the new design yet, once Google apps — and eventually other major Android apps — adopt the new style, the system might start to feel much more cohesive and natural.

It’s clear that Google is working hard to modernize Android and make it feel more visually appealing.