Android 16 Beta Arrives with a Big UI Makeover: Is Your Pixel Ready?
Google I/O 2025 has wrapped up, with Gemini primarily overshadowing the two-day developer conference. However, at the sideline, a more notable development for some fans is the release of Android 16 QPR1 Beta, which brings the new Material 3 Expressive design language introduced earlier. Here's what's new in this update and how you can try out the beta.
The Android 16 QPR1 is the first Quarterly Platform Release following the stable Android 16 Beta program. While it's more stable than earlier betas, it's still aimed at developers and testers due to the existence of bugs and issues. Likewise, this release serves as a preview for the next Pixel Feature Drop, which should be released next month.
Android 16 QPR1 Beta marks the arrival of Material 3 Expressive design, or M3E, which is Google's new design language adopting bolder and more playful touches. The M3 Expressive design will also be adopted in Wear OS 6 for wearables.
I installed the Android 16 QPR1 Beta on my Pixel 9 Pro XL (review) to get a taste of M3 Expressive. The changes are immediately noticeable on UI elements and sections like quick settings and the wallpaper. There are also features not yet activated, such as custom icons on the Pixel Launcher.
What's New in Android 16 QPR1: Material 3 Expressive Design
On the home screen, a significant change is that more space has been made available for widgets and apps, adding an entire row. This is due to the shrunken "At a Glance" widget, which previously occupied the top part of the home screen.
Additionally, the status bar now incorporates new system icons for battery, cellular, and Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, the system settings also display more themed glyph icons in each section.
The more notable changes are found in the quick settings panel, which features a more bubbly and colorful use of widgets and shortcuts, in addition to new animations Google describes as "springy." Furthermore, there are expanded customization options for positioning and resizing icons and toggles, allowing users to fit more elements by utilizing 1x1 icons.
Those who prefer customizing their home screen and lock screen will find that Android 16 offers more controls and effects for custom photos. There's now an option to overlay colors with shapes and add AI-powered weather effects. Another option is a Cinematic effect, but upon testing, it was still non-operational on my device.
Material 3 Expressive Coming to More Apps and Devices
Google is expected to expand the M3 Expressive touches to its apps and services, including Google Photos and Keep.
Now, it is mostly up to manufacturers with skinned Android versions, such as Samsung's One UI, to incorporate the Material 3 Expressive design. As for those who offer stock and near-stock Android experiences, many of these tweaks and new elements should be carried over.
If you're patient enough, the June Pixel Feature Drop will also include all these changes and possibly additional fixes and optimizations not available in the first Android 16 QPR version.
The Android 16 QPR1 Beta update is available via the beta program for Pixel 6 all the way to Pixel 9 series.
- Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a
- Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 7a
- Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel 8a
- Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and Pixel 9a (review)
- Pixel Fold
- Pixel Tablet
How do you like the new Material 3 Expressive design in Android? Do you think more brands should acquire this new look? We want to hear your thoughts.
Source: Google
