The Android Authority team has brought us an exciting first look at Android 16 QPR Beta 1, featuring the new Material 3 Expressive design language. This beta update offers a range of fresh UI elements, redesigned quick settings, enhanced wallpaper customization, and subtle but impactful tweaks throughout the system. Whether you’re eager to jump into the beta or prefer to wait, here’s everything you need to know about the latest Android 16 QPR Beta 1.
Table of Contents
- 🚀 Getting Started with Android 16 QPR Beta 1
- 🎨 Material 3 Expressive: Visual Refresh and New Animations
- ⚡ Redesigned Quick Settings with Customizable Tiles
- 🌫️ New Blurred UI Elements for a Modern Look
- 🔋 Status Bar Upgrades: Battery and Wi-Fi Indicators
- 🔊 Refined Volume Controls and Sliders
- ⚙️ Settings App Gets a Splash of Color and Improved Usability
- 🖼️ Wallpaper Customization Takes Center Stage
- 📱 Smaller UI Tweaks and New Animations
- 🌙 Ambient Always-On Display: Coming Soon
- 💬 Conclusion: Is Android 16 QPR Beta 1 Worth Trying?
- ❓ FAQ
🚀 Getting Started with Android 16 QPR Beta 1
If you’re wondering how to try out Android 16 QPR Beta 1, it’s simpler than you might think. Eligible devices include all Pixels from the Pixel 6 through to the Pixel 9 series, and the beta even supports the Pixel “a” series—like the Pixel 9a, which I’ve been testing on.
Before diving in, keep in mind this is a beta release. That means some features may not work perfectly, and there’s always a risk of data loss during installation. So, make sure to back up your data and consider whether you want to take the risk just yet.
For those who prefer to wait, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered with a detailed overview of the biggest changes and new features you’ll find in this beta.
🎨 Material 3 Expressive: Visual Refresh and New Animations
Material 3 Expressive is the star of this update, bringing a much-needed visual refresh to Android 16. We first saw a glimpse of this design language last week, and it’s packed with physics-based animations, upgraded app components, fresh color themes, and beautiful background blur effects that add depth and personality to the UI.
Many of these changes won’t be part of the stable Android 16 release coming soon, but the beta gives us a peek into what Google is planning for the future.
⚡ Redesigned Quick Settings with Customizable Tiles
One of my favorite updates is the revamped Quick Settings panel. It now looks bolder and more colorful, injecting personality into what used to be a bland interface. The tiles can be resized, allowing you to customize your quick toggles to better suit your preferences.
The improved tile editor is intuitive and fun to use, making your phone feel more personal. Plus, there are new one-click toggles for Internet and Bluetooth that streamline connectivity management.
🌫️ New Blurred UI Elements for a Modern Look
Blur effects are everywhere in this update, adding a sophisticated touch to the interface. Swipe down twice on the Quick Settings panel, and you’ll notice a blur that dynamically matches your wallpaper, creating an expressive and immersive feel that the old Android versions lacked.
The recent apps screen also benefits from this effect, showing a blurred version of your wallpaper behind the app previews. This enhances visual continuity and makes multitasking more visually appealing.
🔋 Status Bar Upgrades: Battery and Wi-Fi Indicators
The status bar sees some subtle but useful tweaks. The battery icon now includes the estimated remaining battery life inside the icon itself, replacing the old method of showing a separate percentage. This makes it easier to gauge your battery status at a glance.
The Wi-Fi symbol has been redesigned to have a more distinctive three-part look, replacing the more generic icon from before. These small changes collectively polish the overall status bar experience.
🔊 Refined Volume Controls and Sliders
The volume controls have been updated with a less “bubbly” appearance, giving them a sleeker and more modern look. The sliders are now less rounded and resemble the volume controls found on the home screen, creating a more consistent design language throughout the OS.
⚙️ Settings App Gets a Splash of Color and Improved Usability
The Settings app is no longer a monochrome list of options. Colored symbols now line the left side of the screen, making it easier to identify sections quickly and adding some much-needed vibrancy.
This redesign helps the settings feel fresh and more intuitive, improving the overall user experience when navigating through your phone’s options.
🖼️ Wallpaper Customization Takes Center Stage
Google has introduced several exciting wallpaper customization features in this beta. One standout is the new “Magic Portrait” frame, which lets you place your wallpaper image inside customizable frames. You can choose from five different frames and select color schemes that are influenced by your wallpaper’s colors.
Currently, the feature is a bit rough—like how it cuts off my dog’s face in the frame—but remember this is still a beta, so we can expect improvements.
Another cool addition is the ability to add weather effects to your wallpaper. You can pick your local weather or choose from fog, rain, snow, or sun, and adjust the intensity with a slider. The rain effect even shows 3D droplets splashing on the display, which looks fantastic.
Additionally, there’s now a slider for resizing the clock on the lock screen. This feature is currently limited to the default clock style, which uses a reactive font, but it allows you to adjust both size and width smoothly in one gesture.
📱 Smaller UI Tweaks and New Animations
The app drawer has been redesigned to appear as a pop-up page that doesn’t take up the entire screen, making for a less intrusive experience. When closing apps by swiping up, you’ll notice a new animation that adds polish to the interaction.
In the recents menu, a new pill-shaped overlay appears on each app, expanding to reveal options like screenshot, select, and pause app—handy shortcuts for multitasking.
After updating, a small pop-up informs you that there’s more space for apps and widgets on the home screen because the “At a Glance” widget has shrunk slightly. This is a positive step toward allowing users to finally move this widget around.
Fingerprint unlock settings also get a small but useful update: a new “check and roll” button opens a black screen with a fingerprint icon, then highlights the saved fingerprint that you use to unlock your phone.
🌙 Ambient Always-On Display: Coming Soon
One feature not fully available yet but already teased is the Ambient Always-On Display, which allows you to have wallpapers on the lock screen’s always-on display. This enhancement, dubbed “ambient always-on display” by Google, adds a new layer of customization and style to your phone’s lock screen.
Android Authority’s Michelle has managed to get this feature working, and you can see it in action on their website. Hopefully, we’ll see it roll out in a future beta soon.
💬 Conclusion: Is Android 16 QPR Beta 1 Worth Trying?
Android 16 QPR Beta 1 is packed with thoughtful design improvements and new customization options that breathe new life into the Android experience. From the expressive Material 3 refresh to enhanced quick settings, blurred UI elements, and wallpaper effects, this beta is a promising glimpse into the future of Android 16.
While it’s still a beta and carries the usual risks, if you enjoy testing new features and want to personalize your device in exciting new ways, the QPR Beta 1 is worth a look. For those who prefer stability, this overview should give you a good sense of what’s coming without jumping in just yet.
What do you think? Are you ready to take the plunge and download Android 16 QPR Beta 1, or will you wait for the stable release? Let us know your thoughts!
❓ FAQ
What devices are eligible for Android 16 QPR Beta 1?
All Google Pixel phones from the Pixel 6 through Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel “a” series like the Pixel 9a, are eligible for the beta.
What is Material 3 Expressive?
Material 3 Expressive is Google’s latest design language update featuring physics-based animations, fresh color themes, upgraded app components, and dynamic blur effects to enhance the visual appeal of Android.
Can I customize my quick settings in this beta?
Yes! You can resize quick settings tiles, edit their layout, and use new one-click toggles for Internet and Bluetooth.
Are the new wallpaper customization features available on all devices?
These features are currently available in the beta on supported Pixel devices. Some features, like Magic Portrait frames and weather effects, are new additions exclusive to this beta.
Is the Ambient Always-On Display feature available now?
Not yet. It’s being tested and teased in the beta but is not fully available to users. It should arrive in a future beta update.
