This small quick settings tweak is low-key my most anticipated Android 16 improvement

Android 16 is shaping up to be the biggest visual update to Google’s mobile operating system since the introduction of Material You with Android 12. That release was all about making the experience feel more personal to each user, with dynamic theming that could extract your wallpaper colors and apply them to other parts of the system. There was also a much more playful approach to form and motion across the OS. With its latest design system update, Material 3 Expressive, Google is taking that philosophy one step further, with even bolder colors and shapes, springier animations, and some quirky new typography choices.

While many of the upcoming changes in Android 16 feel somewhat superficial, with little practical significance, there are some small tweaks that I think will make a big difference to the way I interact with my Pixel phone. Chief among them is a seemingly minor update to the quick settings panel that sits atop the notification shade. And it’s something I’ve been yearning for ever since the launch of Android 12 back in 2021.

Fixing what Android 12 broke

As far as I’m concerned, Google perfected the quick settings panel as far back as Android 7.1. Easily accessible toggles debuted with Nougat (7.0), where a single swipe down from the top would reveal five quick settings icons in a single row, with the sixth spot being reserved for a down arrow that revealed expanded settings with more information. Google moved the arrow and replaced it with another toggle in the next point release (7.1). We now had six customizable toggles in a single line, leaving plenty of space below for our all-important notifications. Swipe down again and you’d see nine expanded toggles with information about WiFi networks, connected devices, and so on.