Android 16 Beta 3 is starting today. This update brings platform stability to Google’s latest smartphone software, meaning all app-facing changes are now final: developers can start finalizing their changes targeting Android 16 without worrying about having to make major changes after future beta updates. Like other Android betas, Android 16 Beta 3 brings several backend changes — including more complete code for a new Quick Settings panel design.
Writing for Android Authority, Mishaal Rahman shared that by using the third Android 16 beta released today, he was able to get an updated version of the Quick Settings panel. We’ve seen earlier versions of this design before: in January, AA shared that with the upcoming redesign, some Quick Settings tiles would expand in a new way. The design resurfaced in February when we got a glimpse of a new interface to remove tiles.
According to Rahman, the updated design will split notifications and Quick Settings into two separate panels, much like it works on iOS and Samsung’s One UI 7. In its current implementation, you can swap between the two views by tapping the chips in the top-left and top-right corners of the display or swiping across parts of the display. You can check out the setup in the video below, though I don’t think the swipe gestures will make it into the final version in their current form.
Likely not coming immediately in Android 16
While Rahman was able to enable this new layout on a device running Android 16 Beta 3, this new look isn’t an official Beta 3 feature; you won’t get it if you update your phone to the latest version. It’s possible that this new design will be part of the stable Android 16 release in June, but given its current status, it’s more likely to arrive later — possibly in Q4, when we expect the second major Android 16 update that should include more new, user-focused features.
