Your Google Pixel will get a revamped quick settings panel with Android 16

Google is working on a major overhaul of Android’s notification and Quick Settings panels, likely to debut with Android 16. This redesign could significantly change how Pixel users interact with these core system elements.

According to findings by Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority, the new design separates the notification panel from the Quick Settings panel. Currently, both are unified in a single shade that expands when you swipe down from the top of the screen.

In the potential Android 16 design, pulling down the status bar once reveals only the notification panel. This new panel takes up about a quarter of the screen rather than the entire display. Interestingly, you can see the app underneath the panel in this view.

The most controversial change could be how users access Quick Settings. Rahman reports that in this new design, you’ll need to swipe down with two fingers to bring up the Quick Settings panel. This extra step might frustrate users accustomed to the current, more straightforward access.

Once open, the Quick Settings panel allows users to swipe left and right between pages of tiles. The brightness slider remains at the top but now includes a text label and shows the brightness level as you adjust it, similar to the new volume controls in Android 15.

Rahman notes that this redesign is still very much a work in progress. Many elements are missing, including the user switcher, power menu, and foreground service task manager. Additionally, the current implementation doesn’t handle light mode well, with white text being difficult to read on light backgrounds.

It’s worth emphasizing that this design is not final. Google may choose to refine or even scrap these changes before Android 16’s release. However, it’s clear that the company is exploring ways to modernize these crucial interface elements.

The potential split between notifications and Quick Settings mirrors approaches taken by some Android manufacturers like Xiaomi. While this design can allow for more information to be displayed in each panel, it’s a departure from stock Android’s longstanding unified approach.

As we await more concrete details about Android 16, it’s clear that Google isn’t afraid to shake up even the most fundamental aspects of the Android user experience. At the end of the day, it boils down to whether or not users will welcome the change or not. Like with any other UI tweak, it’s likely that we’ll see some push-back, but I’m looking forward to Android 16’s new notification panel.