Android 15 recently arrived on AOSP and Google Pixel devices will soon receive it, followed by other manufacturers. It should come as no surprise to assume that Google has already started working on Android 16, and one of the first major changes the giant is planning is a complete overhaul of Android’s notifications and quick settings panel.
Android 12’s quick settings change was terrible
For those unsure why Google might be changing the quick settings experience, a lot of users initially hated (and some still do) the panel when it first rolled out in Android 12. This was due to 1×2 enlarged tiles which take up a lot of space, lack features and removing useful tiles like mobile data.
Some of the most requested features, like expanded Bluetooth settings, were only added with Android 14! The same goes for the Mobile Data button, which remains integrated into the Internet tile, and that probably won’t change with Android 16 either. However, the overall aesthetic of the Quick Settings and Notifications panel is changing.
Android 16 Quick Settings in Action
Android expert Mishaal Rahman enabled the new Quick Settings panel in Android 15 QPR1 and shared it via Android Authority. The new panel is very different from Android 15. He claims that this change most likely launching with Android 16 instead of Android 15 QPR cycles.
While this is still a preliminary design, one of the first changes is that the panel now appears as an overlay and the dark tint under Quick Settings no longer exists.
Another major and highly requested change is the QS tiles. While there will still be four 1×2 tiles, the remaining tiles will all be 1×1 in size; this way, you can can hold a total of 12 tiles (four 1×2 tiles and eight 1×1 tiles) instead of 8 1×2 tiles currently. This will allow users to have more tiles in the quick settings.
Image courtesy of: Mishaal Rahman
Finally, Google work in a light mode. The quick setting on Android 15 still appears dark on the Pixel UI and that’s a welcome change. The best change of all, by far, is the new editing options.
Editing tiles will no longer be a chore
Editing and adding tiles to the current quick settings menu is a pain, as the enlarged tiles take up too much space. Drag and drop actions take time as you have to drag the tiles all the way to the top.
Image courtesy of Android Authority on YouTube
The editing section in Android 16 will be as simple as drag and adjust icons like you do with app icons on the home screen. All thanks to much smaller icons in the main QS section and in the tile selection menu.
But here is a new problem
There is one flaw in the new implementation that people might not like, and that is access to the new quick settings. Android 16’s quick settings panel requires two-finger swipeand the partial QS has been essentially eliminated.
There is no partial quick setting tiles You can no longer access settings with a single swipe. Instead, a single swipe will only reveal pending notifications. We hope Google doesn’t go ahead with this change, as it kind of takes away the essence of “quick” settings. 
Image courtesy of Android Authority on YouTube
One reason for this change could be the inability to access partial quick settings with one hand on larger phones. Since people with these types of phones use both hands anyway, a two-finger swipe wouldn’t take much effort, other than getting used to it for the first few days.
Additionally, notifications don’t seem to appear under the new expanded quick settings panel, at least not in the demo Mishaal shared, which is a shame. If that’s true, you’ll have to close the panel first and make a swipe again to access notificationswhich would not be “fast” in any case.
In short, the Quick Settings and Notifications panels will be separated, similar to how Apple handles Notification Center and Control Center on iOS. This change reminds me of the Quick Settings on Android Jellybean, where you had to swipe to see notifications and swipe left to access Quick Settings.
Android 16’s Quick Settings Looks Promising
And that brings us to the end of all the changes. So far, the new quick settings look like a major overhaul and should please many Android users. However, having a separate notification panel and eliminating the partial quick settings panel might upset some users.
We recently saw Nothing revamp the Quick Settings in its latest Nothing OS 3.0 beta based on Android 15, and it shows just how important Quick Settings are for Android users.
What do you think about Android 16’s new Quick Settings panel? What other changes do you think Google should make in Android 16? Let us know in the comments.
