Android 16 may return Quick Settings tiles to their old style and behavior
Android 16 might bring back a familiar way to manage your internet and Bluetooth connections, as Google seems to be exploring a change in how the Quick Settings tiles for these features work. Instead of the current pop-up panels, these tiles may expand directly within the Quick Settings area, much like they did in older versions of Android.
This shift harkens back to the design seen in Android versions 5.1 through 8.1. In those days, tapping on the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth tile would expand it right there in the Quick Settings panel, showing more options without creating a separate floating window. This functionality was removed in Android 9 when the Quick Settings panel was redesigned. The floating panels we see today for internet (which combines Wi-Fi and mobile data) and Bluetooth were introduced later, with the internet panel arriving in Android 12 and the Bluetooth panel in Android 14.
The change to the internet and Bluetooth tiles was spotted in the first beta version of Android 16. While the beta didn't showcase many obvious new features, digging into the code revealed this hidden change. However, this feature is still in early development, with some visual glitches and missing data.
It should be noted that the timeline for these changes is uncertain. The redesigned notifications and Quick Settings panels, along with the tile behavior, are clearly still under development. While the stable version of Android 16 is expected sometime in the future, these features may not be ready in time or might not even make it to the final release at all. It's always a guessing game when it comes to features that are in development.
Google's work on Android 16 involves a broader redesign of the notifications and Quick Settings. They're experimenting with separating these into two distinct pages, a model already used by some Android phone makers. This split would allow for more information to be displayed in each section. While this change is significant, it's not the only one Google is considering. They're also looking at how the individual tiles behave.
Old and new Quick Settings tiles as they are currently vs new behavior spotted in Android 16 beta 1. | Images credit — Android Authority
It should be noted that the timeline for these changes is uncertain. The redesigned notifications and Quick Settings panels, along with the tile behavior, are clearly still under development. While the stable version of Android 16 is expected sometime in the future, these features may not be ready in time or might not even make it to the final release at all. It's always a guessing game when it comes to features that are in development.
However, should this change come to the public version of Android, it could mean a more streamlined experience for managing connections. A return to the in-panel expansion could simplify how users interact with these settings and could make it quicker to connect to Wi-Fi networks or pair Bluetooth devices. For many users, this may very well feel like a welcome return to a more intuitive system.
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