Latest Android 16 Beta Adds Long-Awaited Lock Screen Feature

Android 16 looks set to give the operating system a completely new look , but the latest beta has introduced a few features that also improve usability. These include the return of lock screen widgets on phones, which have been exclusive to tablets in recent years, and improved security. However, the visuals aren’t left out, with a big focus on dark mode.

The next stable version of Android 16 will be released in December, but Android beta channel users can start testing the new features now, with the release of QPR2 Beta 1. QPR stands for the quarterly release schedule of Android platform updates, so this is the first beta of the second QPR cycle.

The Android 16 beta is available for eligible Pixel devices. You can sign up here . Please note that our standard warnings about beta instability apply .

Lock screen widgets are now available

Go to Settings > Display & touch and you’ll see a new widget on the Lock screen widgets page . Finally, your phone will once again have full touch widgets with a variety of information, even when you’re not unlocked.

Once the new feature is enabled, you can also customize the When to automatically show setting to control when widgets are displayed (for example, set them to only show when you’re charging). To open widgets manually, simply swipe in from the right edge of the lock screen.

You can create multiple widget pages, up to three full-size widgets on a screen. Long press the widget area and unlock your phone to start customizing and adding new widgets.

Switch apps (and app icons) to dark mode

Google is adding a new option called Extended to Android’s dark theme (you’ll find it under Settings > Display & touch > Dark theme ).

Once enabled, Android will “automatically apply dark theme to more apps to improve accessibility.” This could be useful for users with low vision or light sensitivity, as well as those who simply prefer dark mode. Essentially, dark mode will be forced on apps where it was previously unavailable or not particularly useful.

Google is working its magic to make apps work with the new mode by using automatic color inversion. According to Google’s developer page, Android will use an app’s isLightTheme attribute to determine whether to apply the inversion.

Similarly, Google will also expand the app icon tinting options. On iOS, Apple uses its own engine to tint app icons, allowing users to override the default icons from developers. The same will happen on Android. Until now, Android’s theme engine only worked if a developer provided a monochrome version of their app icon. Now, Android automatically converts app icons to monochrome and adjusts them to match the theme you choose, such as Dark or Minimal. When using the Minimal theme, you can also set a custom color for the icons under Wallpaper & Style > Color .

Android’s Identity Verification Feature Gets Even More Complex

Android’s identity verification feature protects your phone even if someone steals your PIN. When enabled, it forces biometrics (fingerprints or face) to be scanned over your PIN or password when performing system tasks. Now, Google is expanding identity verification to all devices that support fingerprints and face unlock, including apps.

The impact of this change will depend on the apps you use, as not all apps use biometrics for authentication. If an app is locked with just a PIN or password, you won’t notice a difference. But if an app can use biometric authentication, Identity Check will force it to be enabled. This may seem complicated, but if you frequently use sensitive apps like password managers, it’s worth considering. For more information, see our guide to Identity Check .

Other important updates

There are also a few small changes in the latest Android beta update. Here are a few that I liked:

• SDR/HDR brightness slider : The Display & touch settings now shows an Enhanced HDR brightness slider to help control the perceived brightness of HDR content. You can use this to ensure that HDR content is not too bright.

• 90:10 screen ratio : If you really want it, you can now have one app take up just 10% of the screen while another takes up 90%.

• Run full Linux desktop apps : Google is adding display support to its Linux apps feature, which means you’ll be able to run and view full Linux apps on your Pixel phone. It’ll require a little setup .

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