Android 17 has leaked and here are the 5 design changes worth knowing
Even though Android 16 is still in its rollout phase, several images and screenshots of Android 17’s design have leaked online. These screenshots have reportedly been extracted from Pixel phones running on an early build of Android 17, appearing to bring key visual changes across multiple parts of the software. Therefore, several of the design changes shown in the leaked images are likely to be exclusive to Pixels or AOSP-based software skins, since other Android OEMs already use their own proprietary skins with distinct design suites.
On that note, let’s take a look at the design visuals and changes you can expect to debut on Android 17 in the coming months.
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Blur and translucent design effects
While Material 3 Expressive on Android 16 brought blur elements to the app drawer, notification shade, and recents page, Android 17 could take things a step further by introducing translucent and blur gradients to more areas. Per 9to5Google, which has acquired several Android 17 leaked design images from RKBDI, a new blur effect will be applied to the volume slider, expanded volume panel, and the power menu, replacing the existing solid light/grey background.
This means that when you press the volume button to reveal the on-screen slider, its background will carry a translucent blur, featuring strong hints of the background. Similarly, the expanded volume panel could carry similar blur effects, giving the Pixel interface a modern and refreshed appearance. While such visual elements are new to Google-made smartphones, other Android OEMs have been implementing blur, gradient, light, and glass designs for a while now.
Split quick settings panel
After a major design overhaul of the quick settings panel on Android 16, courtesy of Material 3 Expressive, Android 17 on Google Pixels could bring the options to choose between a “Combined” and a “Separate” panel.
The Combined setting will display notifications and quick settings tiles on a single page, as has been the case on stock Android all these years. On the other hand, the Separate panel will reveal all your notifications by swiping from the left side of the status bar, while swiping down from the right side will summon the quick settings tiles.
A similar approach has already been adopted by other major Android skins, like One UI, ColorOS, OxygenOS, and OriginOS, where users get the choice to choose between two types of quick settings panel. This move could ensure that people switching to Pixel UI from other Android skins feel a sense of familiarity if they’re used to a “Separate” panel.
Lock apps right from the homescreen
Similar to ColorOS 16 and OxygenOS 16, Android 17 may feature the ability to lock apps directly from the homescreen. In fact, this could be the first time a native app lock feature may arrive on AOSP, possibly debuting first on Android 17 for Pixels.
While not specified by 9to5Google, pressing on the app lock option initially may require users to set up an app lock using their existing biometric security, PIN, or passcode. Since Nothing has also gone about to integrate App Lock on Nothing OS on its own, we speculate that a dedicated section pertaining to this feature could be made available in the Settings app.
Screen recording pop-up menu
For a very long time, stock Android or more specifically AOSP, has always had a simplistic approach towards screen recording. As of newer Android builds, upon selecting the ‘Screen record’ toggle from quick settings, users get the option to record the current app’s on-screen content or the entire screen. However, this could change with Android 17.
Per the leaked screenshots, tapping on the screen record option will summon a floating pill. While most of the available options remain the same, a new “doodle” button could be added, allowing users to annotate when recording a screen. This feature has been present on skins like One UI for a while now, and bringing it natively to Android could be beneficial to users who rely on giving professional presentations or instructions at work right from their smartphone.
Hide app names
In a move to offer more control over the homescreen, Google may finally bring an option to hide app icon names in Android 17 completely. This could be a major plus for those who like a clutter-free homescreen devoid of any text.
When can I expect Android 17 to land on my smartphone?
Traditionally, Google Pixel smartphones will be the first devices to receive the stable Android 17 update. Since Android 16 was rolled out in June 2025 to Pixels, one can expect a similar timeline for the Android 17 release. However, those who wish to get an early hands-on experience of Android 17 will likely be able to enrol in the Developer Preview programme. While Google is yet to reveal the beta timeline, the Developer Preview could be initiated by the end of February 2026.
Android 17 will be rolled out to Pixel devices starting from the Pixel 6 series all the way up to the Pixel 10 series. Furthermore, the upcoming Pixel 11 series could boot on stable Android 17 firmware out of the box.
The Android 17 update will be officially announced during Google I/O 2026, where the company may also provide updates on Gemini, AI enhancements, workspace and productivity tools, and more.
Seeing the new visuals and design changes Android 17 will reportedly bring, it’s evident that there’s several stuff for users to play around with, taking personalisation, security, and productivity up a level. The new ‘Separate’ quick settings panel, in particular, may provide a sense of familiarity to users shifting to Pixels, while the ‘App lock’ feature will be a welcome change for enhanced security.
