Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 update brings dark theme inversion, auto-themed icons, media improvements and more


Google has released Android 16 quarterly platform release 2 (QPR2) Beta 1, providing developers early access to new APIs and platform features. Unlike the major Android 16 release earlier this year, QPR2 is primarily additive, minimizing the need for app compatibility testing while offering enhancements for UI, media, connectivity, and developer productivity.

Enhanced User Experience

Android 16 QPR2 refines system UI, accessibility, and theming for consistent experiences across phones, foldables, and tablets.

Features:

  • Expanded dark theme inversion for apps that appear light despite dark theme selection, determined using isLightTheme.

  • Auto-themed app icons: system-generated monochrome icons if a dedicated layer is not provided.

  • Standard Views, Composables, and WebViews invert automatically; custom renderers like Flutter require explicit handling.
  • Splash screen and status bar automatically adjusted for contrast.
Interactive and Productivity Features

This release introduces APIs and tools for richer interactions, cross-platform data migration, and productivity enhancements.

Features:

  • Interactive chooser sessions via ChooserManager and ChooserSession.
  • Cross-platform Data Transfer API for secure Android-to-iOS migration with <cross-platform-transfer> tag in BackupAgent.
  • PDF editing with android.graphics.pdf: annotate, modify page content, and query page objects; foundation for Jetpack PDF library.
  • Display Topology API: multi-display arrangements, Display.isInternal(), and TopologyListener for updates.
  • Device-aware ViewConfiguration values for virtual devices.
  • Granular haptic feedback with View.performHapticFeedback(HapticFeedbackRequest) using VibrationAttributes.
  • Quick Settings tiles can be categorized via <meta-data> in TileService.
System and Media Updates

Android 16 QPR2 enhances media playback, audio formats, and system interactions.

Features:

  • Controlled mouse scrolling for external mice.
  • Refactored Picture-in-Picture (PiP) animations for smoother transitions.
  • IAMF spatial audio decoding for Opus, PCM, AAC, and FLAC; supported by ExoPlayer or IAMF Extension.
  • Personal Audio Sharing integrated in system Output Switcher for BLE devices.
  • AAudio updates: partial buffer callbacks, PCM offload via MMAP, AAudioStream_flushFromFrame.
  • HDR/SDR brightness slider adjusts perceived brightness of HDR content.
  • LE Audio connection subrating and OPUS Hi-Res codec support.
  • Photo Picker can highlight specific albums or search results using extras.
Connectivity Updates

This release strengthens device connectivity, cross-app device management, and network privacy.

Features:

  • Companion Device Manager: custom device icons, association removal notifications, and cross-app verification via createAndSetDeviceId.
  • Bluetooth: passive scanning, bond loss reasons, service UUID retrieval.
  • Updated Wi-Fi RTT ranging stack with new classes and parameters.
  • PhoneNumberManager parses IMS P-Associated-URI headers to E.164 format.
  • MediaRouter updates allow casting to additional device types while maintaining privacy.
Privacy and Security

Android 16 QPR2 introduces new security options for device locking, theft protection, and biometric authentication.

Features:

  • Secure Lock Device immediately locks device, hides notifications, and may temporarily disable biometrics.
  • Phone Theft Protection toggle enables or disables failed authentication lock.
  • Biometric fallback options via BiometricPrompt.Builder.addFallbackOption().
  • KeyInfo.isUnlockedDeviceRequired() ensures keys are only usable on unlocked devices.
Developer Productivity

The update offers new tools for debugging, profiling, multi-display testing, and app performance monitoring.

Features:

  • AppWidgetManager APIs track widget engagement: clicks, scrolls, and impressions.
  • Early 16 KB page alignment warnings on 4 KB devices.

  • ProfilingManager supports system-initiated triggers and background trace capture.
  • Verbose print logging in Developer Options for printing debug info.
  • Multi-display testing: UiAutomation can capture screenshots on non-default displays; AccessibilityWindowInfo.refresh() now public.
  • Support for backported fixes library.
  • Linux GUI app support in terminal VM.
  • Real-time root view listener via WindowInspector.addGlobalWindowViewsListener().
Program Timeline and Availability

Android 16 QPR2 Beta will be available from August 2025 until the full release in Q4 2025, aiming for Platform Stability and final SDK/NDK APIs by October 2025.

Over-the-air Beta updates are available for Pixel devices, and non-Pixel devices can test with 64-bit system images in Android Studio Emulator. Developers are recommended to use Android Studio Canary (Narwhal).