Google’s Potential Card-Style Redesign for Android 16’s Settings Sub-Menus: What We Can Expect

Android 16 is making strides towards its official release, with Google recently reaching the Platform Stability phase in March 2025. The tech giant’s commitment to the new version is already visible, following the release of Android 16 Beta 3. As users dive into the latest beta, they’re noticing a range of exciting features, with one of the most significant being a potential redesign of the Android 16 Settings menu.

For those eagerly awaiting the official release, it looks like the Settings sub-menus could be undergoing a major transformation that aligns with Google’s Material You design language. The redesign, which has not yet been activated for all users, is expected to bring a fresh, card-style layout to the sub-menus within the Settings app. Here’s a closer look at the changes and what they could mean for the user experience.

A Fresh Look: Material You in the Settings Menu

One of the standout features in Android 15 was the updated Settings UI. Now, Android 16 seems to be extending that aesthetic with a more expressive, user-friendly design for its sub-menus. The new design incorporates Material You's signature theme, featuring elements such as curved edges, vibrant card-style boxes, and improved separation between sub-menu items. This offers clearer distinctions between options, making it much easier for users to navigate and access settings.

Additionally, this redesign mimics the main Settings home screen, ensuring that users can instantly recognize which sub-menu items lead to further pages. A crucial part of this design is the inclusion of arrows next to items like ‘Connected devices’ and ‘App notifications,’ signaling that additional sub-pages will open when tapped. This subtle yet impactful change significantly improves the overall navigability of Android’s Settings.

Improving Accessibility and User Interaction

Android 16 also introduces significant changes to how disabled toggles are displayed. Previously, disabled toggles were grayed out, but in Beta 3, these toggles are now marked with a clear ‘X’ symbol, providing a secondary layer of confirmation. This update is particularly helpful for those with color vision deficiencies, ensuring that users can easily identify which toggles are inactive.

Furthermore, the addition of prominent headers placed at the very top of each sub-menu is another improvement over previous iterations. In Android 15, headers were placed about a quarter of the way down the screen, wasting valuable space. In the redesigned version, headers sit neatly at the top of the page next to the back arrow, using a smaller font to maximize screen real estate. This new layout ensures that users can see more items at once, improving the overall usability of the Settings app.

When Can We Expect the Final Version?

While the redesigned Settings sub-menus look promising, it’s important to note that these changes are not yet enabled by default in Android 16 Beta 3. The update may still need further refinement, and the fact that it hasn’t been fully activated suggests that it could be reserved for a future quarterly update. Even though it’s unlikely to appear in the final Android 16 release scheduled for Q2 2025, these features show Google’s commitment to continuously improving the user experience.

In conclusion, Android 16’s potential card-style redesign of the Settings sub-menus is a welcome and much-needed update. With clearer navigation, enhanced accessibility, and a more intuitive design, this change could make managing device settings easier and more enjoyable than ever. While it may not arrive in the initial Android 16 launch, it’s certainly a feature to watch for in upcoming updates.