The official release notes state that the following features were introduced in Android 16:
User interface Android 16 introduces an overhaul to the operating system's
Material Design language, branded as "
Material 3 Expressive", which features increased use of animation, colors, and blur. Material 3 Expressive was not included in the initial release of Android 16; in September 2025 it began to be deployed to
Pixel phones (
Pixel 6 and newer) and the
Pixel Tablet.
Desktop mode Android 16 introduces a desktop mode for tablets, similar to
ChromeOS and
Samsung DeX. The desktop mode is not included in the initial release of Android 16 and was instead implemented in September 2025 update to Pixel Tablet.
Linux terminal In Android 16, Google expanded the "
Linux Terminal" feature, which was initially introduced in
Android 15 QPR2 beta, allowing users to run
Linux applications within a virtual machine on their devices. This feature utilizes the Android Virtualization Framework (AVF) to create a
Debian-based environment where users can execute Linux commands and graphical applications. The guest operating system is fully isolated by the hypervisor (
KVM or gunyah) and manages its own resources with its own Linux kernel. Notably, it supports running classic software such as
Doom, demonstrating its ability to run full desktop applications.
Embedded photo picker The Android photo picker now supports cloud-based media services like
Google Photos. Users can seamlessly select photos stored in their cloud accounts, eliminating the need to switch between apps. Additionally, the picker integrates cloud albums alongside local content. The embedded picker can now respond to configuration changes such as screen orientation and theme changes, can hide the overflow menu and preview features, and includes a selection bar and a snack bar that can be expanded or collapsed. Additionally, the picker now includes search functionality, enabling users to search for specific photos and videos within their local and cloud storage.
Health records Android 16 introduces enhanced functionality in
Health Connect, allowing apps to access and manage medical data through a new set of APIs. The initial developer preview includes support for writing medical records in
Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), a standardized format for managing
electronic health records across different healthcare systems. This feature currently focuses on
immunization records, with plans to expand support for lab results,
medications, and more. Apps can utilize permissions such as android.permission.health.READ_MEDICAL_DATA_IMMUNIZATION and android.permission.health.WRITE_MEDICAL_DATA to interact with this data, with explicit user consent required.
Privacy Sandbox on Android This feature limits tracking mechanisms by utilizing anonymized data and local processing to deliver personalized content without compromising user privacy.
Notification cooldown The notification cooldown feature in Android 16 aims to reduce distractions from rapid notification bursts. When multiple notifications are received in quick succession, this feature temporarily lowers the notification sound and minimizes alerts for up to two minutes. This adjustment does not affect priority notifications, such as calls or alarms, allowing users to maintain focus while still receiving critical updates.
Adaptive apps To ensure seamless functionality across various devices and screen sizes, Android 16 is removing the ability for apps to restrict screen orientation and resizability on large screens. This change encourages developers to create adaptive apps that adjust fluidly to different display dimensions and orientations. Initially, in 2025, this will affect apps targeting API level 36 on devices with screens wider than 600dp, with an opt-out option available. By 2026, the policy will extend to apps targeting API level 37, eliminating the opt-out provision.
Live Updates Android 16 introduces "Live Updates," a new class of notifications designed to help users monitor and quickly access important ongoing activities. The new ProgressStyle notification template provides a consistent user experience for Live Updates, helping developers build progress-centric user journeys such as rideshare, delivery, and navigation. It includes support for custom icons for start, end, and current progress tracking, segments and points, user journey states, milestones, and more.
APV codec support Android 16 introduces support for the
Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, designed for professional-level high-quality video recording and post-production. The APV codec standard offers features such as YUV 422 color sampling, 10-bit encoding, and target bitrates of up to 2 Gbit/s. A reference implementation is provided through the OpenAPV project.
Vertical text rendering To better support languages that utilize vertical writing systems, such as
Mongolian, Android 16 adds low-level support for rendering and measuring text vertically. A new flag, VERTICAL_TEXT_FLAG, has been added to the Paint class. When this flag is set, Paint's text measurement APIs will report vertical advances instead of horizontal ones, and Canvas will draw text vertically. == Development ==